Abuela, Don’t Forget Me

Share this book

Rex Ogle’s abuela was the one person he could always count on. Ask students to think about the person or people in their lives who nurture and support them. Have them reflect on the stories they have learned from these important adults in their lives and how these stories have shaped the way they think about themselves and about the people who shared them.

Have them take those stories and develop them into a poem that celebrates that special person and the bond they share. Encourage them to draft history, anecdotes, and stories they want to share before deciding what to include in their poem. Students may also choose to interview the subject of their tribute or gather more stories and information about that person from others.

When students complete their poems, have them share their work in peer review, making edits before presenting their poem to the class.

Questions for Discussion or Reflective Writing

1. What does it mean to love someone unconditionally?
2. How is Abuela’s own history relevant to Rex’s evolution? How did her influence help shape his identity? How does she affect him even when he’s not with her?
3. What did you admire about Abuela? What questions do you still have about her?
4. Why do you think the author chose to explain his grandmother’s dementia in the book’s foreword? How did the foreword influence how you read this book? How did it shape your expectations of what followed?
5. How did this memoir make you reflect on your own life and your relationships with family members?

Related Resources

Rex Ogle Reads “Names” from Abuela, Don't Forget Me
Rex Ogle Reads “Library” from Abuela, Don't Forget Me
Family Memoir: Getting Acquainted With Generations Before Us from ReadWriteThink