Once, on an alligator—shaped island in the middle of a wide sea, there lived a little girl who loved maps and dreamed of one day knowing other places . . .
In another part of the world, at the mouth of a wide bay, there lived an old man who in his youth dreamed of sailing the world and making friends in foreign lands . . .
When these two strangers connect through a message in a bottle, their communication inspires a visit that forges a lasting friendship, which expands both their worlds. Based on a true story, Arletis, Abuelo, and the Message in a Bottle is a lyrically written, lushly illustrated portrait of life in rural Cuba that will enchant children and adults alike.
Lea Aschkenas has written book reviews and articles for Washington Post Book World, Los Angeles Review of Books, and salon.com. She is also the author of a travel memoir, Es Cuba: Life and Love on an Illegal Island. She fell in love with Cuba and its people on her first trip to the island in the year 2000 and has been returning nearly every year since. Arletis, Abuelo, and the Message in a Bottle is her first book for children. Lea lives in Northern California where she works as a public librarian and teaches with the California Poets in the Schools program.
Cornelius Van Wright and Ying—Hwa Hu are a husband and wife children's book illustration team. They have worked on many assignments together, but have also illustrated numerous projects and books individually. They have won a number of awards for their books. Their work has been exhibited at the Bologna Book Fair and the Society of Illustrators' "The Original Art" show. Cornelius and Ying—Hwa live in New York City.
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