The Horn Book Guide

PICTURE BOOKS

Weill, Cynthia

Mi familia calaca / My Skeleton Family

32 pp. | Cinco | August, 2013 | Trade ISBN 978-1-935355-50-4 $14.95

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Jesús Canseco Zárate. Photographs by David Hilbert. Anita introduces every member of her skeletal family, both individually and in groups such as "us kids" and "the women of my family." Her simple non-narrative recitation builds family vocabulary in Spanish and English. Oaxacan folk artist Zárate's humorous, traditional papier-mâché skeletons are the highlight of the book, but their effect is lessened by the monotonous way they're positioned and photographed.

Reviewer: Siena Leslie