No More Señora Mimí

No More Señora Mimí by Meg Medina

By Meg Medina
Illustrated by Brittany Cicchese
Candlewick, 2024
32 pages
978-1-5362-1944-9

Ages 3-7

Ana (Latina) spends her day before and after school with her apartment building neighbor, Señora Mimí, while her mother is at work. “Señora Mimí has a two-tooth baby named Nelson and a no-tooth dog named Pancho, who likes buttered crackers as much as I do.” Ana and Señora Mimí’s relationship is one of warmth, familiarity, and loving routines; they even have matching hand-knitted sweaters Señora Mimí made. On this day, Ana is excited because her abuela is coming to live with her and her mother; Abuela will also become Ana’s babysitter. It isn’t until a classmate points out that there will be no more Señora Mimí once her abuela arrives that Ana’s enthusiasm deflates. Sitting with her sadness while hiding beneath Señora Mimí’s table after school, Ana knows that nothing will be the same. Señora Mimí sits with Ana to share her own sadness, but also celebrate the specialness of abuelas, and makes clear she still wants Ana to visit. Soon, Ana is listing all of the things to tell Abuela about Señora Mimí, as well as making plans for her and Abuela to visit Señora Mimí every afternoon for a snack. Warm digital illustrations add gentle sprinkles of visual humor and story-enhancing details to a picture book narrative that honors the emotions of a young child processing a big childcare transition, with wonderful, realistic details. A reassuring closing image shows Ana’s plans for regular visits have come to fruition.  ©2024 Cooperative Children’s Book Center