Dia de Los Muertos

Roseanne Greenfield Thong

pictures by Carles Ballesteros

Albert Whitman & Company, 2015

This beautiful book is a work of art and brings to life the Day of the Dead celebration. Roseanne Greenfield Thong always does a wonderful job of lyrically and succinctly describing the Hispanic culture, as can be seen in Green is a Chile Pepper: a Book of Colors and Round is a Tortilla: a Book of Shapes (both ill. by John Parra, to be reviewed jointly soon). Altars, sugar skulls, candles, petals, calendulas (marigolds used traditionally), papel picado, tamales, atole, pan de muerto, and much more is mentioned beautifully throughout the book, which includes Spanish terms throughout. Famous historical and legendary figures are mentioned and illustrated, such as Pancho Villa, Frida Kahlo and La Llorona. The history of the celebration, dating back hundreds of years, is illustrated, and the author does a good job of showing that the celebration is dedicated to celebrating and remembering those we love who are no longer with us. An informative author’s note and glossary make this book a perfect resource on El Día de los Muertos.

La última muñeca / The Last Doll

The Last Doll / La última muñeca
By / Por Diane Gonzales Bertrand
Illustrations by / Ilustraciones por Anthony Accardo
Spanish translation by / Traducción al español por Alejandra Balestra
2000

This book brought the song “La Última Muñeca” to my mind when I first saw it. As a child I constantly heard this song, a very sad song about a father who buys his daughter her last doll, but doesn’t show it to her in the end, because he realizes that his daughter is now a young woman. This book starts off with a doll named Sarita who gets looked over at a toy story. Finally a gentleman buys her for a special occasion – the Quinceañera of his goddaughter Teresa. The party is shown beautifully – mariachis are playing and there is an arch where the dancers walk through, and the cake even has the small staircases that are often used in cakes for a girl’s fifteenth birthday in Hispanic culture. This book is very nostalgic. The writing is well done and the illustrations are very beautiful, with characters portrayed realistically. It makes me wish Sarita was a real doll that was available for purchase for special occasions. I’m very glad this book is around to celebrate the traditions of the 15th birthday in Hispanic culture. A must-have for Spanish collections.

Make sure to check out the lyrics to the song I mentioned earlier:

Nunca nos damos cuenta de cómo un rosal crece
Hasta el día en que florece la rosa una mañana
Quisiéramos que fueran nuestros hijos, niños siempre
Pero de repente, un día, les brotan alas
Hoy le compré a mi niña, el último juguete
No me había dado cuenta, de lo que ya creció
Se acabo el entusiasmo, ya se acabó aquel brete
De a ver qué trajo papi, ahora que volvió
Hoy le compré a mi niña, el último juguete
No me había dado cuenta, de lo que ya creció

Hoy, que me dió el abrazo de bienvenida
Noté que está mas alta, y que se perfumó
Cómo pasaron cosas, en unos cuantos días
Obra maravillosa, se hizo rosa el botón

Hoy le compré a mi niña, la última muñeca
No me había dado cuenta, se está haciendo mujer
Hoy le compré a mi niña, la última muñeca
La última muñeca, y ni se la enseñé

Y ahora se pasa, horas y horas en los espejos
Ella se mira de frente, de espalda, de perfil
Ahora ya ni me dice, papi cuéntame un cuento
Y a veces, ni me besa cuando se va a dormir

Hoy, que me dio el abrazo de bienvenida
Noté que está mas alta, y que se perfumó
Cómo pasaron cosas, en unos cuantos días
Obra maravillosa, se hizo rosa el botón

Hoy le compré a mi niña, la última muñeca
No me había dado cuenta, se está haciendo mujer
Hoy le compré a mi niña, la última muñeca
La última muñeca, y ni se la enseñé

Source: http://artists.letssingit.com/los-baron-de-apodaca-lyrics-la-ultima-muneca-3cj5k7w#ixzz39eQiBGHO
LetsSingIt - Your favorite Music Community

The Land of Lost Things / Lupita's First Dance

The Land of Lost Things / El País de las Cosas Perdidas
Dina Bursztyn
2011

We follow the narrator as they travel to the Land of Lost Things, a place where buttons, pencils, and other things go when we cannot find them. Pencils become trees in a forest, scissors become butterflies, umbrellas can be found in a garden, and a flock of socks is playing in the wind. The narrator interacts with the items, until finally they arrive back in their own world. This is a very nice story that everyone will have fun reading, especially if you know of the feeling of being unable to find that lost sock pair. The imagination of the narrator is full of creativity, and will inspire children to use their own imaginations.

