Books Will Never Go Out of Print!

Grab a cup of coffee. Sit back. Check out meanderings about books I've loved.

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Too Many Tamales - Christmas Picture Books


Too Many Tamales

by Gary Soto
(Scholastic Inc., 1993)

I love the tradition many Hispanic families have of making tamales for Christmas. What could be tastier?

Too Many Tamales is the story of Maria. Maria feels grown-up when she gets to help her mother mix the masa for tamales. But she is tempted to try on mother's beautiful diamond ring. And it disappears!

The question becomes how can we find the ring - in all of those tamales?

My own children loved me to read and reread this book when they were younger. I think they identified with helping the mother yet losing something important and having to solve the problem of how to find it. And then having to go and confess what had happened.

I love the marriage of the illustrations and text in Too Many Tamales. This delightful book has been a favorite in our home and my classroom for many years.

Tasting Fun:

It's time for a new tradition! As a family, learn to make tamales. Or adopt yourself into a family that makes tamales each year (that means you will need to help cook them). Or go out for tamales at a Mexican food restaurant. You can't go wrong with any of these yummy choices.

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