A Birthday Basket for Tia [Hardcover]

Pat Mora (Author), Cecily Lang (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 30, 1992 | Age Level: 4 and up

With the help of her cat, Chica, Cecilia prepares a special gift in honor of her great-aunt's ninetieth birthday, a celebration basket filled with things to remind Ti+a7a of the wonderful moments that she and Cecilia have shared.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Little Cecilia and her cat Chica plan for a surprise party to celebrate her great-aunt's 90th birthday. While Mama cooks beans and cuts up mangoes and watermelon, Cecilia and Chica put together a birthday basket containing a favorite book, a mixing bowl, a flowerpot, and other objects that represent activities the little girl and her great-aunt like to share. After final preparations, including flowers and a piñata, the musicians arrive; finally Cecilia and her great-aunt dance together. Drawing on the author's experiences in the Mexican American community of El Paso, Texas, this fine story is illustrated by Cecily Lang in a series of simple but striking scenes. A touching story about a very special relationship. (Ages 3 to 8) --Richard Farr

From Publishers Weekly

The young narrator of this poignant picture book discovers that the best gifts are not always store-bought. Cecilia is stumped when it comes to getting a present for her great aunt's 90th birthday. She finally settles on filling a basket with reminders of all the good times Tia and she have shared. A mixing bowl recalls days spent baking cookies; a teacup holds memories of the special brew Tia prepares when Cecilia is sick. The thoughtful present is a hit when Tia unveils it at her surprise party. Mora's text flows smoothly from one event to the next, and clearly presents the careful planning behind Cecilia's gift-gathering mission. Repetition of the items inside the basket and the occasional use of Spanish words are helpful reinforcements for young readers. Two cavils: Mora's text tends to go on a bit too long, and the many asides Cecilia addresses to her cat Chica become somewhat intrusive as the story progresses. Lang's cut-paper illustrations provide a vivid picture of a diverse and dynamic Mexican American family. Warm brown skin tones contrast nicely with bold reds, blues and oranges to lend additional Latin flavor. Ages 2-6.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing; First Edition edition (September 30, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0027674002
• ISBN-13: 978-0027674002
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,571,081 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Pat Mora, born in El Paso, Texas, is an award-winning poet and author of books for adults, teens, and children. Her awards include a Poetry Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, a Golden Kite Award, American Library Association Notable Book Awards, and honorary doctorates. A former teacher and university administrator, she is the founder of the family literacy initiative El día de los niños / El día de los libros, Children's Day / Book Day (Día). The year-long commitment to linking all children to books, languages and cultures, and of sharing what Pat calls "bookjoy," culminates in celebrations across the country in April. Pat lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico and invites you to visit her at www.patmora.com and http://sharebookjoy.blogspot.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Special Basket of a Book for Little Ones, January 23, 2000

By 

Joey Rodriguez (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Birthday Basket For Tia (Aladdin Picture Books) (Paperback)

In the late Fall of 1992, I read A BIRTHDAY BASKET FOR TIA (Macmillan) by Pat Mora. (I received it as a gift from a special friend and mentor.) I had never read a children's book written by a Mexican American author, so I read it with anticipation.

At the same time, I questioned my reading experience, because I had never read a picture book with cutlural relevance and by a person who identified with my ethnic group. Why hadn't anyone offered such children's books to me when I was a young boy coming of age in Magnolia Park, the East side barrio of Houston, Texas? Nevertheless, I hugged the book and read it again and again in the company of other young(er) Latinas and Latinos in Houston and San Antonio public schools. Who would have thought?

Since then, I have shared the book in English and Spanish, too, with readers of all ages and colors and educators at all instructional levels. So many readers--of all ages and colors--have met the young girl named Cecilia, her loving aunt, and the silly cat named Chica. An advocate for children, family literacy, and multilingualism, Pat Mora's picture books continue to share the written word and celebrate the narratives of many Latinas and Latinos living in the United States. Muchisimas gracias, Pat Mora.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Unique, understated hispanic birthday celebration, February 11, 2008

By 

Modern Blue Argonaut - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: A Birthday Basket For Tia (Aladdin Picture Books) (Paperback)

In A Birthday Basket for Tia, Cecelia, a little girl of about 5-7 anos (years) of age decides to put together a birthday gift basket for her aunt who is turning 90. She gathers all of her aunts favorite things including a teacup, red ball, mixing bowl, book, flower pot, and flowers. Her aunt arrives to her surprise party and enjoys removing each gift from the basket. Then she dances with her neice without the aid of her cane. All throughout the book Cecelia's silly cat Chico plays by getting into the basket, sitting on the book, and putting her face into the flowers. This book is so understated in it's simplicity, the message of love and family comes through undiluted.

Girls ages 5-7 should enjoy this book. It's 2nd grade reading level, but short enough that it could be read to a younger child in under 15 minutes. Some words are in Spanish such as anos, noventa, bizcochos, and hierbabuena, but the meanings are easily decipherable by non-Spanish speaking readers.