Ava and Salomé: Welcome to Cali!

Ava is seven years old when her grandmother offers her a very special trip for her birthday. She lives in New Bern, North Carolina, but her grandmother’s gift gives her the chance to visit Cali, Colombia. Ava is thrilled but also a little hesitant. She doesn’t speak much Spanish, and she’s never been on a long flight across the ocean before.

But her grandmother used to live in Cali, and Ava has heard all her amazing stories and becomes curious about the country of Colombia and its people. Will they be very different from Ava? Will she fit in? When she meets Salomé—also seven years old—Ava’s worries soon disappear as she realizes Salomé’s family is quite similar to her own.

With Salomé’s help, Ava discovers new food, cat and frog art, and when not to take a picture. She also learns that a goat is not always a goat! The girls laugh, have fun, and dance ‘til they drop, all the while learning new words in a foreign tongue. Ava finds that making new friends can happen anywhere, and she can’t wait to return to Colombia for more adventures.