My First Ramadan - Karen Katz

Henry Holt & Company, 2007
$14.95
24 pages
For: young kids
Rating: 4
Endpapers: Wide vertical stripes with different colors and designs,

Karen Katz is a folksy artist that I like very much. If the illustration is not a two-page spread, the single page of writing has a wide vertical strip along the edge (like a border) that compliments and finishes the page beautifully. She depicts Muslims of every color, ethnicity, and level of involvement. "I see Muslims from Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia, North America, and South America."

In clear, simple language Karen Katz describes the annual Muslim month of Ramadan; the customs and reasons behind it. From the point-of-view of an early elementary boy, she describes his day, the fasting from sunup to sundown, the meals, and the three-day festival at the end, Eid al-Fitr. I worked for two years with many Muslims, enjoyed many meals - including during Ramadan, but this simple book gave me more information and insight than I had during those two years. Thanks, Karen Katz!

Ramadan this year was from August 21 - September 19th.
In 2010 it will begin on August 11th and end on September 9th.

El Barrio - Debbi Chocolate

Illustrator: David Diaz
2009
Rating: 4.5
$16.95
Endpapers: Bright Yellow

Another book of CELEBRATION! Celebration of a culture and of home. Celebrations of Hispanic roots, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Aztec, Maya...... Barrio means neighborhood. This is the story of a glorious Hispanic neighborhood. It could be in Chicago, or New York City, or even Tucson.

"El barrio is where Nativity parades, Cinco de Mayo,, and Day of the Dead explode into big holidays. Feli Navidad!
El barrio is a quinceanera party (my sister turns fifteen today!) and a swollen birthday pinata bursting with candy treasure."

The illustrations are bright and wihout any white. The borders look like photos of beading, mosaics, leaves, textiles. The double-page spreads look like acrylic on wood cuts, but it's really hard for me to tell. They're big and bold and bright - greens and aquas and purples and reds. Lady of Guadalupe candles, salsa music, neon city streets.....LOVE IT!

Book Fiesta - Pat Mora

Celebrate Children's Day/Book Day
Celebremos El dia de los ninos/El dia de los libros
Illustrated by Rafael Lopez
2009
Rating: 5 for the Illustrations alone!
$17.99
Endpapers: Wow. Front: Sleeping on a Cloud, Waking on a moon, sun is rising....COLOR!
Back: Closer-up, moon smiling down at boy reading on cloud, nighttime's coming....

This book celebrates reading. It celebrates books. It celebrates story. And it celebrates family. It covers the world. It shows the southwest strongly (love it!). It rhymes. It's written in English and in Spanish. It's colorful.

"We read libros together in cars/ and planes/ and trains. We read to our puppies and kittens, and to lizards in our yard./We read riding an elephant/or sailing with a whale./ We read in a long submarine/ or floating in a hot-air balloon./ Then, snug in our beds, we read to the moon/ and fly away in our books. Toon! Toon!"

I want to have a Book Fiesta in my classroom....in my school.....NEXT YEAR! At the back of the book Pat Mora give information and many suggestions to celebrate and annual "Dia" Children & Books Day. Take her up on it!