Storytime: Ismée Williams & Tatiana Gardel’s ABUELO, THE SEA, AND ME

Join Word Up for a special author & illustrator storytime for the new children’s book Abuelo, the Sea, and Me, perfect for ages 4-8. Author Ismée Williams & illustrator Tatiana Gardel will share a tender, heartwarming picture book that vividly explores intergenerational connections, family history, and the immigrant experience, followed by an activity. 

We welcome daycare groups! 

“Over the course of four seasons, a child and their abuelo connect during visits in this loving intergenerational book that looks both forward and back… [accompanied by] sensory-rich descriptions… [and] delicate digital art [that] has the feel of watercolors on textured paper.” -Publishers Weekly

This event is a $5 suggested donation ticket with 30 max attendees. Please register in advance.

In compliance with Word Up Community Safety guidelines, all attendees for this event must wear a mask inside.

Word Up Community Bookshop is located at 2113 Amsterdam Ave. (& 165th St.) in Washington Heights, NYC. You can take the 1 train to 168th St and the A/C train to 163rd or 168th  St.

ABOUT THE BOOK

When this grandchild visits her abuelo, he takes her to the ocean. In summer, they kick off their shoes and let the cool waves tickle their toes. In winter, they stand on the cliff and let the sea spray prick their noses and cheeks. No matter the season, hot or cold, their favorite place to spend time together is the beach.

It’s here that Abuelo is able to open up about his youth in Havana, Cuba. As they walk along the sand, he recalls the tastes, sounds, and smells of his childhood. And with his words, Cuba comes alive for his grandchild.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR

Ismée Williams is the award-winning author of Water in May (2017) and This Train Is Being Held (2020), a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection and winner of the ILBA Gold Medal for best YA Romance, published by Amulet books. Ismée also co-edited the YA anthology, Boundless: Twenty Voices Celebrating Multicultural and Multiracial Identities (2023), published by Inkyard. She has been an invited speaker at The Virginia Festival of the Book, The Miami Book Fair, The NYC Teen Author Festival, The Southern Kentucky Book Festival, and The Bronx Book Festival among others. Ismée is a co-founder of the Latinx Kidlit Book Festival as well as a pediatric cardiologist in New York City where she lives with her family. She is the daughter of a Cuban immigrant and grew up listening to her abuelo’s bedtime stories.

Tatiana Gardel is a New York City–based artist whose work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators and American Illustration. Previous books she illustrated include The First Day of Peace and Abuelo, the Sea, and Me. Tatiana loves to paint and sketch at the green meadows of Central Park, dance to the music of its performers, and go for walks on its lush pathways. She was born and raised in Brazil and teaches animation to young artists at the Harlem School of the Arts.

Word Up Community Safety Guidelines

MASKING POLICY: All attendees ages 2 and older must wear a mask at all times when indoors at the store at Word Up and Recirculation.

CANCELLATION POLICY: Word Up Community Bookshop reserves the right to cancel events for any reason, including but not limited to safety concerns.

CODE OF CONDUCT: Please note Word Up has a zero tolerance policy for harassment or intimidation of any kind during any event, virtual or in-person. Please read our Safe Space Policy for more information. Anyone violating these rules will be expelled from the event at the discretion of the organizers. Please report all harassment to events@wordupbooks.com immediately.

PHOTOS & RECORDING: Events may be recorded, and video and photos may be posted on our website, social media, and elsewhere. If you would prefer not to be visible, please let a Word Up team member know. 

PRIVACY: Registrants will be added to the Word Up mailing list. Your contact information will never be shared or sold. You may unsubscribe or update your subscription at any time.

PHYSICAL ACCESSIBILITY: Word Up Community Bookshop/Librería Comunitaria is a fully wheelchair-accessible space with one ADA-compliant ramp from the street level to the store. Some of our bookcases and tables are on wheels and can be moved to provide additional access. Our visitor bathroom is wheelchair accessible and gender neutral. Our events are mic’d for sound. Free ASL interpretation is available for most programs upon request; please email events@wordupbooks.com to request interpretation as early as possible. The space is not scent or chemical free but we do our best to minimize the use of chemicals and scents throughout the space and use nontoxic materials whenever possible. If you have specific questions about the space or how an event can be made more accessible to you, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@wordupbooks.com.