Mimi's Parranda / La Parranda de Mimi

Lydia M. Gil

Apr 2007 · Arte Publico Press

About this ebook

Like most young children, Mimi loves Christmas time, so much so that she doesn't even mind the bitter cold. But while her friends plan to ask for skates, sleds, coats and boots for Christmas. Mimi wants a straw hat, new sandals, a polka-dot bathing suit, and maybe even a beach ball. She'll need toys and clothing for warm weather because she goes to Puerto Rico every Christmas, and she can't wait to go again this year! Mimi especially looks forward to the annual parranda, the Puerto Rican version of Christmas caroling. She loves it when everyone arrives late at night and wakes her up by playing their instruments--guiros, palitos, maracas, guitars, tambourines. And the food . . . she dreams about a table brimming with all her favorites: roasted pork, pasteles, and arroz con leche. But when she learns that her family won't be able to go to Puerto Rico this year, Mimi is crushed. She is so sad that she loses interest in her class's holiday party, and on the day of the party, she decides to stay home in bed. Just as Mimi is falling asleep, though, she hears the unmistakable sounds of musical instruments. Could it be that she'll get her parranda after all? Rich with Puerto Rican cultural traditions and complemented by vibrant illustrations, Mimi's Parranda / La parranda de Mimi will have children ages 3-7 eagerly anticipating their own holiday traditions.

About the author

LYDIA GIL was born in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, of Cuban parents. She is the author of a bilingual “flip” book for intermediate readers, Letters from Heaven / Cartas del cielo (Piñata Books, 2014), and a bilingual children’s picture book, Mimí’s Parranda / La parranda de Mimí (Piñata Books, 2007). She teaches at the University of Denver and writes for EFE, the leading Spanish-language news agency. She holds a Ph.D. in Spanish from the University of Texas at Austin and a Master of Arts in Comparative Literature from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

HERNAN SOSA is an illustrator whose work has been published in Queen of the Bean (Shortland Publications, 1999). A native of Argentina, he moved to Paraguay as a young boy. Currently, he lives and works in Denver, Colorado.