Abuela, Don't Forget Me

Abuela, Don’t Forget Me (2022) is a memoir-in-verse written by author, poet, and comic book illustrator Rex Ogle about the profound influence his Abuela had on his life. The text follows Ogle from early childhood through his high school graduation, tracing the ways in which his Abuela was a supportive and stable force in a childhood otherwise marked by abuse at the hands of his mother and stepfather. The book was a finalist for the 2023 YALSA Excellent in Young Adult Nonfiction Award.

This guide uses the 2022 Norton Young Readers eBook edition.

Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions of physical abuse, child abuse, anti-LGBTQ+ bias, drug use, and racism (including slurs).

Summary

Abuela, Don’t Forget Me contains seven parts comprised of individual poems. In the Foreword, present-day Ogle reveals that Abuela is developing dementia. Ogle worries that she may one day forget him, too. He uses poetry and writing to help preserve their shared history and his gratitude toward her for all that she did to support him.

Part 1: “Abuela’s House” explains Ogle’s early childhood and his strong connection to Abuela. Although Ogle lives primarily with his mother, he finds his sense of home at Abuela’s house at 1214 South Jackson Drive in Abilene, Texas.