Lupita’s First Dance / El Primer Baile de Lupita
2013
Lupe Ruiz-Flores
Ill. by Gabhor Utomo

Lupita's class will be giving a performance of ‘La Raspa’ and this will be Lupita's first time dancing in front of an audience. Her mother helps her with her dress, and she practices with her partner. When the night of the dance arrives, Lupita's partner cannot make it to the dance! She is so disappointed, but as she watches the pairs dance on stage, a sudden impulse pushes her on the stage with them, and she dances beautifully. I love how the dresses are illustrated and how Lupita's family supports her so much, from helping her with her dress to attending the performance. The disappointment in Lupita's face is shown so clearly you cannot help but feel sad for her. And the incredible courage it took for Lupita to dance on stage by herself makes you want to cheer for her. A very good story about doing what you love.

Mi Familia Calaca / My Skeleton Family

Mi Familia Calaca / My Skeleton Family
2013
Cynthia Weill
Paper mache by Jesús Canseco Zárate

Like Cynthia Weill's other books, Mi Familia Calaca is bright, vibrant, colorful, and perfect for learning words in Spanish and English. Anita, a young skeleton girl, introduces us to her family: brothers, parents, grandparents, great-grandmother, and pets. She says something about each one of them: her brother can be a troublemaker, and her pets are her best friends. This book is crisp and clear and very good for beginning readers. This book also introduces us to the paper mache artwork of Jesús Canseco Zárate, who did a wonderful job of crafting each of the family members. Beautiful!

My Little Car / Mi Carrito

My Little Car / Mi Carrito
2006
Gary Soto
Ill. by Pam Paparone

Teresa receives a gift from her Abuelo Benito: a small green lowrider car that she can power by pedaling. It is the envy of the neighborhood, and Teresa receives many compliments. As time goes on, however, Teresa begins to ignore her little car, and soon it is falling apart. Teresa's little sister asks for the car, but Teresa says no. She takes it out for a ride, and is surprised by a dog, who chases her down the block. Teresa pedals as hard as she can and her ltitle carrito pulls through without falling apart. Realizing her neglect, Teresa begins to fix her little car, and soon her grandpa Benny arrives. The car is in such bad shape that he cannot recognize it. He helps Teresa fix her car and they make it look good as new. I loved the colorful illustrations of this picture book, and while I like the scene of the dog chase because it made Teresa realize how dependable her car was, I feel that there could have been another way for her to realize the value of the car. At the same time, this book accurately portrays the way some people really like something in the beginning, only to forget about it soon after, and teaches about appreciating what you have.

Colores de la Vida

Colores de la Vida
Mexican Folk Art Colors in English and Spanish
Cynthia Weill
Folk Art by Artisans from Oaxaca
2011

If possible, I love this book even more than Count Me In. The layout and color scheme of this book is perfect. If a page is dedicated to pink/rosa, the work of art and the background are both shades of pink, but it is never too much pink. The different shades work well together. The borders match with the letters used to spell the colors, and there is so much detail in the works of art, that once you are done reading the colors, you will want to stare at the folk art all day. These are pieces of art I would love to have in my own home, or at least to hang prints of. I also love that the folk art pieces are animals, and I love the inclusion of gold and silver as well as a beautiful multi-colored set of pigs. This book is a treasure: a clear, crisp way of learning the colors in English and Spanish, and a gift for our eyes as we look upon all of the fine works of art made by artists in Oaxaca.

Arroz con Leche

Arroz con Leche: un poema para cocinar / Rice Pudding: a cooking poem
Jorge Argueta
Fernando Vilela

Just as with Tamalitos, Jorge Argueta takes us through the steps of cooking a traditional dish in English and Spanish. These books almost make one want to dance. Everything about the illustrations exudes joy and happiness. What I love most about these books is that the instructions are so easy to follow; you can create these delicious dishes in your own home in no time. Arroz con leche is one of my most favorite things to eat in the world, this book has reminded me that I have not had it in a long time. I better get cooking!

