Question of the week:

Whyarememoriesimportant?

Name:__________________________________

Date:__________________________________

CocoBy:DisneyPixar

1 See,a longtimeagotherewasthisfamily.Thepapá,hewasamusician.Heandhisfamilywouldsing,anddance,andcounttheirblessings.Butthepapáhadadreamto playmusic for theworld.One day he leftwith his guitar and he never returned.

2 It was Día de losMuertos. In theMexican town of Santa Cecilia, a young boynamedMiguelRiveraworkedinhisfamily’sshoebusiness.Miguelwasthegreat-great-grandsonofthemusician.Hisgreat-great-grandmotherwasMamáImelda.Whenherhusband left, she learned tomake shoes. She taught her daughter,Miguel’s great-grandmother, Mamá Coco to make shoes. The business was handed down fromgenerationtogeneration,alongwithMamáImelda’sonerule:“Nomusic!”

3 Miguelwas not like the rest of his family. He had a secret: he lovedmusic. Hewanted toperform ina talent show later thatnight,buthisgrandmother,Abuelita,forbade it.Díade losMuertoswasa specialday.“It’s theonenightof theyearourancestorscancomevisitus.Weput theirphotosontheofrenda1so theirspiritscancrossover,” she said.Miguel looked at thephotosof his ancestorson theofrenda.Theywereallthere—exceptforMamáCoco’sfather.Abuelitascoffed.“He’sbetteroffbeingforgotten”.

4 WhenAbuelitawasn’t looking,Miguelsnuckuptohishideoutwithhis friend,astreetdognamedDante. InsidewasMiguel’sofrenda tohishero, latemusicianandactorErnestodelaCruz.DelaCruzhadcomefromSantaCecilia,justlikeMiguel,andhe hadmade it big. “Nomore hiding, Dante. I gotta seizemymoment!” Taking hisguitar,Migueltriedtosneakoutofthehouse.ButDantejumpedattheofferingsonthefamilyofrenda,breakingthephotoofMamáImelda.Miguelpickedupthepicture.Ithadapiecehiddenunderneath:amanwasholdingaguitarwithahandlecarvedtolooklikeaskull.Thepicturewasripped,butMiguelrecognizedtheguitar.

5 MiguelshowedthephototoMamáCoco.“Isyourpapá...ErnestodelaCruz?”heasked.MamáCoconodded.Miguelwasoverjoyed.Hewasgoingtobeamusicianjustlikehisgreat-greatgrandfather.WhenhetoldAbuelita,shewasfurious.ShepickedupMiguel’sguitarandsmashedit.“There.Noguitar,nomusic.”Miguelwasheartbroken.He ran all the way toMariachi Plaza. Knowing he could not compete in the talentcontestwithoutaguitar,MiguelsnuckintoErnestodelaCruz’stomb.Themusician’sfamousguitarwashangingonthewall.Miguelgrabbedtheguitarandbegantostrumit. Suddenly, something magical happened. A pile of marigold petals on the floorstartedtoglow.

6 Miguelhadsomehowcrossedoverintotherealmofthedead!OnlyDantecouldsee him. All around him, Miguel saw skeletons visiting their living relatives. Miguelturnedandranintohisancestors—PapáJulio,TíaRosa,andTíoOscar.Theywereallreallythere!Everyonethatis,exceptMamáImelda.MamáImeldacouldn’tcrossoverbecauseherphotowasn’tonthefamilyofrenda…itwasinMiguel’spocket.

1ofrenda-acollectionofobjectsplacedonanaltarduringDíadeMuertos

7 Miguelneededhisfamily’sblessingtosendhimbackhome.MamáImeldaagreedto give Miguel her blessing if he gave up music. Reluctantly, Miguel agreed. Deepdown,Miguelknewthatheneededanewplan.Hecouldn’tgiveupmusic!“IfIwantto be a musician, I need a musician’s blessing. I have to find my great-greatgrandfather!”

8 MiguelandDantesnuckaway fromMiguel’sancestors.Suddenly, theybumpedintoaskeletonnamedHéctor.HeclaimedtoknowErnestodelaCruz.Héctorofferedto help Miguel, but he wanted something in return. He said, “This place runs onmemories.Whenyou’rewellremembered,peopleputupyourphotoandyougettovisittheliving.Noonehaseverputupmypicture,butyoucanchangethat.”MiguelagreedtotakeHector’sphotobackwithhim.

9 As promised, Héctor tookMiguel towhere Ernesto de la Cruzwas supposed to be

rehearsing for his big Sunrise Spectacular show.However, hewasn’t there! Hewashostingapartyinstead.Miguellearnedthattherewasamusiccompetitiongoingon.ThewinnerwouldgettoplayatErnestodelaCruz’sparty.

10 Héctor andMiguel borrowed a guitar from one of Héctor’s friends. Nervously,Miguel tookthestage.EncouragedbyHéctor,heplayedoneofErnestode laCruz’ssongs.Thecrowdwentwild!Justthen,MamáImeldaandtherestofMiguel’sfamilyshowedup.MiguelquicklypulledHéctorawaybeforehecouldseethem.Héctorwasfurious with Miguel. “You could have taken my photo back this whole time?” heasked. Miguel shook his head. “But they hate music!” Miguel shouted. “I need amusician’s blessing.”Héctor started topullMiguel towardshis family, but hebrokefreeandranaway—throwingHéctor’spictureonthefloor.

