Since a Disney film about the Mexican holiday of the Day of the Dead was released, my children have asked for details about the holiday. For my part, I’ve seen more and more “sugar” skulls and other decorative elements around Halloween, and I wondered about the combination of colorful details and what seemed macabre to me. This wonderful children’s book answers all of our questions, in charming and heart-warming ways.

This charming and delightfully illustrated book explains how one family celebrates the “Day of the Dead,” including the most important part — by remembering their loved ones and all the things they loved during their lives. Various traditional elements are briefly explained, like the marigolds, the sugar skulls, and the family display. The narrator, a child, offers exciting elements about her forebears’ lives, loves, and accomplishments, which are both engaging and offer an insight to the holiday’s true purpose.

Overall, children will learn how the day is spent remembering specific details of their family members’ lives, which is a wonderful tradition. Speaking of wondrous things, the colorful, painted illustrations are a delight in themselves, both cute and endearing. Both me and my children love them. Nothing macabre here! Just lots of family love, connections, and re-connecting to those who came before.