Cumpleanos en el barrio - Birthday in the Barrio, Del Sol Books

$415.76 for the Bilingual Collection Red Books Set , Including 20%-Off, Free Shipping, and No Sales Tax : 17 Hardcover Bilingual Books and 29 Softcover Bilingual Books

"Such a fuss about turning fifteen. All I want for my birthday are tumbadora drums! But Lazarita'll be mad if she doesn't have a quinces like the other girls."

In this second book by author Mayra L. Dole, lively, determined Chavi sets off on yet another Miami adventure. This time it's a fifteenth birthday party for her buddy Rosario's sister that sends her swooshing through her Cuban American neighborhood, recruiting children and grownups to help in the planning and cooking. Once again Chavi proves that she can bring an entire community together for a heartfelt and ultimately very special event.

Mayra L. Dole's bouncy prose and Tonel's bright, witty watercolors will delight readers who know and love Chavi, as well as those who are discovering this amazing eight-year-old heroine for the first time.

Mayra L. Dole was born in Marianao, Cuba, and raised in a Cuban barrio minutes from Miami. A prolific author, an accomplished and passionate musician, and an advocate for the differently-abled, Mayra has also been a dancer, landscape designer, and hairdresser. This is her second book for Children's Book Press. She lives in Coral Gables, Florida.

Tonel is a visual artist and art critic who was born in Havana, Cuba, where he designed posters and published illustrations in magazines and newspapers. He has received many prestigious fellowships, and his work has been exhibited internationally. He is currently a visiting artist and professor at Stanford University. He lives in Palo Alto, California.

Listen to Vienna Rose read Birthday in the Barrio to you. A marvelous example of the magical encounter between a child and books that we wish for all children.

“... Rollicking fun.” — San Francisco Chronicle

“This lively adventure demonstrates to youngsters that in spite of plans going wrong, hope remains for... whatever one strives to accomplish. ” — ForeWord Magazine

“Dole's narrative entertains... and creates a picture of neighborhood unity. This book is part of the 'Chavi' series and useful in teaching teamwork and initiative.”
— Children's Literature

"This well-done bilingual picture book positively portrays a Latino community. . . And, quite refreshingly, it is the children who lead the adults to the resolution. Best suited for one-on-one sharing, this family portrayal is a must for any library serving a Latino community with a need for primary grade picture books." —BAYVIEWS

". . .the brilliantly colored illustrations reflect the 'barrios' of southern Florida as well as the semi-tropical islands from which so many of its people originated. The importance of a girl's 15th birthday will be obvious to Latinos, but the story provides clues for non-Latinos as well. In addition, the warmth of family and community suffuses the tale and crosses all cultural boundaries." —Kirkus Reviews

"Chavi is a strong, intelligent, and resourceful protagonist. Her ingenious efforts to organize a party not only demonstrate her skills but also a strong sense of her Cuban American neighborhood in Miami. Tonel... offers cartoonlike watercolors full of good-natured, unstoppable enthusiasm... A good choice, both for the heroine’s can-do attitude and because, for a change, adults are seen following the lead of wise children." — Booklist

School Library Journal : Grade 1-3–Fans of Drum, Chavi, Drum (Children's Book Press, 2003) will welcome the further adventures of this uninhibited eight-year-old, and first-time readers will be engaged by the Miami ambience and the strong characters. Here, Chavi sets out to create the perfect quinceañerafor her friend Rosario's older sister. Lazarita is distressed when her loving, but unemployed father tells her that they simply cannot afford the requisite big party. In realistic fashion, the teen does know, but she throws a fit anyway. Chavi, determined to put on a bash to remember, drafts adults and children throughout the barrio, even using a bit of healthy competition and a good cause, to bring her ideas to reality. Dole's prose, in both English and Spanish, is exuberant, making use of colloquial expressions that reflect the nature of the Cubano neighborhoods of Miami. Tonel's watercolor cartoons, though inconsistent and a bit amateurish, are equally bright and fresh. The use of different typefaces and sounds ("Gum-dum-beep-beep! Chacky-chacky-beep-beep!") makes this story visually interesting and fun to read aloud. Use it with Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith's Celebrating a Quinceañera (Holiday, 2002) for a nonfiction extension on an important Hispanic celebration.

Booklist : K-Gr. 3. The sister of Chavi's friend Rosario longs for an elaborate quinceanera, the traditional party for 15-year-old Latinas. Unfortunately, Lazarita's father has lost his job and can't afford such a celebration. With Chavi's leadership and contributions by the neighbors, Lazarita celebrates her "quince" with a joyous block party with plenty of good food, music, and dancing. Chavi is a strong, intelligent, and resourceful protagonist. Her ingenious efforts to organize a party not only demonstrate her skills but also a strong sense of her Cuban American neighborhood in Miami. Tonel, also the illustrator of Mayra Dole's Drum, Chavi, Drum! (2003), offers cartoonlike watercolors full of good-natured, unstoppable enthusiasm. One small flaw: since Chavi and Rosario are inseparable and appear together on every spread, it's impossible to know who is who. The bilingual text is visually playful with occasional color and font changes; the Spanish is colloquial and reads as if it were spoken language. A good choice, both for the heroine's can-do attitude and because, for a change, adults are seen following the lead of wise children.