This weekend marks one month until the beginning of the National Hispanic Heritage Month for this year. Today we are sharing two new picture books released by the Smithsonian's National Museum of American Latino. The first book is Please Pass the Tamales! by Silvia López and illustrated by Mirelle Ortega. It is recommended for ages 4 to 8.
About the Book:
A mouth-watering picture book that celebrates the rich cultural diversity and culinary traditions of tamal-making across the Americas. Features an informative backmatter and activity created by collaborator, the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino!Join Liliana, Yasmany, Tomás, Eduardo, Isabela, and Valeria as they help their families prepare delicious tamales from Mexico, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Ecuador, and Colombia! Each family has their own recipe for this special dish, but they all share ingredients, and come together for one big tamalada.
Created in collaboration with the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino, this is a delightful celebration of family, culture, and tamales.
From Me:
This book begins with sharing that one family is hosting the gathering to make tamales. It begins with them making the masa or dough. I love how with each family the differences in the tamales are shared. Each family is from a different country to the book is sharing different versions from all over the region. It always involves children helping adults cook. At the end they have a huge feast of all the different tamales.
The book at times uses Spanish words. If it is an entire sentence the sentence is repeated in English. At the end of the book there is more information about tamales as well as an activity and finally information about the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino. This book is a fun way to see how there are different Latinx cultures and some of the differences. It is also a fun book to learn about the different cultures' food. An obvious thing to do with this book would be to make or at least try some tamales! I wish there was a recipe in the book.
The second book shares the excitement for Latinx girls celebrating their fifteenth birthdays. It shares the view from the younger sister as she watches her bestie celebrate her quinceañera. The book is My Sister's Quinceañera by Delia Ruiz and illustrated by Elisa Chavarri. It is also recommended to ages 4 to 8. To see our past post on quinceañera check out here.
About the Book:
A little girl feels left out at her sister’s quinceañera, until she realizes the joy of celebrating her big sister—and that she’ll get to have her own quinceañera one day! With Spanish woven throughout and back matter created by the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino, this heartfelt, bilingual picture book is a tribute to family and tradition.The only person more excited for Erika’s quinceañera is her little sister Natalia! As the family busily sets up decorations, cooks traditional foods, and finalizes every detail, Natalia helps Erika get ready, imagining her own future quinceañera. But when the party finally arrives, Natalia feels a mix of excitement and loneliness as Erika is swept up in the festivities with guests and her court. Now that Erika is considered an adult, will their special bond remain?
My Sister’s Quinceañera beautifully captures the essence of family traditions, the joy of celebration, and all the sparkle that comes with this special fiesta.
From Me:
This book shares Natalia's excitement for her big sister's, Erika's, quinceañera. She is excited about their dresses and about the family preparing for the party. When it is finally time for the celebration, Erika goes off with the guests and her court and Natalia feels left behind. She always has felt so close to Erika and worries that now that she is an adult Erika will continue to leave her behind. Then their favorite song plays and Erika calls to dance with Natalia and the sisters are reunited and Natalia realizes how important she is to Erika as well.
This book shares how quinceañeras can vary depending on the family. Erika's seems to be held in the family's backyard. I love how it shares the celebration from the younger sister's point of view. I also love how important family is to both Natalia and Erika. It is a fun story and does a great job of teaching about the quinceañera and the culture of the people who have them!
