Books for los Reyes Magos

Feliz 2014. For families in Latin America, Christmas is not over yet. There is still another big celebration coming on January 6th, el día de los Reyes Magos. Enjoy these books with the little ones and children of all ages.

¡Vivan Los Reyes Magos! by Lori Marie Carlson. Illustrated by Ed Martinez.

Three Kings' Day, or Epiphany, is celebrated on January 6th by children in Spanish-speaking countries around the world. Combining traditions from different Hispanic communities, this story, illustrated with luminous oil paintings, follows a young Latino girl and her two older brothers as they celebrate this joyous day. A Hispanic family enjoys the traditional celebration of El Dia  de los Reyes, or Epiphany, by reenacting the long walk of the three wise men bringing gifts to baby Jesus.

 

Humphrey's First Christmas written and illustrated by Carol Heyer.

We have all hear the story of the three wise men, who brought their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus. But what about the camels who carried them? Here is the imaginative story of Humphrey the camel and his long, cold journey to Bethlehem. This story reminds readers of the importance of Christmas and the true meaning of gift-giving.

 Los Reyes Magos de Oriente by Lluis Farre. Illustrated by Merce Canals. Adapted by Carmen Gil.

With rhyming text and lively illustrations, this pop-up book presents one of the most popular biblical stories among children—the voyage of the three kings to Bethlehem to worship baby Jesus—and will immerse young readers in the magic and traditions of Christmas.

Celebra La Navidad Y El Dia De Los Reyes Magos Con Pablo Y Carlitos / Celebrate Christmas and Three Kings Day With Pablo and by F. Isabel Campoy Isabel and Alma Flor Ada. Illustrated by Walter Torres.

Brothers Pablo and Carlitos write letters to the three kings, telling them the gifts they want to receive on Three Kings' Day. Includes facts about Christmas and Three Kings' Day.

 ¡Ya llegan los Reyes Magos! by Georgina Lázaro, Illustrated by Morella Fuenmayor.

This beautifully illustrated poem voices the excitement of Three Kings' Day from a child's perspective. Each verse explores the emotions, traditions, delicacies, and activities of a holiday widely celebrated throughout the Spanish-speaking world. Children who already love Three Kings' Day and those who are discovering the holiday for the first time will delight in these rhyming verses.

 The Visit of the Wise Men by Martha Jander. Illustrated by Lin Wang.

Through gentle verse and rich illustrations, children hear an accurate portrayal of the Magi, dispelling misunderstandings that put three Wise Men at Jesus birthplace.

Rosca de reyes

Latinos do not stop celebrating Christmas on January 1st. The fun continues with El día de los reyes magos. In Mexico, the rosca de reyes bread is a must. You can go to your favorite bakery and buy one fresh yummy rosca or you can bake your own.

Here is the recipe, courtesy of the food network. To watch the video click here.

Ingredients

• 1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup dried figs, cut into strips, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 cup candied orange peel, cut into strips, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 cup candied lemon peel, cut into strips, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 cup chopped candied cherries, plus more whole for garnish
• 2 tablespoons light rum
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs, divided
• Water

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the yeast and warm water; stir to blend. Let stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Put all of the candied fruit in small bowl and drizzle the rum on top. Let stand for 15 minutes to 1 hour to infuse the flavor.

In a small pot, warm the milk over medium heat. Add the sugar, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.

In a large bowl, mix 3 1/2 cups flour, 2 eggs, yeast mixture, milk mixture, and the rum soaked candied fruits, mixing very well until the dough gathers into a ball. If the dough is too wet, Add additional flour, a little at a time, if needed to form a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it's smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Put the ball of dough back into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and set aside in a warm spot to rise for 1 hour.

Remove the dough from the bowl and knead on a lightly floured surface. Using your palms, roll the dough into a long rope. Shape the coil into a ring, sealing the ends together. Insert a little doll or coin into the bread from the bottom, if desired. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and coat with nonstick cooking spray. Carefully transfer the dough ring to the prepared baking pan.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon of water to make an egg wash, and brush the top of the bread. Decoratively garnish the top of the bread with more candied fruit and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the cake is golden.

Cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Receta en español

Books for los Reyes Magos- Wise Men

Feliz 2012. For families in Latin America, Christmas is not over yet. There is still another big celebration coming this Friday, el día de los Reyes Magos. Enjoy these books with the little ones and children of all ages.

¡Vivan Los Reyes Magos! by Lori Marie Carlson. Illustrated by Ed Martinez.

Three Kings' Day, or Epiphany, is celebrated on January 6th by children in Spanish-speaking countries around the world. Combining traditions from different Hispanic communities, this story, illustrated with luminous oil paintings, follows a young Latino girl and her two older brothers as they celebrate this joyous day. A Hispanic family enjoys the traditional celebration of El Dia  de los Reyes, or Epiphany, by reenacting the long walk of the three wise men bringing gifts to baby Jesus.

