LA Boda: A Mexican Wedding Celebration [Hardcover]

Nancy Van Laan (Author), Andrea Arroyo (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up

A little girl and her grandmother watch as the whole village prepares for and participates in a traditional Zapotec Indian wedding celebration.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3?Lively watercolors portray a Zapotec Indian wedding day in Oaxaca, Mexico. This is more of a concept book than a story, with young Maria asking her grandmother a series of questions about the preparations and ceremony. The question-and-answer format effectively relays information, yet the repetitive queries become monotonous: " 'What's that, Abuela?' 'Los cuetes, Maria. The fireworks go off for Alfonso and Luisa!' 'Does the band play?' 'Yes, it plays all the way to la casa de la boda.' " Luckily, the spirited illustrations, which combine Mexican folk art and a simplified, modern style, compensate for the perfunctory text. A helpful Spanish glossary and an introduction to Zapotec culture and religion are included.?Denise E. Agosto, Midland County Public Library, TX
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

The wedding rituals of Alfonso and Luisa, a young Mexican couple, are observed through the wondering eyes of a young Oaxacan village girl. Van Laan (Sleep, Sleep, Sleep, 1995, etc.) creates a singsong conversation between the girl and her grandmother from which readers learn Spanish words and their translations: ``It is time for los pavos.'' ``The what, Abuela?'' ``The turkeys, Maria. The dance of the turkeys is such fun to see!'' The girl and her grandmother watch and comment on each rite: the sweeping of the streets, the exchanging of vows, the playing of music, and the shooting off of fireworks. There is real warmth in the scenes of the Zapotecan villagers as they gather at the la iglesia (the church) in the square for the wedding; in every picture, newcomer Arroyo's illustrations reflect the artistic aspects of the culture in the colorful pottery, baskets, mats, and vibrantly colored sculpted animals that Oaxacans sell. A delightful, lyrical look at a special occasion. (Picture book. 4-8) -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Little Brown & Co (Juv); 1st edition (May 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316896268
• ISBN-13: 978-0316896269
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,669,156 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars truly multicultural, January 2, 2008

By 

Ana Braga-Henebry (Rural South Dakota) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: LA Boda: A Mexican Wedding Celebration (Hardcover)

I love picture books, especially ones with warm, colorful, sweet illustrations. I love rhythmic, poetic language, made simple and accessible to children, and I love truly multicultural books!

This book brings all of these elements together, added to the universal theme of the sacrament of Matrimony. I couldn't help but love it at first sight--or at first reading.

How could one not love the bilingual first person dialog lines, as little Maria attends all of the many celebrations revolving around the wedding of her Alfonso and Luisa? The large families gathered, the music, dances, parades, fireworks, gifts--one, of course, a painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe--they all tell the story that culminate in the vows exchanged at church para siempre--for ever.