Lolo’s Sari-sari Store

Feelings of connection and service sustain a young narrator separated from their beloved Filipino grandfather in this bright tale focused on community-building. The unnamed narrator remembers how, in the Philippines, Lolo was more than a proprietor of a variety store. His work involved caring for friends and neighbors—through the items he sold, by offering “what people need the most... someone to listen,” and via generosity to children and adults alike. Looking up at the stars at day’s end, he’d ask his grandchild, “Aren’t we so lucky we have more than enough to share?” Now, having joined Mama in America, “it’s always cold, and the streets are mostly empty. I miss the familiar faces... I miss Lolo and his sari-sari store.” To find community in a new home, the child returns to the lessons Lolo offered. Almeda’s digital illustrations, bathed in golden light with dazzling contrasts, lend a warm feeling to Lee’s sensate descriptions in a book about what makes a heart “feel full.” Ages 4–8. (Aug.)