Family Pictures / Cuadros de familia

Why This Book?

Family Pictures is the story of Carmen Lomas Garza's girlhood in Kingsville, Texas: celebrating birthdays, making tamales, picking cactus, and confiding to her sister her dreams of becoming an artist. These day-to-day experiences are told through fifteen paintings and stories, each focusing on a different aspect of Carmen's traditional Mexican American culture growing up.

The paintings and stories reflect the author's strong sense of family and community and demonstrate how her mother's love and hard work helped Carmen achieve her dream. For the hundreds of thousands of Mexican Americans, Carmen Lomas Garza offers a book that reflects their lives and cultural traditions. For others, this beautiful work will offer insights into a fascinating life and a rich community.

Sandra Cisneros provided the introduction and Pat Mora the afterword for this touchstone of Latino children's literature.

Carmen Lomas Garza’s bilingual text and vibrant illustrations share moments from Mexican American family life, from cooking to celebrations. It provides windows and mirrors for children’s cultural experiences.

• Expands vocabulary around family life and traditions.
• Validates bilingual, bicultural experiences.
• Encourages storytelling and oral history.

Montessori Connections

• Practical Life & Sensorial: Display photos of children’s families in the classroom.
• Language: Oral storytelling in English and Spanish using family photos.
• Math & Order: Sequence events in a family celebration.
• Art & Expression: Children draw a family tradition and label it bilingually.

Music & Movement
Play cultural music during circle time; invite children to share dances or movements from home traditions.

Family Connections
Invite families to send in a bilingual caption for a favorite family photo to display in the classroom.

Montessori Big Idea
Supports the cultural curriculum by respecting the child’s home environment and connecting family traditions to school learning.

Try This at Home
Create a small bilingual family photo book with your child—label family members in both languages.