Graciela’s father travels to California to find work because of the drought in their Latin American village. Papi promised Graciela a special birthday gift, but it is lost in the mail. Graciela is angry and fears that, like the box, her father will also be lost to her. To console her daughter, Graciela’s mother lovingly fashions a doll from cornhusks and old clothing scraps. This simple gift becomes a symbol of hope for Graciela’s eventual reunion with her father. Spanish phrases are intermingled, and illustra tions feature Latino cultural scenes. However, the Latin American setting is never identified. mm, nlh