Brilliantly colored oil, acrylic and gouache paintings illustrate scenes from this Chicana artist's childhood in Kingsville, Texas, near the border with Mexico. She comments on growing up in her Mexican-American family in single-page narratives accompanying each work of art reproduced in the book and in the details of her paintings, as well. Children who cannot read yet can see empanadas being made, a birthday celebration complete with a barbecue and a piñata, Easter egg decoration, a healer's visit to the family, grandmother telling the story of La Llorona, a cousin's wedding blessing, and much more. The artist answers questions typically asked about her work in two pages at the end. The narrative passages are printed in Spanish and in English. A welcome continuation of her first book, Family Pictures = Cuadros de familia, published in 1990. (Age 5 and older)

Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Honor - American Library Association (ALA)

Bilingual English/Spanish. In My Family/En mi familia is Carmen Lomas Garza's second book of family pictures, a continuing tribute to the loving family and community that shaped her childhood-and her life.

In her eagerly-awaited second book for children, In My Family/En mi familia, internationally-renowned artist Carmen Lomas Garza takes us once again to her hometown of Kingsville, Texas, near the border with Mexico. Through vibrant paintings and warm personal stories, Carmen brings to life more loving memories of growing up in a traditional Mexican American community: eating empanadas, witnessing the blessing on her cousin's wedding day, and dancing to the conjunto band at the neighborhood restaurant.

In My Family/En mi familia is Carmen Lomas Garza's second book of family pictures, a continuing tribute to the loving family and community that shaped her childhood-and her life.