Pulpo Guisado - by Eric Velasquez (Paperback)

About the Book

"The octopus Grandma is cooking has grown to titanic proportions. "Be careful!" But it's too late. The octopus traps Grandma! Ramsey must use both art and intellect to free his beloved abuela."--

Book Synopsis

What do you do when an octopus captures Grandma? Put on your superhero cape and rescue her! Award-winning Afro-Latino artist Eric Velasquez's delightfully meta story is now in Spanish.

A Bank Street Best Children's Picture Book of the Year in Spanish!

The octopus Grandma is cooking has grown to titanic proportions. "¡Tenga cuidado!" Ramsey shouts. "Be careful!" But it's too late. The octopus traps Grandma! Ramsey must use both art and intellect to free his beloved abuela.

Then the story takes a surprising twist. And it can be read two ways. Open the fold-out pages to find Ramsey telling a story to his family. Keep the pages folded, and Ramsey's octopus adventure is real.

This beautifully illustrated picture book, drawn from the author's childhood memories, celebrates creativity, heroism, family, grandmothers, grandsons, Puerto Rican food, Latinx culture and more.

With an author's note and the Velasquez family recipe for Octopus Stew!

A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year
Una selección del Junior Library Guild

Review Quotes

"The dynamic artwork reflects the author's affection for his Afro-Latino heritage and his love for superheroes and art in general, especially in the scene where Ramsey is recounting the story of the rogue octopus to his family." --Booklist

About the Author

Eric Velasquez' awards include the John Steptoe / Coretta Scott King Award for new talent, a Pura Belpré Award, an NAACP Image Award, and a Carter G. Woodson Award. For Holiday House, he both wrote and illustrated Looking for Bongo, and he illustrated Ol' Clip-Clop: A Ghost Story by Patricia C. McKissack (Anne Izard Storyteller's Choice Award Winner, Georgia Children's Book Award, Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year--Outstanding Merit) and New Shoes by Susan Lynn Meyer (Jane Addams Peace Association Children's Book Award, Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year, New York State Reading Association Charlotte Award). The son of Afro-Puerto Rican parents who encouraged music and storytelling, Eric grew up in Spanish Harlem, New York. As a child, he loved superheroes, comics and drawing, much like the boy in Octopus Stew. He teaches illustration at the Fashion Institute of Technology and lives in New York.