Empanadas for Everyone

Written by Jackie Azúa Kramer and Illustrated by Lenny Wen

Carina spends every Saturday visiting Tía Mimi in her lively barrio, where everything seems to dance with sound. Music drifts from open windows, old stories swirl through the warm air, and car horns beep a cheerful rhythm. Every Saturday, Carina and her aunt make empanadas together, singing their favorite song: “I like empanadas! I like you! ¡Me gustan las empanadas! ¡Me gustas tú!”

But this Saturday is different. Tía Mimi is volunteering at the neighborhood food center, so she asks Carina to gather all the ingredients on her own. At first, Carina isn’t sure she can do it. The list feels long, and the barrio feels bigger when she’s walking it by herself. But as she visits each place, friendly neighbors offer help, share stories, and cheer her on.

With every ingredient she collects, Carina discovers something new about the people around her—and how a community is built from kindness, teamwork, and looking out for one another. By the time she returns to Tía Mimi, Carina has everything she needs to make empanadas… and a brand‑new understanding of what it means to belong.