His Name...Gabito

“No matter what, nobody can take away the dances you've already had.”
―  Memories of My Melancholy Whores



Earlier this evening, I read that my favorite author, Gabriel Garcìa Màrquez, passed away at the age of 87.  His words and his stories have haunted me in the best way since I first picked up One Hundred Years of Solitude.  I have read one of his stories every summer for the past 10 years and it is a tradition I hold near to my heart.  While there is no doubt this man lived his life to the fullest, it is sad to know that our world will never be blessed with new tales from the humid, romantic worlds he brought to life in his books. 

Gabito walking with his grandfather

It is our future generation of children who will miss out on sharing reality with this dreamer.  However, we can get them started with a children's book all about the man who some called Gabriel Garcìa Màrquez, others called Gabo, and still others knew him once, as a child, as Gabito.

An illustration of one of my favorite short stories by Gabo

The Very Old Man with Enormous Wings

My Name is Gabito/Me llamo Gabito, written by Monica Brown and illustrated by Raùl Colòn, tells of Garcìa Màrquez's beginnings in Columbia and hints at the stories he wrote as an adult. The story is also written in both English and Spanish. Pick it up tomorrow for your little one, and pick up any of his books for yourself. 

Gabo, all the way