A poignant multicultural ode to family and what it means to create a home as one girl helps her Tía move away from her beloved Miami apartment. When Estrella's Tía Fortuna has to say goodbye to her longtime Miami apartment building, The Seaway, to move to an assisted living community, Estrella spends the day with her. Tía explains the significance of her most important possessions from both her Cuban and Jewish culture, as they learn to say goodbye together and explore a new beginning for Tía. A lyrical book about tradition, culture, and togetherness, Tía Fortuna's New Home explores Tía and Estrella's Sephardic Jewish and Cuban heritage. Through Tía's journey, Estrella will learn that as long as you have your family, home is truly where the heart is. K-Gr 3—Estrella's favorite aunt, Tia Fortuna, left Cuba years ago and now lives in Miami. Estrella loves visiting Tia Fortuna and hearing stories about her life and their shared heritage as Sephardic Jews. Their peripatetic ancestors originated in Spain, went on to Turkey, and then settled in Cuba. When she left Cuba, after Castro came to power, Tia Fortuna took the key to her Cuban casita, as Sephardic legends encourage, and wore it around her neck as a sign of hope going forward. Now Tia Fortuna is leaving Seaway, her Miami home, to go to a house for the aged. She makes friends immediately as she shares the borekas she made for old and new friends and settles right in. Before Estrella leaves, Tia Fortuna gives her the key to Seaway, continuing the tradition of hope, and Estrella knows Tia Fortuna will be just fine. Spanish words are embedded throughout, and the fullness of the text supports their meaning. A fabulous glossary in the back matter will answer any questions that arise. This powerful intergenerational story is enhanced by stunning art created with gouache, watercolor, and colored pencil. The palette establishes a sense of place, reminiscent of the Caribbean and Florida and serves as an anchor to the text. VERDICT This is beautiful story about heritage and hope, a must for all libraries, and remarkable in every way. —Joan Kindig NAMED A SYDNEY TAYLOR NOTABLE BOOK ★ "[A] beautiful story about heritage and hope… and remarkable in every way." — School Library Journal , starred review ★ "A nostalgic glimpse at a little-known but rich culture within the broader Jewish American community." — Kirkus Reviews, starred review “A beautiful tribute to home, family, and traditions.” —Margarita Engle, Pura Belpré Award–winning and Newbery Honor–winning author "Overflowing with warmth, hope and poetry, Tía Fortuna's New Home is a beautiful celebration of culture, intergenerational love, and the sanctity of home, both old and new." —Matt de la Pena, Newbery winning author of Last Stop on Market Street   “Good fortune to the readers of this wise tale.” —Sandra Cisneros, author of Hairs/Pelitos   “A beautiful and heartful reminder that home is not merely where we live, but rather, everything that lives within us.” —Richard Blanco, 2013 Presidential Inaugural Poet, author of How to Love a Country   "A radiant gem where the ancient past and future encounter one another with a welcoming hope." —Marjorie Agosin, author of I Lived on Butterfly Hill Ruth Behar is an acclaimed author of adult fiction and nonfiction, and Lucky Broken Girl - winner of the Pura Belpre Award -- is her first book for young readers. She was born in Havana, Cuba, grew up in New York, and has also lived and worked in Spain and Mexico. Her honors include a MacArthur "Genius" Award, a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship, a Fulbright Senior Fellowship, and a Distinguished Alumna Award from Wesleyan University. Devon Holzwarth is an illustrator and writer of picture books full of warmth and charm. She grew up in Panama with the jungle as her garden and parrots and iguanas as pets. Childhood memories and her collection of vintage children's books strongly inspire her work. Devon earned her BFA in 2000 from the Rhode Island School of Design focusing on screen printing and painting and afterwards lived in California painting murals around the Bay Area, and working for a children's publication. After having two children and moving to Germany, Devon discovered she was an illustrator and had stories to tell. She currently lives in Aachen with her husband, kids, and beloved old hound dog. Learn more at devonholzwarth.com.