Maya and Annie are friends who play together on Saturdays and Sundays. They make lemonade with lemons from the big tree in Annie’s yard and play with Maya’s two little dogs. Maya likes the different food Annie’s dad cooks: noodles, rice, fish and dumplings. And Annie likes eating dinners Maya’s mom makes: tacos, chicken, tamales, rice and beans.
Weekends are special because the girls don’t see each other on school days. Annie’s dad takes them to the beach and they swim, make sandcastles and catch crabs with nets. At the carnival with Maya’s mom, they go on scary rides, eat cotton candy, play games and win prizes. They don’t want the weekend to end!
One special night, Annie’s dad and Maya’s mom invite their grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins to a big dinner and make a special announcement: they’re getting married! The girls will become sisters, and they’ll spend every day of the week together.
From posadas to Lunar New Year, each girl recounts her perspective of their friendship on alternating pages that are paired with lively illustrations by Thelma Muraida. Based on Gwendolyn Zepeda’s own experiences with her family, this engaging bilingual picture book for ages 4-8 explores blended families from a multicultural perspective, combining Asian and Latino cultural traditions.
Click here to listen to an interview with author Gwendolyn Zepeda about her bilingual picture book, Maya and Annie on Saturdays and Sundays / Los sábados y domingos de Maya y Annie.
2019 Skipping Stones Honor Award
“Muraida’s colorful, vibrant illustrations pay special, subtle tribute to the girls’ Latin American and Vietnamese backgrounds; spreads of the girls at their respective homes display culturally appropriate décor and patterns. A lovely multicultural story about a young friendship, celebrating culture and differences.”—Kirkus Reviews
GWENDOLYN ZEPEDA is the author of four bilingual picture books, including Growing Up with Tamales / Los tamales de Ana (Piñata Books, 2008), a 2009 Charlotte Zolotow Award Highly Commended Title, and Sunflowers / Girasoles (Piñata Books, 2009), winner of the Texas Institute of Letters’ Best Children’s Book. She lives and works in Houston, Texas.
THELMA MURAIDA, an accomplished designer and artist, has illustrated Clara and the Curandera / Clara y la curandera by Monica Brown (Piñata Books, 2011), My Big Sister / Mi hermana mayor by Samuel Caraballo (Piñata Books, 2012) and Cecilia and Miguel Are Best Friends / Cecilia y Miguel son mejores amigos (Piñata Books, 2014) by Diane Gonzales Bertrand. She lives in San Antonio, Texas.
ATOS Interest Level: Lower Grades
Category: Picture Books
LEXILE: AD520L
SPANISH LEXILE: AD570L
