The Best Mother's Day Ever

March 1, 2010
Gr 1-3-Lucy, who has a history of disastrous Mother's Day surprises, wants everything to be perfect this time. She asks her friend Diego, an immigrant from Mexico, what he has done on that special day. He explains that in his country the kids sing a morning song to their mothers and then prepare a special breakfast. Lucy decides to treat her mother to a Mexican Mother's Day, with Diego's guidance. They attempt to make tamales, then wake Lucy's mother early by blasting music on a boom box. This only succeeds in angering her as the tamales burn. After both mothers express their frustrations with their kids' attempts, they come to the realization that children are the same no matter where they are from. Both Lucy and Diego are likable representatives of two different cultures, and young readers are certain to relate to them. Their efforts to give their mothers a memorable celebration are both humorous and touching. The illustrations are full of expression and action, adding to the story's enjoyment. Information about various customs, food, and activities in different countries is boxed throughout."Donna Atmur, Los Angeles Public Library"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2010
Grades K-2 On the day before Mothers Day, Lucy and her friend Diego plan a celebration combining Mexican and American traditions for their mothers special day. Rising at 4 a.m., they prepare tamales at Diegos house and leave them steaming on the stove before going next door to prepare a musical wake-up call for Lucys mom. Disaster ensues on both fronts, but the story ends happily. Cartoon-style drawings with colorful washes brighten the pages. Besides the Spanish words and Mexican traditions introduced in the story, the book includes little boxes commenting on other matters related to multiculturalism, such as ways of greeting friends in different countries and the popularity of soccer worldwide. Activities on the concluding page encourage readers to look at cultural similarities and differences in the story and two appended pictures. Along with the message of openness to other cultures, the books comical moments make this a reader-friendly choice from the Social Studies Connects paperback series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)