celebrations

Dancing on Grapes

It’s September, time for the annual grape harvest, one of the happiest times in Tuscany.

On the first day of the harvest, Claudia’s aunts, uncles, and cousins have come to her home to gather the grapes from the vineyard. Harvesting grapes is hard work, but Claudia knows it can be fun, too. At the end of the day, her family will celebrate with pizzas filled with ricotta cheese and sausages and olives.

But the most fun of all will be what Claudia has been dreaming about all year: crushing the grapes. Now she is old enough to join her cousins and stomp the grapes in the big tub. But the tub is on top of the cantina, and Claudia is afraid of heights. Will she muster the courage to climb the ladder to the top? Or will she wait until next year to join in the fun?

Fiesta!

Describes a festival or holiday celebrated in Latin America for each month of the year, from the feast of Saint Anthony in January through Mexico’s Cinco de Mayo, an Inca festival in Peru in June, and a ritual of African origin in Brazil in September.

Carnavalia!

Carnivals rule the streets of Brazil from Christmas to Ash Wednesday. This is a time of performances, merrymaking, and feasting that blends Catholic beliefs with African and Portuguese heritage into a variety of public celebrations. This wonderful book presents the folklore behind the festivities, explaining the significance of the colorful costumes, dances, and characters. Brazilian artist Liza Papi translates the energy and the rich traditions of northeastern Brazil into her vibrant, hand-colored, woodcut prints. Also, this unique storybook offers instructions on festive, easy-to-make decorations and costumes from common supplies such as newspapers, wheat paste, felt, colored paper, and nontoxic paints and glue.

See the review at WOW Review, Volume 5, Issue 3

The Last Doll/La última Muñeca

The beautiful, but old-fashioned, Sarita sadly watches as her shelf-mates are purchased by eager shoppers and taken home. She looks out through the dust-covered plastic of her box, and she worries that she will be the last one. Every day she preens and puts her best porcelain face forward, but every evening, she remains on the shelf.

Finally one day, a tall man in a black mustache decides that she is perfect, and that she absolutely must be the last doll for his godchild, Teresa, on her quinceañera. Sarita’s alarm at still being last quickly shifts to pride when she realizes that sometimes people save the best for last.

Chato Y Los Amigos Pachangueros

This lively tale of a party-loving barrio cat who throws a surprise celebration for his friend Novio Boy. With a lively text, bold art, and a setting and theme with Latinx flavor, this is an ideal choice for Spanish readers.

Thanking The Moon

This simple, young, and satisfying story follows a Chinese American family as they celebrate the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. Each member of the family lends a hand as they prepare a moonlit picnic with mooncakes, pomelos, cups of tea, and colorful lanterns. And everyone sends thanks and a secret wish up to the moon. Grace Lin’s luminous and gloriously patterned artwork is perfect for this holiday tale. Her story is simple—tailor-made for reading aloud to young children. And she includes an informative author’s note with further details on the customs and traditions of the Moon Festival for parents and teachers. The Moon Festival is one of the most important holidays of the year along with the Lunar New Year, so this book makes an excellent companion to Grace Lin’s Bringing In the New Year, which features the same family.

The Day of the Dead, El día de los Muertos

Follow two children as they celebrate their ancestors on this vibrant holiday. They offer marigolds, sugar skulls, and special bread, and make delicious foods. By spreading marigold petals, they guide the dead home to join the festivities. Finally, after singing and dancing, it’s time for bed. Bob Barner’s luscious collages incorporate the traditional symbols of Day of the Dead. His poetic text is both English and Spanish. An author’s note provides additional information on the holiday.

Grandma Francisca Remembers (What Was It Like Grandma?)

An Hispanic grandmother relates family and cultural history to her granddaughter in her San Francisco, California, apartment as she tells of growing up in New Mexico.