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Clatter Bash!: A Day of the Dead Celebration (Multilingual Edition)
 
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Clatter Bash!: A Day of the Dead Celebration (Multilingual Edition) [Hardcover]

Richard Cleminson Keep (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)


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Book Description

4 and upP and up

Graveyard skeletons shake, rattle, and roll in this spirited Day of the Dead celebration featuring bold and colorful cut-paper illustrations.

¡Hola! ¡Hola! Hey! ¡Qué fiesta! Yay!

At dusk on the holiday known as Day of the Dead, a Mexican family has set out fiesta offerings in the graveyard in hopes that departed loved ones may return to visit. The playful skeletons rise from their graves to celebrate with gusto. All night long, they sing, dance, dine, tell stories, and play games. As morning approaches, they give thanks to the stars for their night of fun, tidy up after themselves, and leave no trace of their "clatter bash" behind as they return to their coffins until next year's Day of the Dead.

Author-illustrator Richard Keep's rollicking rhyme-sprinkled with Spanish words-captures the bone-rattling sounds and fun of the evening. His vivid cut-paper art is sure to raise the spirits of young readers without frightening them. A two-page illustrated afterword gives factual information about el Día de los Muertos, the reverent but fun celebration honoring relatives who have passed on, and the special rituals, images, foods, and customs associated with this joyful Mexican celebration.



Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 4 - Black skies spattered with stars form the backdrop for most of the two-page illustrations in this zesty look at a special night. As the family members leave gifts at their loved ones' gravesites, the skeletons begin to exit their tombs. Quiet until the living are gone, they emerge, dressed in richly colored clothes and bearing horns, top hats, boas, and serapes. Visitors from other cemeteries arrive and they tell stories and sample the food left for them. The night culminates in a lively dance and fireworks before it's time to clean up and return to the grave. The minimal text, a rhyming mix of greetings, Spanish words, and onomatopoetic sounds, is printed along the bottom of the pages, functioning almost like subtitles. The joy on the characters' skeletal faces and in their excited movements is apparent as is their love of the lives they had. Small skeletons remind readers that even children are among the dead, and the beautiful details of the various aspects of the celebration reflect its Mexican roots. An afterword explains the holiday and its customs. This will be a popular title in Mexican-American communities and an eye-opener for others. - Coop Renner, Hillside Elementary, El Paso, TX
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"...[a] zesty look at a special night... The joy on the characters' skeletal faces and in their excited movements is apparent as is their love of the lives they had. Small skeletons remind readers that even children are among the dead, and the beautiful details of the various aspects of the celebration reflect its Mexican roots. An afterword explains the holiday and its customs. This will be a popular title in Mexican-American communities and an eye-opener for others." --School Library Journal


Product Details

  • Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  • Hardcover: 32 pages
  • Publisher: Peachtree Publishers; First Edition edition (September 2004)
  • Language: Multilingual
  • ISBN-10: 1561453226
  • ISBN-13: 978-1561453221
  • Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 9.2 x 0.4 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,614,856 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

5 Reviews
5 star:
 (3)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:
 (1)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.4 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Fun to Read Together!, March 21, 2006
This review is from: Clatter Bash!: A Day of the Dead Celebration (Multilingual Edition) (Hardcover)
My 3 1/2 year old found this at the library and was very excited by the cover: "Mommy, can we get this skeleton book?" I, being a former goth-y 80's metalhead, encourage the love of the macabre in my young children, strange as it may seem, so we took it home and both my daughters LOVED reading it and looking at the colorful illustrations, but especially my younger one (who found it). We read it over and over again, and she had EVERY word memorized by the 3rd day. I knew returning it to the library would be a problem, so I ordered it from Amazon so she would have her own copy. The cutest thing is listening to her say the Spanish words in the text. At the end, she yells out "El Dia de los Muertos!" and claps her hands. I can't say that EVERY kid would love it, but mine definitely do, and I love reading it with them.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Lively illustrations with a strangely written story., September 26, 2006
This review is from: Clatter Bash!: A Day of the Dead Celebration (Multilingual Edition) (Hardcover)
I must say that I didn't really understand this story until I read the description of the Day of the Dead on the last two pages of the book. When I reread the story knowing the background of this Mexican belief, I was able to better enjoy the story for what it was. The author/illustrator throws weird words together such as, "Buenos noches, story time, shiver-jitter, gee" and illustrates them with expressive lively skeletons. Young children would probably like the sounds of the silly words on each page, but I didn't. I did appreciate the small amount of education I received about this holiday, again from the last two pages, about the dead loving the lives they had, kids included. If you decide to purchase this book, read and understand the concepts, truths and beliefs on these last two informative pages so that you and the child you read it to/with can understand this tradition.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars For Preschoolers, May 3, 2009
In Mexico, The Day of the Dead or El Día de los Muertos is a holiday to pay homage to friends and family members who have died. Keep's book, CLATTER BASH! A DAY OF THE DEAD CELEBRATION breaks this holiday down to an easy to understand level with festive illustrations that are non-threatening. Who knew skeletons could bring a smile?

In the back, parents and educators will find a more detailed explanation about what happens in Mexico during The Day of the Dead. Spanish words are sprinkled throughout the book, making this a great introduction to the language.
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