Celeste is heartbroken when her grandmother dies, and nothing can make her feel better. But everything changes when a letter mysteriously comes in the mail—from Grandma! “I know you miss me as much as I miss you. Don't be sad. Where there is love, there is no sadness.” As letters continue to arrive from the beyond, each with a recipe of a favorite food she used to prepare, Celeste follows her grandmother's advice and consoles herself by learning how to cook the dishes.
With Grandma gone, so is her social security check. Celeste's mom needs to get a second job to make ends meet, and Celeste has to quit her favorite activity, dance lessons. At school, Amanda the bully gloats over the fact that Celeste won't participate in the upcoming recital. And her friends think that she's gone crazy; dead people can't send letters!
When a final letter arrives, Celeste realizes that all the recipes combined make an entire meal:
café con leche,
guava and cheese croissants,
congrí,
plantain chips,
ropa vieja
and flan. Can she really make a Cuban feast to celebrate her cherished grandmother's life?
A tender story of family and friendship,
Letters from Heaven / Cartas del cielo
celebrates Latino traditions, especially those of the Spanish Caribbean. This entertaining novel is written in ten brief chapters for children ages 8-12 and includes six traditional Cuban recipes with easy-to-follow instructions.