TAMALES FOR CHRISTMAS

Grandma makes tamales by the dozens to bring Christmas cheer for la familia.

In her kitchen, “loud and cramped and perfumed with delicious smells,” Grandma prepares for the task that awaits. She intends to “sell as many tamales as she can before Christmas” so she can purchase gifts for her many children and grandchildren. Inspired by his real-life grandmother’s seasonal efforts, Briseño presents a series of cozy vignettes that focus on Latine familial love, narrated by an unnamed young child. In the crisp morning, Dad sells tamales from a cooler to co-workers and friends. When the days become colder, Mom and the tías bustle around the kitchen to lend a hand. Holidays and festivities unfold. On Halloween, Grandpa greets trick-or-treaters with candies, and on Thanksgiving, la familia gathers round to feast on turkey and other favorites. Grandma stands at the center of it all, with masa and corn husks in each hand. Boasting a vibrant palette of rich, earthy colors, Sánchez’s digital artwork superbly captures the tenderness and serenity of each scene. Grandma’s tamale milestones (“150 DOZEN TAMALES,” “850 DOZEN TAMALES”) crop up in bold and all caps throughout. Soon enough, the Christmas tree comes out, and lights fill each room. When Grandma wraps up her last tamales for the season, the real significance of the holiday emerges.

A dazzling Yuletide remembrance.