Tonja Drecker's Reviews > Lolo's Sari-Sari Store

This read begins with a young girl and her memories of working with Lolo at his sari-sari store. Not only is the store a visual treat, but warmth and joy come across as she explains the various pepole, who would come by the shop. Lolo's heart of gold is inspiring and is sure to bring a smile to the face. These earlier scenes especially invite in and will have readers wishing they could join Lolo, too, since there's always someone with a smile or hello.

Then, it switches to the little girl's new life in the US with her mother. Since the mother works, the girl feels alone and misses the neighborly life. Her sadness weighs down just enough to bring the emotions across without growing too heavy. It sets the atmosphere for hope and reaching out, which also forms the main message in these pages. The situations come across with familiarity and are very fitting to the age group.

A sense for community and helping others rings loud and clear as the reader accompanies the girl in finding new connections. Giving and recognizing others' needs also rounds off the message and leaves the reader with a sense of hope...and maybe, a few ideas of their own. It does open up the possibility to a discussion or even a project surrounding the community.
I received an ARC and enjoyed the sense of community.