Customer Reviews

A Birthday Basket for Tia

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.