Box of Dreams

A little girl watches as her mama fills up a big box, but this is no ordinary package. It has a special name: the balikbayan box.

Together, they pack all sorts of gifts and treats for their family in the Philippines, but the girl has a secret wish to send along inside. A wish to fly with the box to meet her cousins and Lola and their family and to see and experience all the places where Mama grew up. A wish she hopes will one day come true.

Faith Kazmi and Christine Almeda take readers on a moving journey in this lyrical and poignant picture book that celebrates the dreams that are shared with loved ones back home and the power of love to connect families across oceans and lands.

"A mother and child connect with loved ones by post and shared memory in Kazmi’s cheerfully told debut. Specific details (e.g., Mama’s including a particular, hard-to-find toothpaste in the box) capture the care that goes into the final product, and Almeda’s inventive digital images, which show Mama placed in moments of reminiscence while packing the box, add imaginative flair to this straightforward telling with a connective heart." - Publishers Weekly

"Almeda perfectly matches the cozy tone of Kazmi’s evenly paced, tender tale with warm colors and expressive cartoons that fill each page. This is one big package of love and joy." - Kirkus Reviews

"This beautiful picture book follows a young girl and her mother as they prepare the balikbayan box for her lola...Told through vivid imagery and dialogue, this beautiful picture book amplifies an important cultural touchstone among families and their loved ones in the Philippines. Authentic and empathetic." - School Library Journal