On his way to his friend Grandma Beetle’s birthday party, Señor Calavera is stopped by Zelmiro the Ghost, who reminds the skeleton to take a gift. But what should Señor Calavera get her? “The thing she would love most,” suggests Zelmiro. There are many things Grandma Beetle loves—one for each letter of the Spanish alphabet in Yuyi Morales’s wonderfully illustrated, humorous tale. Zelmiro fulsomely praises each of Señor Calavera’s choices in turn, from una Acordeón (accordion) to una Loteria (a game) to Yerbabuena, an herb to “soothe her day.” But, he asks repeatedly, is it what Grandma Beetle would love the most? It turns out Zelmiro has an idea of his own in a story that offers a surprising turn on the final page of the tongue-in-cheek tale. Richly detailed illustrations are full of vibrant colors, warmth, and whimsy, making the skeleton and ghost anything but scary in this follow-up to Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book (Chronicle, 2003). As in the original, the Spanish words here are smoothly defined in context. (Ages 4–8)

From three-time Pura Belpré Winner Yuyi Morales, a delightful alphabet picture book about a Día de los Muertos skeleton who must find the perfect birthday gift (or gifts!)

A 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year
Winner of the 2009 Pura Belpré Medal for Illustration
A Pura Belpré Honor Book for Narrative

Yuyi Morales takes us on a new journey with Señor Calvera, the skeleton from Day of the Dead celebrations. Señor Calvera is worried. He can't figure out what to give Grandma Beetle for her birthday. Misunderstanding the advice of Zelmiro the Ghost, Señor Calvera decides not to get her one gift, but instead one gift for every letter of the alphabet, just in case.

Una Acordéon: An accordion for her to dance to.
Bigotes: A mustache because she has none.
Cosquillas: Tickles to make her laugh . . .

. . . only to find out at the end of the alphabet that the best gift of all is seeing her friends. Morales's art glows in this heart-warming original tale with folklore themes, a companion book to her Pura Belpré-winning Just a Minute.

In English with Spanish vocabulary words