 

Humphrey's First Christmas written and illustrated by Carol Heyer.

We have all hear the story of the three wise men, who brought their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus. But what about the camels who carried them? Here is the imaginative story of Humphrey the camel and his long, cold journey to Bethlehem. This story reminds readers of the importance of Christmas and the true meaning of gift-giving.

 Los Reyes Magos de Oriente by Lluis Farre. Illustrated by Merce Canals. Adapted by Carmen Gil.

With rhyming text and lively illustrations, this pop-up book presents one of the most popular biblical stories among children—the voyage of the three kings to Bethlehem to worship baby Jesus—and will immerse young readers in the magic and traditions of Christmas.

Celebra La Navidad Y El Dia De Los Reyes Magos Con Pablo Y Carlitos / Celebrate Christmas and Three Kings Day With Pablo and by F. Isabel Campoy Isabel and Alma Flor Ada. Illustrated by Walter Torres.

Brothers Pablo and Carlitos write letters to the three kings, telling them the gifts they want to receive on Three Kings' Day. Includes facts about Christmas and Three Kings' Day.

 ¡Ya llegan los Reyes Magos! by Georgina Lázaro, Illustrated by Morella Fuenmayor.

This beautifully illustrated poem voices the excitement of Three Kings' Day from a child's perspective. Each verse explores the emotions, traditions, delicacies, and activities of a holiday widely celebrated throughout the Spanish-speaking world. Children who already love Three Kings' Day and those who are discovering the holiday for the first time will delight in these rhyming verses.

 The Visit of the Wise Men by Martha Jander. Illustrated by Lin Wang.

Through gentle verse and rich illustrations, children hear an accurate portrayal of the Magi, dispelling misunderstandings that put three Wise Men at Jesus birthplace.

Let's bake: Rosca de Reyes

Latinos do not stop celebrating Christmas on January 1st. The fun continues with El día de los reyes magos. In Mexico, the rosca de reyes bread is a must. You can go to your favorite bakery and buy one fresh yummy rosca or you can bake your own.

Here is the recipe, courtesy of the food network. To watch the video click here.

Ingredients

• 1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1/4 cup dried figs, cut into strips, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 cup candied orange peel, cut into strips, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 cup candied lemon peel, cut into strips, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 cup chopped candied cherries, plus more whole for garnish
• 2 tablespoons light rum
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 large eggs, divided
• Water

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the yeast and warm water; stir to blend. Let stand until the yeast comes alive and starts to foam, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Put all of the candied fruit in small bowl and drizzle the rum on top. Let stand for 15 minutes to 1 hour to infuse the flavor.

In a small pot, warm the milk over medium heat. Add the sugar, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt.

In a large bowl, mix 3 1/2 cups flour, 2 eggs, yeast mixture, milk mixture, and the rum soaked candied fruits, mixing very well until the dough gathers into a ball. If the dough is too wet, Add additional flour, a little at a time, if needed to form a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until it's smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Put the ball of dough back into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and set aside in a warm spot to rise for 1 hour.

Remove the dough from the bowl and knead on a lightly floured surface. Using your palms, roll the dough into a long rope. Shape the coil into a ring, sealing the ends together. Insert a little doll or coin into the bread from the bottom, if desired. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil and coat with nonstick cooking spray. Carefully transfer the dough ring to the prepared baking pan.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat the remaining egg in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon of water to make an egg wash, and brush the top of the bread. Decoratively garnish the top of the bread with more candied fruit and bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the cake is golden.

Cool on a wire rack before slicing.

PaperTigers Book Set Giveaway

PaperTigers.org is giving away an amazing multicultural book set. Visit http://www.papertigers.org to find out how you can win. Deadline for entries is January 19th. ¡Mucha suerte!

 These are the titles that you may win

• Planting The Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai by Claire A. Nivola Frances (Foster Books, 2008)
• First Come the Zebra by Lynne Barash (Lee & Low, 2009)
• Little Leap Forward: A Boy in Beijing by Guo Yue and Clare Farrow, illustrated by Helen Cann (Barefoot Books, 2008)
• The Storyteller’s Candle/La velita de los cuentos by Lucia Gonzalez, illustrated by Lulu Delacre (Children’s Book Press, 2008)
• My Little Round House by Bolormaa Baasansuren, English adaptation by Helen Mixter (Groundwood Books, 2009)
• One Hen: How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference by Katie Smith Milway, illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes (Kids Can Press, 2008)
• Where The Mountain Meets The Moon by Grace Lin (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2009).