“I love pan de muerto,” Joaquín says as he and his mother sit down to eat the special Mexican sweet bread prepared especially for the Day of the Dead. But someone knocks at the door just as they are about to take the first bite of the pastry.
Standing at the door is a hungry skeleton dressed in a mariachi suit who offers to sing Joaquín and his mother a song in exchange for just one itsy bitsy little bite of the sweet bread. It seems like a fair exchange, so they agree to share. But before the skeleton can begin singing, two more knock at the door and offer to play their accordions for just one bite of the bread. And then, three show up and want to play their guitars, four want to play their maracas and five want to dance—all for just one itsy bitsy little bite of the Mexican sweet bread!
Award-winning children’s book author Xavier Garza collaborates with illustrator Flor de Vita to create an engaging introduction to numbers and the Mexican cultural traditions of the Day of the Dead, mariachi music and sweet bread. Children ages 4-8 will want to pair this entertaining book with their favorite pan dulce!
Click here to listen to the read-along by Xavier Garza.
Click here to listen to an interview with Xavier Garza about his books, Just One Itsy Bitsy Little Bite / Sólo una mordidita chiquitita and Vincent Ventura and the Mystery of the Chupacabras / Vincent Ventura y el misterio del chupacabras.
Finalist, 2019 Texas Institute of Letters Best Children’s Book
“De Vita’s watercolor scenes are framed by colorful borders, and the English and Spanish texts are separated by a line of whimsical images.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Illustrator Flor de Vita’s colorful pictures and charming skeletons are an added treat in this winsome bilingual book that combines learning numbers as well as Mexican traditions.”—Today’s Catholic
XAVIER GARZA is the author of numerous books for kids, including Zulema and the Witch Owl / Zulema y la Bruja Lechuza (Piñata Books, 2009), Juan and the Chupacabras / Juan y el Chupacabras (Piñata Books, 2006) and Lucha Libre: The Man in the Silver Mask (Cinco Puntos Press, 2005). He lives with his family in San Antonio, Texas.
FLOR DE VITA was born in Veracruz, Mexico, where she found her passion for painting and writing, influenced by nature, Mexican traditions and the folktales that she heard from her mother while growing up. She graduated from Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey with a B.A. in Animation and Digital Art. She currently resides in Jalisco, Mexico.
ATOS Interest Level: Lower Grades
Category: Picture Book
