I appreciated the message of the book, but I think I liked the afterword the most, actually. It was succinct and poetic whereas the process of encountering all the neighbors during the story itself felt too redundant after a while. I hope I will remember (or remember to come back to) her ruminations on death and life when I am facing similar losses. ( )

Several months after Sandra Cisneros' mother died, Sandra Cisnero decided she needed to bring herself back from the empty feelings of loss and grief ( " I was fifty-three years old and felt like an orphan") and create a lyrical memorial to her mother and to the people who live in her neighborhood in San Antonio.
Although HAVE YOU SEEN MARIE? was written for adults, it has a childlike simplicity and grace. Illustrated by Ester Hernandez, the basic story is about looking for a lost cat in Cisneros' neighborhood in San Antonio. But, the underlying message is that even when we are in deep mourning for those who have died, even if we feel a part of ourselves has also died, love cannot die. ( )

Such a charming fable. I hope I remember the lessons when I lose someone I love. I really like that the neighbors and neighborhood, and cats, were drawn from life. And yes, though this is distinctly a book for adults, kids (as young as 4?) could benefit from it too. Maybe they'd experience the book on different levels or in different ways - but that's ok... this is art, and interpretation of art is up to the viewer/reader. ( )

This is an illustrated short story for adults. A woman is grieving over the death of her mother when her cat goes missing. Through searching for him, she reconnects with her neighbors. She also realizes how valuable human connections are in this adventure called life. The story ends on a happy note. ( )

This is a very short story by an author I have come to appreciate over the years. It seems that lately I have been reading quite a few books about dealing with grief and loss over a parent (e.g. [b:A Monster Calls|8621462|A Monster Calls|Patrick Ness|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1331787035s/8621462.jpg|13492114] and [b:Under the Mesquite|8423931|Under the Mesquite|Guadalupe Garcia McCall|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1345513277s/8423931.jpg|6646228] ). This book looks at the death of a parent from the point of view of an adult child. I found this book inspiring and uplifting. Upon finishing, I immediately called my mom and texted my dad. How can a book that deals with grief over loss be inspiring? It inspired me to reach out to the people who I love and may not have in my life for many years to come.

The story is also about community. It is about a woman who has previously removed herself from her neighbors and purposely not interacted with them but is forced to reach out and be a part of the community if she is going to find her missing pet.

Have you seen Marie? is a short story, but worth the read.
[b:A Monster Calls|8621462|A Monster Calls|Patrick Ness|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1331787035s/8621462.jpg|13492114] and [b:Under the Mesquite|8423931|Under the Mesquite|Guadalupe Garcia McCall|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1345513277s/8423931.jpg|6646228] ( )