Seven Pablos

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