Balam and Lluvia’s House

Balam and Lluvia are siblings, and this book is an open window into their home. You’ll see them take their adventures from the backyard to the bedroom, bathroom, dining room, kitchen, under the pillow, and even to the living room window. Seventeen short poems capture family life.
Julio Serrano’s poetry and Yolanda Mosquera’s illustrations delight the senses and emotions. They weave together everyday situations, such as when little Lluvia presses her ear to the ground, certain that something important is happening down there, unnoticed by anyone else. Every day is full of discoveries, from the scent of crushed bay leaves to the whispers of the peach tree in the garden.
This book is brimming with poems full of life and reflection, inviting readers to run alongside its protagonists and be captivated by the world around them.

Key points

2024 – Shortlisted for the CLiPPA Poetry Award, UK
2024 – Shortlisted for The Week Junior Book Award for Poetry, UK
2024 – Finalist for the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Illustration, UK
2022 – Winner of the 2022 English PEN Award, UK
2021 – Highly recommended by IBBY Fundalectura, Colombia
2019 – 100 Recommended Books Award, Cuatrogatos Foundation, USA
2018 – Finalist for the Nami Concours, South Korea
2018 – Featured in the Sharjah International Illustration Exhibition, UAE

• A multi-award-winning book that won the PEN Award in 2022 for its English translation by Lawrence Schimel.
• Poems that explore feelings of both unease and loss, as well as love, wonder, and humor.
• The settings naturally evoke connections to readers’ own experiences, homes, and relationships.
• Illustrations are created using a variety of painting, printing, and collage techniques.
• It is a useful tool for children to identify with and share their feelings and experiences related to home, family relationships, and daily life.