Just In Case

Submitted by county youth coordinator Janis!
Just in Case by YuYi Morales. Senor Calavera receives an invitation to Grandma Beetle’s birthday party, and he can’t wait to go. A moan from beyond the grave reminds Calavera, the not-too-scary skeleton, that he’s forgetting a present. Calavera must choose something that Grandma Beetle will love the most. He picks something that starts with each letter of the Spanish alphabet, from “Un acordeon, an accordion for her to dance to,” to “Yerba buena, good herb to soothe her day.” For each gift Calavera chooses, Zelmiro, the ghost, praises the skeleton’s choices but cautions him to keep searching for something better, “just in case!” The characters are full of life, the colors are vibrant, and the whimsical side to this trickster tale will make it a must read for children. Also relates to a Spanish holiday called Day of the Dead or El Dia de los Muertos.