Fiesta Femenina: Celebrating Women in Mexican Folktale

Whether you are a feminist or of Mexican heritage, you will want to have this book in your child’s library. For the rest of us, this is a highly readable, entertaining, and yes, sometimes laugh out loud book. It features eight stories of mythic women, beautiful illustrations by Maya Christina Gonzalez, a glossary, and Spanish word translations. The illustrations are in the style of Frieda Kahlo and are vibrant. Both the author and illustrator have a forward in the book. For these reasons, it is an award-winning book.

The stories are sure to capture the imagination: how does the sun get trapped in a girl’s long hair? How does a tiny mole rescue the big sun? What makes Mother Earth so hungry for water and big trees? There is a wonderful story about how the moon escapes the unwanted attentions of the sun. And another about how a defiant and strong princess is trapped in the form of a bird. The book is at a more advanced reading level, probably at least fourth grade or so.