Señor Pancho Had a Rancho

Señor Pancho Had a Rancho
René Colato Laínez
Illustrated by Elwood Smith

This is a very nice bilingual English-Spanish version of Old MacDonald Had a Farm, with the English verse followed by the Spanish on the adjoining page. What I really love about this book is that it will teach readers how many people who speak Spanish hear and describe the noises the farm animals in the song make. The ending is also really nice, with the farm animals from Old MacDonald’s farm and Señor Pancho’s rancho coming together to dance, para bailar!

Day of the Dead, Count Me In!

Day of the Dead
Tony Johnston
Jeanette Winter
1997

This beautiful little book contains so much. One of the most noticeable things about the book is that it is so small - it is nowhere near the size of a regular picture book. The title is in large letters and the illustrations remind me of papel picado - cut paper that is traditionally used as decoration. I have looked over several Day of the Dead books recently and what I love most about this one is the detail it goes into regarding the traditions of the holiday. The food gathered for the occasion includes: empanadas, fruits, sweet bread, pan de muertos, tamales, sugar skulls, and mole. The family gathers the traditional marigolds and they take all these treasures to the cemetery with them. I love how the houses look built from adobe or dry clay, and the tias and mama are shown cooking with tools such as a molcajete. The book shows as much of the tradition as it tells. Small details, such as the angel bringing out the stars and taking them back up when the sun is about to rise, are really lovely to find. And finally, I love how the family visits their grandparents and brings these colorful treasures to share with them. A very brief but concise book about the Day of the Dead.

Count Me In!

A Parade of Mexican Folk Art Numbers in English and Spanish

Cynthia Weill

Ceramics by the Aguilar Sisters: Guillermina, Josefina, Irene and Concepción

2012

This bright book focuses on a festival called the Guelaguetza (Zapotec, “to share”), a festival that takes place in July in Oaxaca, Mexico. The illustrations are photographs of ceramic people dressed for the parade and in traditional Oaxacan clothing. Each page has a number that corresponds with the ceramic figures in the photograph. The people are introduced (the balloon holder, the gigantes, the observers) through the photographs and text that tell the story of the festival. The reader can learn about this tradition, what it means, the participants, and numbers all at the same time. I love that the text is translated into Spanish, so you can learn the numbers from one to ten in both languages. And finally, I really love that the book includes information about the Aguilar Sisters, who create very detailed ceramics focusing on the people of Oaxaca. From the first end paper to the last, the book includes new information about Oaxaca, ceramics, the Aguilar Sisters, counting, and more.

Tamalitos

Tamalitos
Un poema para cocinar / A Cooking Poem
Jorge Argueta
Illustrated by Domi
2013

With the arrival of the holidays (and during other special occasions) comes the arrival of delicious tamales. Tamales are cooked frequently throughout the year, often for special occasions. These can include the Dia de Muertos, Thanksgiving, Christmas, to celebrate Los Reyes Magos, and more. Tamalitos is a bilingual book telling a little bit about the history of tamales, including their place in Mesoamerican cultures centuries ago, and giving directions on how to cook tamales. The illustrations look like beautiful watercolors, and the ollas and other pans that are used in the story look just like the ones you might find in your own home. What I love about this book is that it is also a recipe for making tamales – you can follow the directions and have your own tamales in no time! The soft poetry language tells you how long to steam, how to roll the masa into the husks, and contains illustrations to match. A very useful book, and a delicious one to read and enjoy. Once you have read this book and have cooked the delicious tamales, all you have to do is add good family and a Cantinflas movie and you have a good day.

Dia de los Muertos

In honor of Halloween and El Dia de los Muertos, here are two wonderful books focusing on The Day of the Dead.

