It’s yard sale time, and things are flying off the tables. But this little piggy isn’t letting anybody buy his tricycle. Sure, he’s too big to ride it, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t love it anymore! But when the day is almost over, someone just the right size comes along, and it’s clearly time to let the trike go. Luckily, it turns out the yard sale money is meant for a very exciting new purchase—a big-boy bike! Susan Middleton Elya’s trademark mix of Spanish vocabulary and clever verse and Elisabeth Schlossberg’s vibrant illustrations come together in a funny, tender tale of saying good-bye to things you’ve outgrown.
Author: Book Importer
Speak English for Us, Marisol!
After school, Marisol eagerly starts for home to see if her cat, Luisa, has had her kittens. But before she can get there, Uncle Tomás calls to her. He needs Marisol to tell the poultry man that his chickens cost too much. Uncle Tomás cannot speak English so Marisol must do the talking–and she does. Marisol hurries on her way, but soon Auntie Flora stops her for help. Then Mrs. Lopez needs her, too. When Marisol finally gets home, her own mama needs her to hurry to the phone company to straighten out a bill. Luisa will have to wait.
Burro’s Tortillas
What do you get when you cross The Little Red Hen with a burro and his friends? Burro s Tortillas! In this humorous Southwestern retelling of a childhood favorite, Burro finds it difficult to get any help from his friends as he diligently works to turn corn into tortillas. Young children will love the repetition; older children will enjoy the book’s many puns. In addition to its Southwestern flavor, the delightful story imparts an accurate picture of the traditional way that tortillas are made. A Spanish/English glossary and a simple recipe for making tortillas are included in the For Creative Minds section.
Do You Know The Cucuy? / ¿cocones Al Cucuy?
“The Cucuy is a tall, furry, three-eyed, four-armed monster with a mouth full of huge teeth,” Papo tells his granddaughter. And, he warns, if she doesn’t behave, the Cucuy will take her away! She used to be afraid of the Cucuy, until one day she meets him and learns that he is not the frightful beast her grandfather described. Instead, he’s cute and likes to play. His fur is blue, and his teeth are small. He may not be just like her, but he does have two arms and two eyes. And the Cucuy also likes to play catch, blow bubbles, and eat candy. Best of all, though, the young girl learns that he doesn’t kidnap naughty children! First-time children’s book author Claudia Galindo and illustrator Jonathan Coombs vividly bring to life a character known to generations of Latino children. Although this time, the Cucuy isn’t a scary monster but instead is a fun playmate.
It’s Bedtime, Cucuy
Like many human children, Cucuy, the little monster, doesn’t like to go to bed. “I’m not sleepy,” he says. “All I want to do is jump around and play!” He tries to run and hide, but Mama¡ manages to get him into his pajamas. Every night he kicks and screams, wiggles and jiggles, mumbles and grumbles. He’s hungry, he’s thirsty. He needs to go to the bathroom. But Mama¡ won’t give in. “Tomorrow you will have a whole new day to jump around and play,” she tells her little monster, until finally he… drifts… off… to… sleep.Children ages 3 to 7 will delight in the travails of poor Cucuy, the little monster who doesn’t like to go to sleep. And they might just see themselves as Cucuy protests but ultimately does fall asleep. Author Claudia Galindo and illustrator Jonathan Coombs once again collaborate on an entertaining picture book for children.
Vatos
One evening, Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Jos Galvez heard Luis Alberto Urrea read “Hymn to Vatos Who Will Never Be in a Poem” with its chant-like repetitions and its evocation of Chicano manhood. As Luis read each line, an image clicked in Jos’s memory, and he knew that he had already taken that photograph. The result of that experience is this remarkable book. Vatos is street slang for dude, guy, pal, brother. It sprang from the highly stylized language of the Pachucos (los chukotes) in the ’50s. It’s a Chicano term derived from the once-common friendly insult chivato, or goat. It had a slightly unacceptable air to it, which the Locos and Weesas of the Chuco world enjoyed. They were able to take the sting out of racism by calling themselves a bunch of names assimilated “good Mexicans” didn’t like.
I’m New Here
In My Family / En Mi Familia
From the author of Family Pictures/Cuadros de familia comes a second book that returns readers once again to the town of Kingsville, Texas, near the border with Mexico. Through ful-color paintings and warm personal stories, Garza brings to life more loving memories of growing up in a traditional Mexican American community.
A Piece Of My Heart/Pedacito De Mi Corazon: The Art Of Carmen Lomas Garza
The thirty-seven works of art, twenty-four in full color, presented in A Piece of My Heart take us into the heart of one of the most distinguished painters of Chicano life. In a career that spans twenty years, Carmen Lomas Garza has depicted the cherished traditions and harsh struggles of Chicano culture. From Grandparents Cutting Cactus to Felino’s Breakdancers, Lomas Garza’s bright, colorful images capture the beauty and texture of daily life among families, friends, and neighbors in southern Texas.