Celebrate! It's Cinco de Mayo / ¡Celebremos! ¡Es el Cinco de Mayo!

Plot Summary

It’s Cinco de Mayo! Everyone is celebrating the holiday in their own way. “Mama marches in the parade. Papa plays in a mariachi band. Abuelita cooks a special meal.” Why do we celebrate Cinco de Mayo?

A very simple history of the holiday is interspersed with the story of a young boy celebrating Cinco de Mayo with his family.

This bilingual book features a section with “find what’s missing” pictures and simple crafts perfect for any child’s Cinco de Mayo celebration. Loretta Lopez’s engaging and cheerful pictures complement Janice Levy’s child-friendly introduction to this important Mexican holiday.

Reviews

"Levy’s central text combines a celebration of Cinco de Mayo with a brief recounting of the date’s significance: the Mexican army’s victory in 1862 over an invading French force. The celebration includes a parade, with Aztec elements featured prominently, a performance of mariachi music, a family meal, dancing and the breaking of the piñata, along with Abuelito (Grandpa) telling the story of the Battle of Puebla. But Celebrate! is an activity book too. After her main narrative, Levy repeats several of the story’s illustrations, leaving out an important element in each and asking the young reader to point out what is missing. The final pages include instructions in making a maraca and a serape, and a slightly longer recounting of the history of the Battle of Puebla. The text is in both English and Spanish throughout, and Lopez’s illustrations are bright, lovely and full of details—the Aztec eagle and snake (now part of Mexico’s flag), the buttons on the sleeves of the mariachi players’jackets, the multicolored hems of the dancers’ skirts. Perfectly targeted at young listeners and readers who may have been celebrating Mexico’s favorite national holiday without knowing why." Kirkus Reviews

"Lopez's brightly colored illustrations add to the festive air of the narrative, and the family's excitement is palpable. The traditional dresses, costumes, and hairstyles all enhance the book's authenticity....Presented in an appealing and accessible manner, this offering will serve its audience well." School Library Journal

Associated Keywords
spanish, bilingual, hispanic, latino, mexico, mexican, holiday, crafts, pictures, activities, 11765, 1176-5, 11773, 1177-3, celebrate, mayo, celebremos