Days of the Dead [Hardcover]

Kathryn Lasky (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 31, 1994 | Grade Level: P and up

Introduces the Mexican holiday -- the Days of the Dead.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-6-Lasky eloquently details the history and customs associated with this traditional Mexican celebration, briefly tells how it is linked to practices in ancient cultures, and describes a contemporary rural family's preparations and observances. As the book ends, night has fallen and the family returns home from the cemetery to await the return of the spirits of their loved ones. Large, bold, and often dramatic full-color photographs fill the pages, amplifying and extending the text. The narrative is followed by "More About the Days of the Dead Celebration," a two-page section that gives additional historical information and defines related topics such as All Saints' Day, All Hallows' Eve, Osiris, the Aztecs, and Mictantecuhtli. A good resource for reports as well as an interesting and appealing selection for pleasure reading.
Jessie Meudell, California Polytechnic University at Pomona
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-6. By focusing on one poor, close-knit family's observance of Los D{¡}ias de Muertos, Lasky and Knight contribute a sense of immediacy and intimacy to their description of how and why the Days of the Dead are celebrated in a Mexican village. Knight's photographs capture the revelry, reverence, and sense of community inspired by the holiday, which Lasky relates in very general terms to such autumnal celebrations as Halloween and All Saints' Day. This is not as smoothly accomplished as some of Lasky and Knight's previous collaborations--the initial transition from background information to the family close-up is somewhat awkward, and Knight takes some intriguing chances with light and exposure that aren't entirely successful. Yet, pictures and text coalesce into a memorable portrait of both the people and the celebrations that will provide a springboard for report writers. A glossary is appended, as is a section that expands on aspects of the holiday broached in the main text. Stephanie Zvirin

Product Details

• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion; 1st edition (October 31, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786800224
• ISBN-13: 978-0786800223
• Product Dimensions: 10.2 x 9.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,463,434 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Hi Readers! Thanks for coming by my author page. I've written all sorts of books - from fantasy about animals to books about science. One of my favorite animal fantasy series, Guardians of Ga'Hoole, is a major motion picture. I liked writing about Ga'Hoole so much that I decided to revisit that world in a new series, Wolves of the Beyond. Visit my website, www.kathrynlasky.com to see a slide show about the real wolves I researched for the series and for the latest update on the Guardians of Ga'Hoole movie. All my best, Kathryn

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

0 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good book, May 19, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Days of the Dead (Hardcover)

this was a pretty good book. however, i am not too interested in the mexican war, so i was not very interested in some parts of the story line, but if u r interested in the mexican war, this book is definetly 4 u!