Cinco de Mayo

School Library Journal

Gr 3-4-The annual celebration of Cinco de Mayo, which commemorates the Mexican victory at Puebla, is presented in eight chapters. The life of Benito Ju rez; the Mexican battle for freedom; the country's government today; the celebration itself; and Mexican music, dance, and food are all given brief coverage in jerky, disconnected prose that, while it does not misinform, is surely no pleasure to read. Wide margins, large print, and good leading combine with a plethora of well-placed color photos and reproductions to produce an open, nonthreatening look, attractive to younger readers. Marginal sidebars, only some of which pertain to the adjacent text, give information on food, dance, and social conventions. Instructions for a Cinco de Mayo project and a 12-word glossary (with no pronunciations given) are included. Janet Riehecky's Cinco de Mayo (Children's, 1993; o.p.), preferable for composition and narrative flow, contains similar information.-Ann Welton, Grant Elementary School, Tacoma, WA Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.