Fiesta Babies

Fiesta Babies

Written by: Carmen Taffola
Illustrated by: Amy Cordova
**2011 Pura Belpre Honor Book**

This is a fun book for young elementary students who learn all about celebrations and holidays celebrated in Hispanic culture. Spanish words are sprinkled throughout the book giving teachers an opportunity to use this as a language building and vocabulary exercise as well as a great cultural read.

Jennie's Review

Online Resources:
http://www.carmentafolla.com/

Bringing in the New Year

Bringing in the New Year

Written and Illustrated by: Grace Lin

"This exuberant story follows a Chinese American family as they prepare for the Lunar New Year. Each member of the family lends a hand as they sweep out the dust of the old year, hang decorations, and make dumplings. Then it’s time to put on new clothes and celebrate with family and friends. There will be fireworks and lion dancers, shining lanterns, and a great, long dragon parade to help bring in the Lunar New Year. And the dragon parade in our book is extra long–on a surprise fold-out page at the end of the story. Grace Lin’s artwork is a bright and gloriously patterned celebration in itself! And her story is tailor-made for reading aloud."

Publishers Synopsis

Online Resources:
http://www.gracelin.com/

Lion Dancer: Ernie Wan's Chinese New Year

Lion Dancer: Ernie Wan's Chinese New Year

Written by: Kate Waters
Illustrated by: Martha Cooper

"On the Chinese New Year, six-year-old Ernie will perform his first Lion Dance. An intimate look at a Chinese household as the family shares a proud moment with Ernie. "A strong supplement for its immediacy, its vibrant color, and its sympathetic look at a Chinese family."

School Library Journal Review
*A Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies*

Online Resources:
http://www.katewaters.com/index.html

The Farolitos of Christmas

The Farolitos of Christmas

Written and Illustrated by: Rudolfo Anaya

Elementary Grades

"Richly colored full-page paintings show a lovingly individualized Chicano family that is part of a New Mexico community in the open landscape under the starlit winter sky. Anaya's upbeat story, first published in a magazine in 1987, focuses on Luz, a young girl whose father, wounded in World War II, hasn't come home yet. Her sick grandfather is not strong enough to cut the logs for the traditional luminarias (small bonfires), so Luz and her Indian friend Reina from a nearby pueblo find a way to make farolitos (lighted candles in paper bags weighted with sand) to light the way for the Christmas pilgrims. The Spanish words are a natural part of the narrative (they're explained in a glossary at the back), and if the plot's contrived (Dad returns home just in time), the image of the path of light is touching and beautiful."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://gosw.about.com/od/artscraftsandshopping/a/luminarias.htm

Clatter Bash! A Day of the Dead Celebration

Clatter Bash! A Day of the Dead Celebration

Written and Illustrated by: Richard Keep

"A Day of the Dead Celebration by Richard Keep honors both the memorial and festive aspects of this Mexican holiday. Cut-paper collages, accented with paints and markers show impeccably dressed skeletons feasting and chasing butterflies as night falls. "Swirl-twirl/ Cha-cha-cha/ Boom!/ Clatter Bash!" appears beneath a spread of fireworks exploding over bony dancers and sombrero-clad skeletons playing music. A more formal explanation of the holiday's traditions concludes the fiesta-bright volume."

Publishers Weekly Review

Online Resources:
http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/articles/dead-education.html

Calavera Abecedario: A Day of the Dead Alphabet Book

Calavera Abecedario: A Day of the Dead Alphabet Book

Written and Illustrated by: Jeanette Winter

"Every year Don Pedro and his family make papier-mache skeletons, or calaveras, for Mexico's Day of the Dead fiesta. From Angel and Doctor to Mariachi and Unicornio, each letter of the alphabet has its own special calavera.

Come dance with them in this unusual ABC book inspired by a real Mexican family of artists and the many colorful folk-art traditions surrounding the celebration of the Day of the Dead.

Includes a glossary of Spanish words and an author's note."

Publishers Synopsis

Web Resources:
http://www.azcentral.com/ent/dead/articles/dead-education.html

The Sound of Kwanzaa

The Sound of Kwanzaa

Written By: Dimitra Tokunbo
Illustrated By: Lisa Cohen

"Here is a perfect book for reading aloud during the upcoming holiday season. THE SOUND OF KWANZAA is a sort of call back and answer pattern lets readers know about the facts behind the holiday. Why the candles of different colors? What does Kwanzaa signify? Bold illustrations and text combine to convey the excitement and joy of the celebration."

Reviewed by: Teri Lesesne
http://professornana.livejournal.com/

Online Resources:
http://aakulturezone.com/kidz/abc/kwanzaa.html

Dumpling Soup

Dumpling Soup

Written by: Jama Kim Rattigan
Illustrated by: Lillian Hsu-Flanders

The author uses her childhood memories to write about New Year’s celebrations in Hawaii. The book develops a sense of family warmth associated with the holiday. Because the book is based on a personal memoir, it can be used to motivate children to write about their own memories about various family holidays.

Online Resources:
http://www.jamakimrattigan.com/

Freedom's Gifts: A Juneteenth Story

Freedom's Gifts: A Juneteenth Story

Written by: Valerie Wesley
Illustrated by: Sharon Wilson

"Wesley explores a unique holiday in Texas that has recently begun to be celebrated by African Americans in other parts of the U.S. as well. While Lincoln declared the slaves free in January 1863, the slaves in Texas were not freed until June 19, 1865. Set in 1943, this story tells of June, a young African-American Texan, and her cousin who is visiting from New York City. Juneteenth is June's favorite holiday, but Lillie belittles it until the girls go to the big celebratory picnic and their great-great-aunt Marshall, once a slave, helps her understand the importance of "freedom's gifts."

School Library Journal Review

Online Resources:
http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/subjects/juneteenth.htm