The Festival of Bones / El Festival de las Calaveras
The Little-Bitty Book for the Day of the Dead
Luis San Vicente
Translation by John William Bird & Bobby Byrd
Originally published in Mexico in 1999, this edition 2002

El Festival de las Calaveras is a little book that holds a beautiful amount of information. The illustrations are both in color and black and white. I particularly love the chalk-like illustrations at the beginning and ending of the book, and especially the one with a skeleton man and his skeleton dog. The book is a sort of lovely poem that follows the skeletons on the Day of the Dead as they head to the cemetery, sing and dance and enjoy the offerings given to them. The illustrations, particularly the black and white skeletons, are breathtaking. The book includes a history of the Day of the Dead, information on celebrating this festive time - including building an altar -, and recipes for making Pan de Muerto and Sugar Skulls. There is a beautiful translation from an ancient Nahuatl poem at the end, and I love the inclusion of a small altar at the front and back of the book with a photograph in a frame. A great book to share with loved ones, especially children.

The Day of the Dead / El Dia De Los Muertos

A Bilingual Celebration

Bob Barner

Translated by Teresa Mlawer

2010

Just as El Festival de las Calaveras does, The Day of the Dead also includes a sort of lyrical poem in both English and Spanish, but this one follows a family as they get ready to celebrate this tradition. The pages include dancing skeletons, flowers, colorful illustrations, music, and dancing. The family gathers the offerings and makes their way to the cemetery, and the skeletons are shown enjoying and dancing with them. The celebration ends with the family thinking of their loved ones, and leaving the cempazuchitl petals on their loved ones' graves. There are informational pages at the end describing the history and traditions of the Day of the Dead.

These books are so alike and yet so different. They are filled with all the beautiful aspects of this tradition, Calaveras de dulce, pan de muerto, marigolds, skeletons, and a rich source of information on the holiday. The illustrations are both so unique, and the lyrical writing inside the books tells similar stories but from different perspectives. These books would be great to use together and to read aloud, and especially to use on a unit on El Dia de los Muertos.

The Dog Who Loved Tortillas

The Dog Who Loved Tortillas / La perrita que le encantaban las tortillas

Benjamin Alire Saenz

Illustrated by Geronimo Garcia

2009

Little Diego and his sister Gabriela both want a dog of their very own. Their parents agree, but tell them they must share. They pick a beautiful white dog with brown spots and name her Sofie. When their parents’ backs are turned, they argue over who Sofie really belongs to. They begin taking Sofie for walks and training her with delicious tortillas, which Sofie loves. But when Sofie gets sick, Little Diego and Gabriela stop fighting and comfort each other and Sofie. They sleep by her side and Gabriela tells Diego she will be okay, even if she is crying inside. Sofie finally gets better and runs off with a tortilla, Gabriela and Diego chasing after her.

I loved this book because it is about a dog, and dogs are my kryptonite. The little dog in the story actually reminds me of two very special dogs I know. I think the book does a beautiful job of showing how it feels when your beloved dog is sick – nothing else matters, nothing. Next to a pet who is ill, everything else seems so unimportant. This is what Gabriela and Diego learn – they find out that Sofie belongs to both of them and that it doesn’t matter who saw her first or who named her, as long as they have her with them. The illustrations are made out of photographs of clay creations and are so detailed and very fun to look at. I especially loved the clay marranito with the cup of coffee that the parents were enjoying.

The text is presented in English and Spanish. This is a great book to read silently or aloud, perhaps to a pet of your own.

What Can You Do With...?

I am always excited when I find picture books focusing on Hispanic heritage; they are always so bold and vibrant and full of color and life. These two glowing picture books are both by Carmen Tafolla.

What Can You Do with a Rebozo? by Carmen Tafolla, illustrated by Amy Cordova, 2008
This book contains beautiful illustrations, especially of the clothing. The main character dances La Bamba in a beautiful white traditional dress while holding the rebozo. Even though the words do not rhyme, they do not need to, they fall in perfectly. We meet the narrator's family - mother, father, sister, brother, dog, and more while she also introduces us to the creative ways one can use a rebozo, or Mexican shawl. The story flows from one idea to the next seamlessly.







What Can You Do with a Paleta? by Carmen Tafolla, illustrated by Magaly Morales, 2009
We are introduced to the neighborhood with the illustrations, and to the culture with the wonderful words.
The paletero opens his mouth wide and I can almost hear him shouting "PALETAAAS!" Again we meet the narrator's family - brother, dog, mother - and we can almost feel the tightness in her chest as she struggles to decide what flavor of paleta she would like. The illustrations are quite different from the first book, but equally breathtaking. They remind me so much of places I have lived and visited, and when I see the fence on the cover of the book I see my grandmother's house.