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From world renowned master storyteller Jairo Buitrago comes a stunning story of place and the simple pleasures of the desert.
Who knows whether, maybe, you might like this story.
Against the backdrop of the vast desert, two little girls are celebrating their grandmother’s birthday in her house, with a little table, hats and lemonade. But nobody else has shown up.
“I have a very big friend who lives all alone,” explains their grandmother, and so, the three of them set out searching for the friend. Quickly, they find themselves alone, surrounded by the beautiful blooming desert. In the quiet moments, the girls begin to wonder: perhaps there is no greater gift than the time they spend together.
Filled with breathtaking illustrations from award-winning artist Manuel Monroy, Desert Flowers is an extraordinary depiction of the Mexican desert and is a beautiful expression of intergenerational relationships and the small comforts of everyday life.
More than a story of a grandmother, a cactus, an owl,
a little table in the middle of nowhere…and two girls—
It's a story of how happy I felt when I met them.
An Aldana Libros Book, Greystone Kids
Price: $19.95
Pages: 40
Publisher: Greystone Books
Imprint: Greystone Kids
Series: Aldana Libros
Publication Date:
27 October 2026
Trim Size: 10.00 X 9.00 in
ISBN: 9781778400124
Format: Hardcover
BISACs:
JUVENILE FICTION / Family / Grandparents, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Family & home stories, JUVENILE FICTION / Girls & Women, JUVENILE FICTION / Places / Mexico, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Wildlife & habitats: Deserts, Children’s / Teenage personal and social topics: Grandparents
“There’s so much room in this tale to breathe and simply be that readers will feel honored to have received this party invitation.”
—Kirkus Reviews
Jairo Buitrago is the author of many picture books, including Jimmy the Greatest!, Two White Rabbits, Walk with Me, and Lion and Mouse. His books Drawing Outdoors, Ways to Make Friends, On the Small Hill Where the Girls Take off Their Shoes and Afterward, Everything Was Different were also published by Aldana Libros. His books have received numerous starred reviews and been included on multiple book of the year lists, including by Kirkus, Horn Book, and the White Ravens catalogue.
Manuel Monroy is an award-winning illustrator whose work has appeared in children’s books, magazines, posters, and animation projects. Monroy was published extensively in North America by Groundwood Books. He has also exhibited his art in Mexico, Cuba, the Czech Republic, Italy, Japan and the Netherlands. He lives in Mexico City.