Naty's Parade

I'm struggling with the star rating I am choosing for this book. Part of me says 3 stars, and part of me says 4. I wasn't particularly impressed with the illustrations. And the story could have been written so it was more interesting. But the illustrations and the text worked well together, and I think kids will like having this book read to them. There are 20 pages of story included between the book's covers. The story is about a little girl who for the past year had been planning to attend her town's festival where she expected to participate as costumed dancer. Her costume made her look like a mouse. While dancing in the parade she spun herself a little too much and got lost for a brief time. And by the end of the book she was back in the parade and on her way home with her dad enjoying pleasant thoughts. I would have liked the book better if the illustrations had been done differently. The coloring of many of them made me feel like the book's title should have been Naty's Party rather than Naty's Parade. And I didn't quite buy into the parts where Naty was wandering town streets as a young girl with few people present to keep her safe. 4 stars!

This vibrant, beautifully illustrated children's tale of a little Mexican girl's participation in her first fiesta captures the excitement and fear of any child's "first." Naty is delighted to be part of this special day and is also resourceful and determined in conquering her fears, which provides great modeling for young children. The colorful, fantastical illustrations of dancers, townspeople, and local customs captures the energy and essence of Mexican culture. Freschet also peppers the story with simple Spanish words, which is a great teaching tool. My 4 year old loves this book!

Gina Freschet's involving tale can be purchased in either the English or the Spanish language. Naty is excited for the opportunity to march in a large annual parade. She will be walking the parade route dressed as a mouse. While in the parade, she becomes caught up in all of the excitement and finds herself lost. Naty is resourceful and uses the familiar landmarks to guide her back to the parade. The book is complete with vibrant, eye-catching illustrations that will capture the attention of young readers.