The Peanut Man, written by Carmen Agra Deedy and illustrated by Raul Colon. Peachtree, Penguin Random House. 2025. $25.99 ages 4 and up

"He wore a jaunty hat. His face, as wrinkled
as old tobacco leaves, spread into a toothless
smile.

"Coqui!" he called. 
He knew everyone by name.
And we all knew el manisero,
the Peanut Man. 

Now it was time 
to play our game."

In Old Havana, a peanut man walks the street singing his song for his customers. A young girl rushes to her bedroom window to listen and to smell the mani (peanuts). She is full of excitement as she calls down to Emilio; his pleasure is equally evident. The two are ready to play their game. Coqui sticks her thumbs in her ears, sticks out her tongue, and makes a silly sound before Emilio apes her actions. They love that game, playing it every night. 

When her mother tells her at bedtime one evening that the family is leaving Cuba for the United States, Coqui is confused. Told it is dangerous for her father to speak his truths, the girl wonders if they will ever return. There is no answer for that question. As soon as she hears Emilio on the street beneath her window, she tells him what is happening. He explains that it is a land of 'plenty, liberty ... and beisbol.'

That sparks excitement for a young girl who loves baseball; still, tears flood her face as she must say farewell to her dear friend. It is a long and complicated journey to their new home. The family settles in and makes a new life in Decatur, Georgia. Coqui is always homesick, except for baseball. She and her Papi listen to the games with great anticipation. A birthday surprise results in two tickets to see Hammerin' Hank Aaron with her Papi! On a warm September afternoon, they set out together. 

She doesn't like the stadium smells and wants to go back home to listen. Her father encourages her to persevere, and not miss all the excitement of the game. When she hears the cry of a peanut vendor, Coqui knows it is not Emilio. A warm bag of peanuts in her hands leaves her awash with memory, and leads to a conversation with the peanut man, Big Dee. She gives in to the impulse to teach Big Dee the game she shared with Emilio; Big Dee responds in kind. A warm feeling of home washes over Coqui for the first time since the family moved away from Cuba. 

Lovingly told and illustrated, this family story of immigration and finding a new home is both memorable, and uplifting. Ms. Deedy explains in a poignant afterword how a story she told in her daughter's high school led to her sharing it with another family and their guests. To her great surprise one person in attendance was Henry Aaron. His interest in her and in her story was an amazing encounter, as you might guess!