Culture 3: Hispanic/Latino(a) Literature - Yuyi Morales

BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA:

Morales, Yuyi. 2008. JUST IN CASE: A TRICKSTER TALE AND SPANISH ALPHABET BOOK. New York: Roaring Brook Press. ISBN 9780329709044

PLOT SUMMARY:

It’s Grandma Beetle’s birthday, and Señor Calavera sets off with excitement to attend her party. Along the way, he is stopped by Zelmiro the Ghost, who reminds him that he must find the best present to give his friend for her birthday. Señor Calavera quickly chooses a gift for each letter of the Spanish alphabet as Zelmiro encourages him to find the present that Grandma Beetle would love the most. In a hurry to make it the party on time, Señor Calavera sets off on his bike again only to crash and ruin all of the wonderful presents. In the end, Señor Calavera shows up at Grandma Beetle’s party with the perfect present that she loved the most – Grandpa Zelmiro.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

Language serves as an important cultural marker for the story, giving readers insight into the Hispanic cultural elements of the story. Since this is a Spanish alphabet book, Morales includes all of the letters of the Spanish alphabet as well as a variety of Spanish words in the story. While the book does not include a glossary of Spanish words, the meaning of many of the words is made clear since all of the Spanish words for the presents chosen by Señor Calavera are also repeated in English. Even Señor Calavera’s name is significant since “calavera” is Spanish for “skull,” and Señor Calavera is actually a skeleton with an ornately decorated skull.

Both Señor Calavera and Zelmiro the Ghost are symbolic representations of the religious celebration Día de los Muertos (or Day of the Dead). This special celebration, which commemorates those who have died and celebrates the circle of life and death, is significant to the Hispanic culture and has clear influence in Morales’ JUST IN CASE. The book will undoubtedly fascinate children, and the story has the potential to expose all children to this cultural tradition.

Morales’ vibrant and captivating illustrations are a major component of the book’s appeal, and they also serve as a great cultural marker for the story. The rich and energetic colors used by Morales blend perfectly to bring the action and warmth of the story to life. Kids will love how Señor Calavera and Zelmiro the Ghost look, giving the story a touch of spookiness that is sure to delight children. Morales skillfully depicts the authentic skin tone of Grandma Beetle and her grandchildren, and she includes a variety of skin tones and hair colors to portray realistic Hispanic characters.

JUST IN CASE is an excellent story to read aloud to children, and the illustrations and upbeat plot will surely hold children’s attention. This story is rich in things kids will find appealing, such as Señor Calavera’s spooky yet friendly appearance and Zelmiro the Ghost’s ability to float through the pages of the book. Unique characters, an engaging plot, gorgeous illustrations, authentic cultural elements, and a perfect ending combine to make JUST IN CASE a powerful story to share with children.

REVIEW EXCERPTS:

From KIRKUS REVIEW starred (October 2008):
“Richly hued and filled with action, the illustrations capture the tale's humor and Latin flavor perfectly, leading on to an entirely logical, hilarious and heartwarming surprise at the end. As gifted an artist as she is a storyteller, Morales is in top form here.”

From LIBRARY MEDIA CONNECTIOn (May/June 2009):
“Vibrantly colorful illustrations interspersed throughout a rollicking story make this a delightful, atypical alphabet book. A pronunciation guide would have helped some readers. This book is useful as a supplement to Spanish language programs, for lively cultural awareness, and in communities with high Latino populations. Recommended.”

From SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (September 2008):
“Luminous, jewel-tone spreads chronicle the collection of gifts and pay homage to a rich Mexican culture…Part ghost story and part alphabet book, this trickster tale transcends both. Librarians will want to share it for the beautiful language, the spirited artwork, and the rightness of the ending.”

CONNECTIONS:

2009 Américas Award

2009 ALA Notable/Best Book

2009 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award

Pair this book with Morales’ JUST IN TIME: A TRICKSTER TALE AND COUNTING BOOK. The characters and illustrations are the same in the two stories, so they would be great stories to compare and contrast with students.

Assist children with visiting Yuyi Morales’ website at http://www.yuyimorales.com/. In particular, show students the section of the website that is all about death by clicking on “Whatever you do, do not click here. I repeat, do not…” Children will love looking at Death’s photo album and listening to the coplas, or small verses that children in Mexico sing about Death. Of course, Morales also has some spooky stories on her website to share with children, too!