Seven Pablos

Pablo lives in Chile with his hardworking father. But Pablo also lives in Ecuador, deep in the Amazon rainforest. There is another Pablo living with his family in Mexico, after fleeing the dictatorship in Argentina. And in New York, Pablo shares an overcrowded apartment in the Bronx, where he’s only allowed home for twelve hours at a time. Pablo is the son of a rural schoolteacher in Peru, and another Pablo picks through garbage to survive in Rio de Janiero, while yet another Pablo has big plans to get from Guatemala to Los Angeles. Poet Jorge Luján tells the powerful story of seven different Pablos living seven different lives in this world we all call home.

Selected for the Society of Illustrators 2018 Original Art Show A CBC "Hot Off The Press" Selection of May 2018 A Junior Library Guild Selection "...a necessary reminder of young lives often unseen."—Kirkus Reviews "Compelling and moving, it’s unlike any other picture book you’ll see this year."—Julie Danielson, Kirkus Reviews ”…Carrer does arresting things with color and graphite pencil.” —Travis Jonker, 100 Scope Notes "…one of the most powerful picture books of the year.” —Miranda Rosbach, My Bookbloom ”’There are many Pablos in the world, yet they are all one. Inside each of them is a heart that beats to the same rhythm as the ocean’s waves and the rotations of the planet.’ I wish that line from Seven Pablos could be written everywhere and understood by those at the highest levels of power. This is a book that meditates on the universal human experiences of children around the world, touching on issues like migration, poverty, and bullying. It is a necessary book for the time we live in–one of those Pablos could very well be one of the 12,800 detained children at the United States border.” —Hannah DeCamp, Children’s Buyer, Avid Bookshop (Athens, GA) "Thought provoking [...] The book effectively shows that, despite their different countries of origin, the Pablos share the same humanity."—Youth Services Book Review "Luján’s simple tale, translated by Mara Faye Lethem, provides a powerful message in the final paragraph – “There are many Pablos in the world, yet they all are one”. It offers a snapshot of the harshness and uncertainty of life experienced from poverty, being a refugee and fleeing conflict. Each Pablo has his own life to lead and yet they are connected in their search for their own place in the world. The child-like simplicity of the striking crayon graphite artwork by Italian illustrator Chiara Carrer, with a burst of yellow and dash of red amidst a sea of grey, are the perfect accompaniment to this unusual picture book.” —Outside in World

Jorge Luján, an author, musician and architect born in Argentina and living in Mexico, has published more than 40 books and 8 CDs. With some of the world’s best illustrators he has created an outstanding body of work translated into many languages which includes Trunk to Trunklet, illustrated by Mandana Sadat, also by Enchanted Lion. Jorge has received numerous distinctions and is candidate to the ALMA prize for the 5th time. See more of his work on Facebook at Jorge Luján. Poesía y Música, Youtube Channel, Bandcamp, and www.jorgelujan.netChiara Carrer has been creating stories for children for over 20 years. Born in Venice, she graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome and has studied engraving at the school of Ornamental Arts of San Giacomo. Since 1990 she has published over one hundred books in Europe and won many prizes, including the New York Times Best Illustrated Award in 2012. She teaches both at the ISIA in Urbino and Academy of fine arts in Bologna.Mara Faye Lethem was born in Brooklyn. She enjoys both vegetables and meat. She has seen shooting stars, but that was a long time ago.