Synopsis
Bienvenidos! to a celebration of Christmas, Latino-style! From the ngel (angel) hung above the door to the zapatos (shoes) filled with grass for the wise men s camels, each letter in this festive alphabet introduces children to a Spanish word, and each colorful page takes them through another joyous aspect of the 22 days of the traditional holiday. Vibrant art from acclaimed illustrator Joe Cepeda beautifully complements the lively, rhythmic text to bring the reader a wealth of heritage and a season of light! Feliz Navidad!
Children's Literature
While there are many alphabet books available in the marketplace, this one is a delightful surprise, filled with amazing paintings and rhyming text. In this Latino-style Christmas book, Susan Middleton Elya and Merry Banks cook up a lively text beginning with "A is for angel/hung high by Papa. B is for bunuelos, fried by Mama." Each page reveals a magical Christmas scene, from campanas (bells) hanging on the church down the street to estrella (star) decoration to pan dulces (sweets) that are consumed on Christmas morning to the tamales that children enjoy eating on New Year's Eve. This picture book brings a new aspect of the Latino Christmas celebration to life with care and careful details; reading N Is for Navidad is a wonderful way to teach children about different cultural experiences. The authors take readers from the angel hanging on the door to the zapatos (shoes) filled with grass for the wise men's camels, introducing new Spanish words while illustrating the traditional 22-day holiday with celebratory scenes that will enchant children and parents. This is a magical book that will be part of Christmas celebrations for many years to come. Reviewer: Suzanna E. Henshon, Ph.D.