North America

The Sad Night: The Story Of An Aztec Victory And A Spanish Loss

An account of the establishment of the Aztec empire in Mexico and of the terrible battle between the Aztecs and the Spaniards known as the Sad Night, of La Noche Triste.

“This sensitive treatment of La Noche Triste, or The Sad Night, the last battle the Aztecs won against the Spaniards, is a highly effective melding of graceful, lucid text and stylized art. Designed to resemble Aztec codices, the illustrations appear in double-page strips above the bordered text. Beginning with the Aztec migration to Tenochtitlán (now Mexico City), the history of this people is traced through their final conquest by Cortés’s forces…. This title has the distinction of combining myth with historical fact in a particularly successful manner. An engaging introduction to Mexican history.” —School Library Journal

La Nochebuena South Of The Border

In this bilingual version of “The Night before Christmas,” Santa has become Papa Noel and his reindeer have been replaced with eight burros pulling a cart.

Arrow To the Sun 30th Anniversary Edition

Viking is proud to announce a special 30th anniversary hardcover edition of Arrow to the Sun, Gerald McDermott’s powerful rendering of an ancient Pueblo Indian legend. A true classic that has taken its place in the pantheon of children’s literature, this book vividly evokes the Native American reverence for the source of all life–the Solar Fire. Acclaimed for its bold and vibrant illustrations, Arrow to the Sun was awarded the Caldecott Medal in 1975.

Pepita on Pepper Street/ Pepita En La Calle Pepper

Pepita is almost always happy. But she isn’t today because everything is different on her new street. There’s no familiar grocery store on the corner, and no tortilla shop squeezed right next to it. Rosa’s house isn’t down the street, and worst of all, her best friend Sonya no longer lives right next door. Pepita is definitely not happy about her move to Pepper Street. But her dog Lobo doesn’t mind the new neighborhood, and in fact, he likes the new smells he encounters as Pepita walks him up and down the street. He even wags his tail at the new people they meet: Mrs. Green, who wears a straw hat while weeding her rose garden; Mrs. Becker, who paints the pepper trees, and her dog, Blackie; and Jose, the mailman, who hopes Lobo won’t bite him. Soon, Pepita realizes that her father’s suggestion, “the best way to stop feeling new is to get to know people” is good advice. And when a girl with bright red hair named Katie Ann comes by to visit, Pepita learns that making new friends isn’t so hard after all.

Growing Up with Tamales/Los Tamales De Ana (Spanish Edition)

“My name is Ana. Every year, my family makes tamales for Christmas. This year, I am six, so I get to mix the dough, which is made of cornmeal. My sister Lidia is eight, so she gets to spread the dough on the corn husk leaves. I wish I was eight, so that my hands would be big enough to spread the dough just right–not too thick and not too thin.” And so the years pass, and Ana turns eight, ten, twelve, fourteen, sixteen. But every year, big sister Lidia is always two years older. Ana envies her elder sibling and wishes she could do what Lidia does: put just the right amount of meat inside the tamales and roll them up; steam the tamales without scalding herself with the hot, hot steam; chop and cook the meat for the tamales without cutting or burning her hands. When she turns eighteen, though, Ana knows she will keep making tamales and she will be able to do all of the steps herself in her very own factory. When Christmas comes around, Ana will deliver tamales to all of her customers around the world, in delivery trucks that say “Ana’s Tamales.” And maybe Ana will even let Lidia work for her. Gwendolyn Zepeda’s rhythmic prose is combined with April Ward’s bright illustrations to create an affectionate and amusing story about sibling relationships that introduces an important Hispanic holiday tradition–making tamales!

Benito Juarez (Hispanic Heritage)

benitoRecounts the story of Benito Juárez, who overcame the horrors of poverty and racism to become Mexico’s first president and lead his country to democracy.

Little Mama Forgets (Melanie Kroupa Books)

Every morning, Lucy tiptoes into her grandmother’s room to
wake her with a gentle tickle. Little Mamá always remembers to
tickle Lucy right back! But Lucy knows there are things her
abuelita sometimes forgets – like the way to the park or how to
tie her shoes. “Two long bunny ears like this,” Lucy shows her.
Still, there’s much that Little Mamá remembers and shares: how
to skip and dance, stories from Mexico, and plenty of hugs and
kisses.

A lyrical text with Spanish words and phrases and vibrant art
spiced with cultural details capture the give-and-take in this
lively Hispanic family and celebrate the special bonds that exist
between young and old.

Sweet Dreams/Dulces Suenos (My Family: Mi Familia)

Shh, shh, close your eyes.
Shh . . . shh . . . Cierra los ojitos.
Outside, the rabbits are sleeping,
Afuera, los conejitos están durmiendo
and the birds, and the squirrels.
junto con los pajaritos, y las ardillas.
Inside, Grandma tucks
us snugly into bed.
Adentro, Abuelita nos da
las buenas noches.
The stars and moon
are shining bright.
Las estrellas y la
luna brillan.

Sweet dreams!
¡Dulces sueños!

As warm and comforting as a grandmother’s voice, this endearing book in the My Family/Mi familia series makes bedtime a soothing family tradition.

Este encantador libro de la serie My Family/Mi familia, tan cálido y reconfortante como la voz de una abuela, ayuda a convertir la hora de dormir en una armoniosa tradición familiar.

Three Little Tamales

While three little tamales cool off on a windowsill, a tortilla rolls by. “You’ll be eaten. You’d better run,” he tells them. And so the tamales jump out the window. The first runs to the prairie and builds a house of sagebrush. The second runs to a cornfield and builds a house of cornstalks. The third runs to the desert and builds a house of cactus. Then who should come along but Senior Lobo, the Big Bad Wolf, with plans to blow their houses down. Valeria Docampo’s oil-and-pencil illustrations add zest and humor to this rollicking southwestern version of a popular tale.