El Barrio

by Debbi Chocolate and David Diaz

Debbi Chocolate shines the light on both an urban Latino neighborhood and a quinceañera... read more

Debbi Chocolate shines the light on both an urban Latino neighborhood and a quinceañera , the fifteenth-birthday celebration that is a significant rite of passage for girls in many Latino cultures. Describing both is a boy eager to share the energy and spirit of his community and the joy of his family at the time of his big sister’s celebration. “ El barrio is a heartbeat. / Shhh, listen! / It’s the sound of blaring trumpets, / tejano and salsa music / tickling my feet! / The mariachis play at all the quinceañeras / in my neighborhood.” Chocolate’s inviting narrative is paired with mixed media illustrations by David Diaz featuring a host of happy faces and scenes from the boy’s family and community, and artfully framed by photographic borders. (Ages 4–7)

© Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2010

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