11 Miguel ran right into Mamá Imelda. They argued, but then she stopped andbegan to sing. Miguel was confused. “I thought you hated music.” Mamá Imeldashookherhead.“Ilovedit.ButwhenwehadCoco,webecameafamily,”shecried.“Iwantedtoputdownroots,butyourgreat-greatgrandfatherwantedtoplaymusicfortheworld.Weeachmadeasacrificetogetwhatwewanted.Nowyoumustmakeachoice.”Miguelrefusedandranoff.

12 MiguelsnuckintoErnestodelaCruz’spartyandfinallymetthefamousmusician.Suddenly,Héctorburstin.Hewasslowlyfadingaway,ashewasbeingforgotten.“It’stimeyou learn the truth,Miguel!”Héctor said. It turnsout thatHéctorwas theonethathadwrittenallofErnestodelaCruz’ssongs.ListeningtoHector’sstoryofbeingbetrayed,MiguelsuspectedthatHéctor’sdeathwasnoaccident.Ernestode laCruzdeniedHéctor’s story and called for security. ThenhegrabbedHéctor’sphoto fromMiguelandsmiled.“Successdoesn'tcomeforfree,Miguel.Youhavetobewillingtodowhateverittakestoseizeyourmoment.”

13 De la Cruz’s security team threw Miguel and Héctor down a large sinkhole. AgoldenflickerflutteredthroughHéctor’sbones.“She’sforgettingme.Mydaughter.Ijustwantedtoseeheragain.IwishIcouldtellherthatherpapáwastryingtocomehome. I lovedhersomuch…myCoco.”Miguelpulledouttheoldrippedphotoandpointed, “Wait, is this you?” Héctor nodded. Héctor was Miguel’s great-greatgrandfather.“She’sthelastpersonwhoremembersme,”Hectorcried.“Themomentshe’sgonefromthelivingworld…Iwilldisappearfromthisone.”

14 HéctortoldMiguelthathehadwrittenaspecialsongforCococalled“RememberMe”.“Weusedtosing iteverynightatthesametime.Nomatterhowfarapartwewere.WhatIwouldn’tgivetosingittoheronelasttime.”Miguelsmiled.“Mywholelife,there’sbeensomethingthatmademedifferent,”hesaid.“Ineverknewwhereitcamefrom.ButnowIknowitcomesfromyou.”

15 Just then, Dante appeared above them, followed by Mamá Imelda. MamáImelda’s spirit guide swooped down into the sinkhole and pulled them out.MiguelagreedtoacceptMamáImelda’sblessingiftheycouldgetHéctor’sphotoback.“Hetried to go home to you and Coco, but Ernesto de la Cruzmurdered him!”Miguelcried. Mamá Imelda was shocked. “Miguel, if we help you get his photo, you willreturn home. Nomoremusic. Do you understand?”Miguel nodded. “Family comesfirst,”hesaidproudly.

16 HéctorandtherestoftheRiverafamilysnuckintotheSunriseSpectacularshow.Backstage,theyconfrontedErnestodelaCruz,andMamáImeldagrabbedthephotofromhispocket.ErnestodelaCruzgrabbedMiguel.HelookedHéctorrightintheeyeandshouted,“Doyou really think I’d lethimgoback to theLandof theLivingwithyourphoto?Tokeepyourmemoryalive?No.”Miguelstruggled.“Musicissupposedtobringpeopletogether,”Miguelshouted.“Youtoremyfamilyapart!Héctoristherealmusician.Youjuststolehissongs!”

17 Angry, Ernest0 de la Cruz pushed Miguel, causing him to drop Héctor’s photo.

Meanwhile,Héctorwasfadingaway.Migueldidn’twanttoleave,butitwastimeforhimtogohome.“Iwon’tletCocoforgetyou,”hewhispered.HéctorsmiledasheandMamáImeldagaveMigueltheirblessing.Withawhirlwindofmarigoldpetals,Miguelwasbackhome.HegrabbedtheskullguitarfromErnestode laCruz’stombandranhome.

18 Heburst intohishouseandrantoMamáCoco.“MamáCoco?Canyouhearme?

It’sMiguel.Isawyourpapá.Remember?Papá?Here,thiswashisguitar,right?Heusedtoplayittoyou?”MamáCocosaidnothing.Miguellookeddownathisguitar.Quietly,hebegantoplay“RememberMe.”Thewholefamilygatheredtolisten.Slowly,MamáCoco’sfacebrightened.Softly,shebegantosingwithMiguel.Whentheyfinished,shesmiled.“Mypapáusedtosingmethatsong.”

19 Reachingintoherbedsidetale,MamáCocopulledoutapieceofapicture.Itwasthe

missing piece of the photo of Mamá Imelda, Héctor, and baby Coco. She hadn’tforgottenherpapáafterall.Miguel tapedthephotobacktogetherandplaced itontheofrenda.

20 AyearlateronDíadelosMuertos,theRiveras,livinganddead,gatheredandlistenedtoMiguel sing and play his guitar. Héctor andMamá Imelda stood arm in arm. Therecently departedMamá Coco placed her hand on Abuelita’s shoulder. Miguel wasrightwherehebelonged—withhisfamily.

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