Title: The Invisible Parade
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Author & Illustrator: John Picacio
Type: Fiction
Genre: Children’s, Fantasy
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Date published: August 26, 2025
A complimentary physical copy of this book was kindly provided by Hachette Book Group Canada in exchange for an honest review.
Everyone in the neighborhood was getting ready for the party.
Everyone knew somebody on the guest list. . . .
This was the day the dead returned.
There’s a party tonight, but Cala doesn’t want to go. While her family prepares for the celebration, Cala grieves her grandfather and tries to pretend she’s not afraid.
But when she is separated from her family at the cemetery, Cala encounters four mysterious riders who will show her she is actually quite brave after all.
Brimming with magic and humor, The Invisible Parade is the first picture-book collaboration between award-winner John Picacio and New York Times bestselling Leigh Bardugo. Set on the night of Día de Muertos, Cala’s story is one of love, loss, and the courage that can be found in unexpected places.
⤖ My Review ⬻
Oh boy did The Invisible Parade by Leigh Bardugo and John Picacio ever make me sob. I can’t handle things to do with grief very well, but I think it’s really important to talk about it—especially to introduce young ones to the subject in a gentle way.
The Invisible Parade combines that, with rich culture, and beautiful colours and illustrations. I was at times distracted from my tears by how stunning some of the pages were. My mini me also enjoyed looking at the colours, and I really look forward to diving into this book with her more deeply once she’s a little older.
⤖ Get Your Copy ⬻
⤖ Let's Chat ⬻
Thank you for reading my review! Have you read this book? What did you think? And if you haven’t read it yet, do you plan to? Let me know in the comments!
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