By Joana Pastro
Illustrated by Duda Oliva
Atheneum (Simon & Schuster)
Publication date: May 27, 2025.
A young Brazilian American girl navigates the concept of belonging when she celebrates the Brazilian Festa Junina festival with her family in this remarkable picture book about embracing all aspects of one’s identity.
Pretty little details can help…
tell the story of who I am.
Luana has been counting down the days until she can visit her grandparents in Brazil. She’s just in time for Festa Junina, a vibrant celebration where people dance, eat, and dress up in all sorts of colors!
But Luana feels…different. Her clothes are too plain, and her cousins comment on her American accent. She doesn’t feel Brazilian. Luckily, with a little help from her family and a new tradition, Luana learns that every part of her story is important, and she belongs after all!
School Library Journal review (March, 2025):
Luana, a young Brazilian American girl with dark hair and brown skin, takes pride in her cultural heritage; her “heart sings in English and Português, red, white, blue, and verde e amarelo.” Luana is eager to visit her grandparents in Brazil—she arrives just in time to celebrate Festa Junina. Luana’s cousins, wearing bright festival dresses, giggle at her American accent and she does not feel Brazilian in her plain Fourth of July dress. As her family prepares for Festa Junina, Luana collects “pretty little details” to embellish her simple dress, but acquires something far more valuable along the way. Oliva’s vivid pastel and colored pencil illustrations blend relaxed strokes of warm cinnamon and maroon, lush emerald and juniper, and vibrant plum and orchid. Endpapers depict journal pages scattered with doodles, stickers, and taped photographs, illustrating Luana’s anticipation of her trip and the new memories she will treasure. Pastro seamlessly integrates Brazilian Portuguese words, which are easily decipherable from context clues for readers not familiar with the language. Backmatter offers a supportive glossary in addition to an author’s note on Festa Junina and a cake recipe for bolo de fubá. VERDICT A rare representation of the Brazilian celebration Festa Junina, this tender story of identity and belonging will linger in the hearts of readers.
Illustrated by Duda Oliva
Atheneum (Simon & Schuster)
Publication date: May 27, 2025.
A young Brazilian American girl navigates the concept of belonging when she celebrates the Brazilian Festa Junina festival with her family in this remarkable picture book about embracing all aspects of one’s identity.
Pretty little details can help…
tell the story of who I am.
Luana has been counting down the days until she can visit her grandparents in Brazil. She’s just in time for Festa Junina, a vibrant celebration where people dance, eat, and dress up in all sorts of colors!
But Luana feels…different. Her clothes are too plain, and her cousins comment on her American accent. She doesn’t feel Brazilian. Luckily, with a little help from her family and a new tradition, Luana learns that every part of her story is important, and she belongs after all!
School Library Journal review (March, 2025):
Luana, a young Brazilian American girl with dark hair and brown skin, takes pride in her cultural heritage; her “heart sings in English and Português, red, white, blue, and verde e amarelo.” Luana is eager to visit her grandparents in Brazil—she arrives just in time to celebrate Festa Junina. Luana’s cousins, wearing bright festival dresses, giggle at her American accent and she does not feel Brazilian in her plain Fourth of July dress. As her family prepares for Festa Junina, Luana collects “pretty little details” to embellish her simple dress, but acquires something far more valuable along the way. Oliva’s vivid pastel and colored pencil illustrations blend relaxed strokes of warm cinnamon and maroon, lush emerald and juniper, and vibrant plum and orchid. Endpapers depict journal pages scattered with doodles, stickers, and taped photographs, illustrating Luana’s anticipation of her trip and the new memories she will treasure. Pastro seamlessly integrates Brazilian Portuguese words, which are easily decipherable from context clues for readers not familiar with the language. Backmatter offers a supportive glossary in addition to an author’s note on Festa Junina and a cake recipe for bolo de fubá. VERDICT A rare representation of the Brazilian celebration Festa Junina, this tender story of identity and belonging will linger in the hearts of readers.