THE TACO MAGICIAN AND OTHER POEMS FOR KIDS / EL MAGO DE LOS TACOS Y OTROS POEMAS PARA NIÑOS

By Diane Gonzales Bertrand

ISBN-13: 978-1-55885-891-6

Format: Trade Paperback

Ages: 8-12

Pages: 112

Imprint: Piñata Books

“When our father cooks, tacos become magic tricks,” Diane Gonzales Bertrand writes in the title poem of this collection for young people. “Like a magic wand, / he stirs circles through the frying pan, / Like a magic cape, he wraps a tortilla / around our wishes.” In her introduction, “A Taste for Poetry,” she exhorts adults to introduce kids to verse. By helping them discover moments and memories through words, she says “tiny roots of curiosity, / tender wings of knowledge” will grow.

Gonzales Bertrand writes about everyday occurrences and feelings that children will recognize. In “Blankie,” a blanket sewn before the girl’s birth kept her safe and warm for years. She can’t take it to school now, but at home she still wraps it around herself, “even though it won’t / cover my toes and my shoulders at the same time.” There’s also an ode to chanclas, or flip-flops, “Narrow rubber soles / protect my bare feet / from hot sidewalks.” They even clap for her when she walks!

The importance of family shines through in pieces such as “My Little Sister,” “Fishing with My Uncle Charlie,” “Abuelita’s Kitchen Table” and “Tía María’s Love.” In “The Sailor of Woodlawn Lake,” she remembers her brother’s determination to create boats that would stay afloat. “I would love to say / he finally sailed across Woodlawn Lake, / but each raft slowly sank, / a few at the shore, one or two in the middle.” The poems in this collection will encourage children ages 8-12 to consider writing odes to the important people and places in their own lives.

“Odes to cherished objects like Easter cascarones (confetti-filed eggs), favorite foods like cinnamon buñuelos and fond moments like napping together in Pepo’s favorite chair root the poems in Mexican familial culture while also touching on universal topics. The odes to family members stand out for their genuine appreciation for slice-of-life moments.”

—Kirkus Reviews

DIANE GONZALES BERTRAND is the author of more than twenty books for children and teens. Her books for intermediate readers include The Ruiz Street Kids / Los muchachos de la calle Ruiz (Piñata Books, 2006) and Alicia’s Treasure (Piñata Books, 1996). A lifelong resident of San Antonio, she teaches creative writing at St. Mary’s University, where she is the Writer in Residence.

The Story Circle / El circulo de cuentos

Written Diane Gonzales Betrand

Illustrated by Wendy Martin

•          Hardcover: 32 pages
•          Publisher: Pinata Books; Bilingual edition (May 30, 2016)
•          ISBN-10: 1558858261
•          ISBN-13: 978-1558858268

Monster storms closed the school for three days. "Carpets bubbled with mud. Green slime swallowed books." And when the children returned, the new bookshelves in the classroom were empty. "What will we do for story circle?" they ask.

With the kids sitting around her on the new rug, the teacher tells a story about a boy who loved to fly. Afterwards, she asks them what pictures they imagined. Each one sees something different: wings like yellow sunbeams, a pond that looks like a green button and cloud horses running in the blue sky. Soon, all the children are excitedly raising their hands to tell their own stories.

Acclaimed children's book author Diane Gonzales Bertrand returns with another charming book about the joys of telling stories and using one's imagination. The short text combined with fanciful illustrations will spark conversations with children and spur them to write and illustrate their own stories.

A Bean and Cheese Taco Birthday / Un Cumpleaños Con Tacos de Frijoles Con Queso

by Diane Gonzales Bertrand

Illustrated by Robert Trujillo

Translated by Gabriela Baeza Ventura 

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Arte Publico Pr (October 31, 2015)
• Language: English/ Spanish
• ISBN-10: 1558858121
• ISBN-13: 978-1558858121

Seven-year-old Dario is excited about his brother’s upcoming fifth birthday. He can’t wait for the party, and imagines one similar to his own with lots of friends and presents.

So he’s surprised when Ariel requests a simple celebration at the park eating bean and cheese tacos and blowing bubbles. “But, Ariel,” he asks, “don’t you want to go somewhere special on your birthday?” It doesn’t seem like a party to Dario without video games and pizza!

On Ariel’s birthday, the boys are happy to go to the park rather than their usual after-school program. The day is full of surprises, from Ariel’s birthday present—a remote-control sailboat they enjoy playing with at the pond—to an empty playground and even a kind park ranger who offers a tour in his Jeep. Who would have thought an afternoon at the park with family and bean and cheese tacos could be so much fun?

Kids will begin eagerly planning their own birthday celebrations after reading this engaging book by acclaimed children’s book author Diane Gonzales Bertrand. She once again entertains young readers ages 4 to 8 with a sweet story about the joys of time spent with family and the surprises that come from making assumptions.