Two Picture Books to Share for Thanksgiving

Pat Mora

In the bilingual Gracias~Thanks, written by Pat and illustrated by John Parra, a boy relates the many things that he is thankful for. Here’s a page from the book:
Illustration by John Parra from Gracias~Thanks
“For my friend Billy, who showed me the book about a boy giant who puts his little parents on top of a tall tree when they misbehave, thanks.”

Kirkus gave the book a starred review: “Mora has a keen sense of the concrete, child-friendly detail, and it’s put to splendid use here. Readers will find themselves nodding in agreement as the unnamed narrator gives thanks to the ladybug that lands on his finger, the bees that don’t sting him and his little brother, who throws mashed peas at their sister … For this graceful celebration, ¡gracias!”

In Yum! ¡Mmm! ¡Qué Rico! America’s Sproutings, written by Pat and illustrated by Rafael López, a collection of haiku celebrates foods native to the Americas. (Also available in a Spanish edition.) Here’s a page from the book:
Illustration by Raphael Lopez from Yum! ¡Mmm! ¡Qué Rico! America's Sproutings
Corn
Leaves sprout silk-snug house.
Smell grits, tortillas, corn bread.
Pass the butter, please.

Book Links said about the book: “Mora’s descriptive poetry features wonderful word choices and gets it right to the essence of each food.”

Gracias/Thanks
Yum

A Classroom Idea for Celebrating National Adoption Awareness Month

Pat Mora

Mrs. Brittania Wright (2018-2019 Douglas County Teacher of the Year!) from Willis Road Elementary School in Georgia wrote:

Pablo's TreeEach month this year, we are focusing on diversity of different kinds. Each grade level receives two copies of a book that our committee chose in order to create a common language amongst our students and staff. This is our first year doing this project.

For November, we focused on National Adoption Month and we chose your book Pablo’s Tree. Each classroom read the story and had class discussions. I sent home blank copies of bells to all of our families and asked them to decorate them for their child to show how much each child means for their family and for us to display to show how much they mean to our school. Our tree is gorgeous and full of so much love and diversity. Thank you for this book. It has been a wonderful conversation starter with our students.

Pablo's Tree

The Remembering Day/El día de los muertos

Pat Mora

The Remembering Day/El dia de los muertos by Pat MoraIn the bilingual picture book The Remembering Day/El día de los muertos, Pat created an origin myth in which she imagined how the Mexican custom of remembering deceased loved ones came to be. Day of the Dead (El día de los muertos) is a Mexican holiday celebrated throughout Mexico, in particular the Central and South regions, and by people of Mexican heritage elsewhere.

Hopefully homes, libraries and schools can use this book to introduce this custom to children and suggest creating an opportunity for sharing memories.You can find ideas here.

An Author’s Note from Pat: Celebrating Lives
Many cultures have traditions for honoring their dead. A beautiful tradition, the Día de los Muertos, The Day of the Dead, is a time for remembering and honoring loved ones. A blending of indigenous and Catholic elements, this Mexican tradition is often misunderstood.

Since the world is our home, and we are affected by weather and what grows around us, cultures and religions link observances to the seasons. The Día de los Muertos occurs on November 2, in the mulling season of autumn.

What becomes popular is often what can be commercialized: skulls and marigolds, ways to lure customers. Actually, “luring” is a deep part of the tradition, since some believe that departed spirits are lured back, often by their favorite foods and objects.

I view this tradition as a celebration of those no longer with us. At schools, libraries, museums and homes, children, families and visitors can create and enjoy displays that include pictures, cherished objects, possibly favorite foods of those being honored. We can also create our own remembering traditions.

In this book, I imagined how this custom of creating a remembering day might have started in the distant part, in a rural village; when indigenous languages, and not Spanish or English, were spoken on this hemisphere; before large cities or churches existed in the Americas. Many families find this tradition a helpful way to annually celebrate the lives of cherished family members and friends and find comfort in remembering the