Submitted by Ms. Amanda!
Cinco de Mouse-o! by Judy Cox is an adventurous tale of a mouse and his first Cinco de Mayo. There are excellent descriptions of Cinco de Mayo traditions through the eyes of a mouse. It begins one morning when Mouse wakes up to a fantastic smell, a beany, cheesy, ricey smell! He follows the smell out of his hidey hole and down to the plaza, but what he doesn’t know is while he is following the smell a cat is following him! Mouse finds that in the plaza is an amazing fiesta! He sees an enticing piñata full of candy, and people all around him eating tacos, tamales, chorizos, and flan! He samples some of all the yummy foods and then dozes off to sleep, until the cat begins to chase him! Mouse runs through dancers’ stomping, tapping, pounding feet to avoid the cat. While mariachis play, and fireworks boom, Mouse hides from the cat, until he sees that it is time for the piñata! He comes out of hiding to the piñata in search of sweets for his own Cinco de Mouse-o celebration, while the cat waits below for the mouse to drop like a piece of candy from the piñata! Finally Mouse escapes the cat and find his very own candy to take back to his hidey hole! Mouse then has his own Cinco de Mouse-o celebration! See this book listed in our catalog
Holidays
The Twelve Prayers of Christmas and The First Christmas
The First Christmas illustrated by Sophy Williams (a changing-picture book) is a wonderful version of the Christmas story. It’s simply told, but features changing picture panels on every other page to make it even more interesting and special. The images of all the key characters are charming, but when you slide the last panel and see Mary and Joseph with the baby Jesus, it really shines. See this book listed in our catalog
Zen Ghosts
Submitted by Ms. Tess!
Happy almost Halloween everyone! As we prepare for our Halloween parties at the library, I wanted to tell you about a beautiful book, Zen Ghosts by Jon J. Muth. If you’re familiar with Muth’s other Zen books, then you already know Stillwater the panda, and his friends Karl, Michael, and Addy. It’s Halloween, and the kids are getting their costumes ready. Karl is going to be a monster, Michael either an owl or a pirate. Or an owl pirate. But Addy’s moon princess costume reminds Stillwater of an ancient Chinese ghost story, the chilling tale of a girl named Senjo who appears to be in two places at once… The story is an example of a koan, as Mr. Muth explains in an author’s note at the end of the book, or a question to contemplate. There is really no right or wrong answer; to intuit is the only point. This may seem like a slightly advanced concept for your child, but consider that the idea of duality is one a person begins to process very early in life: “There’s the me I am with my parents, the me I am with my friends, and there is still another me with a different group of friends.” Have a philosophical conversation with your youngster, or just enjoy a spooky story, with gorgeous illustrations, with Zen Ghosts. See this book listed in our catalog
Only a Witch Can Fly
Turkey Trouble
Fiesta Babies
Submitted by Ms. Janis!
Fiesta Babies by Carmen Tafolla, a Pura Belpre Honor book, is surely a hit for toddlers and preschoolers. The short lines of text encourage participation in these age groups. “Fiesta Babies go out on the town—right-side up and upside down!” The “Fiesta Babies” are celebrating a local Hispanic holiday. They are wearing brightly colored clothes and handmade crowns (coronas). The Spanish words sprinkled throughout the book can be understood in context. These Fiesta Babies dance, march on parade, and sing along to mariachi songs in their spirited celebration of fiestas. Children are introduced to the many colorful aspects of an important and lively Latino cultural tradition. See this book listed in our catalog