Popo the Xolo

♦ An abuela crosses from life to death with the help of her loyal pooch.
Popo, a Xoloitzcuintle (a Mexican hairless dog with great significance in many Indigenous cultures), spends his evenings sitting on Nana’s lap as she watches her novelas, soothing her aches with his tiny, warm body. Nana spends her days cooking, cleaning the floors, and tending to her familia. One night, Nana sits on her comfy chair for the last time; accompanied by Popo, she soon steps into the Aztec underworld, Mictlān, where the dead must journey across nine levels to reach eternal rest. Rich in otherworldly blends of purples, pinks, and sun-kissed hues, Matias’ striking paper-cut artwork depicts Nana’s passing in a series of stunning double-page spreads, softening the heavy subject matter. Lopez’s gentle text pulls at the heartstrings in subtle streaks, punctuated by the phrase “Keep going. ¡VÁMONOS!,” accompanying Popo’s barks of encouragement to his beloved owner. Nana wades through a river, climbs hills, glides across an obsidian path, battles snowy winds, evades arrow-throwing monkeys, and more as she recalls memories both good and bad. Her journey ends back at her casita, where her familia holds on to their shared remembrances. Nana now moves on (“Her aches have disappeared”), and Popo remains with her familia. Lopez deftly lands on a bittersweet note, a message of love that transcends life and death.
Gently magnificent.
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

♦ With her debut picture book, Lopez embraces Mexican culture and shares a touching story about celebrating those we love who have passed on. Nana loves her casita, her family, and her xoloitzcuintle dog, Popo. Popo keeps her company, and when he sits on her lap, his body’s warmth helps her aching bones. One day, sitting in her armchair, Nana passes into the mythical land of Mictlān. In Indigenous Mexican culture, the dead travel through the nine levels of Mictlān to reach a place of rest. Accompanied by Popo, Nana starts the long walk, encountering a river, steep climbs, snow, and mischievous monkeys, among other things. Encouraged by Popo to “Keep going. ¡Vámonos!”, Nana notices that her physical ailments are slowly disappearing. Finally reunited with her beloved husband, Nana sends Popo back to her family in the living world. Matias’ captivating illustrations, executed in cut paper and digital media, illuminate the story with rich jewel-toned colors and texture. Details such as Nana’s and Popo’s bony reflections in water offer interesting visual cues, while Spanish words throughout the text add cultural authenticity and warmth. This is a triumphant, moving reflection on death that pays meaningful homage to Indigenous Mexican culture. An author’s note about Mictlān, xoloitzcuintle dogs, and grief and a Spanish glossary conclude. Also available in a Spanish edition, Popo el Xolo.
—Booklist, starred review

♦ An accompanied journey ends in rest and remembrance in Lopez’s arresting debut, which, in English and Spanish, blends Indigenous Mexican myth with a story of loss. Popo, Nana’s tiny Xoloitzcuintle, “is the best apapachador, always looking for cuddles,” which the two share during evenings in front of the TV. Sitting in her chair, “Popo keeps Nana warm and helps heal her aches.” Nana is surrounded by the love of family, but after a long day, it’s Popo’s bark that awakens her as she finds herself standing in a river, tired and lost. The two next pass through strange landscapes, Nana reliving memories (“her favorite novelas, the smell of her pan dulce and cafecito”) as Popo urges her along toward a home that is “different somehow.” Matias’s jewel-toned cut-paper and wash-style digital illustrations leap off the page with a vivid light-and-shadow dimensionality suggestive of puppetry, making for a luminous tale of comfort. Back matter discusses the Nine Levels of Mictlān and more.
—Publishers Weekly, starred review

Nana loves her family and her beloved dog, Popo. In the evenings, Popo keeps Nana warm as she settles down to watch her favorite telenovelas. This evening, Nana is tired and falls asleep. She wakes and finds herself crossing a river, Popo leading the way. Nana is tired and it is difficult as she and Popo continue their journey, passing through mountains, stone paths, snow, and more, but with each step Nana begins to feel stronger. Popo barks encouragement, tugging at Nana’s skirt. When Nana and Popo arrive home, she no longer feels pain, and Nana feels the love of her family, and the love they have for Popo. This lovely picture book shares a family’s love for their beloved nana, and her journey as she passes away, traveling through the levels of Mictlān with her important guide, a xoloitzcuintle dog. Text and illustrations show the obstacles Nana faces, with vibrant, luminous colors bringing to life this otherworldy place, and paper cut-out art making the ­characters seems so much closer to readers. The text in both the English and Spanish ­versions shows character dialogue in speech bubbles, with page text describing Nana’s activities, her love for her family, and the levels of Mictlān. A touching depiction of this important belief in the afterlife, as well as a reminder of the good it does to keep loved ones alive through ­memory. ­VERDICT This picture book focusing on the passing of a loved one and their journey through Mictlān is an excellent addition to children’s picture book collections, and a solid choice to discuss loss and to share on Day of the Dead.
—School Library Journal