A Day without Sugar/Un día sin azúcar
Diana de Anda • Illustrated by Janet Montecalvo
Translated by Gabriela Baeza Ventura
Piñata Books • 2012 • 32 pages
ISBN: 978-1-55885-702-5
Hardcover ($17.95)
Ages 5-8
Sofía and the Purple Dress/Sofía y el vestido morado
Diana Gonzalez Bertrand • Illustrated by Lisa Fields
Piñata Books • 2012 • 32 pages
ISBN: 978-1-55885-701-8
Hardcover ($17.95)
Ages 5-8
Alicia’s Fruity Drinks/Las aguas frescas de Alicia
By Lupe Ruiz-Flores • Illustrated by Laura Lacámara.
Translated by Gabriela Baeza Ventura
Piñata Books • 2012 • 32 pages
ISBN: 978-1-55885-705-6
Hardcover ($17.95)
Ages 5-8
Do your kids choose soda, sweets, and fast food over healthier alternatives? Do you worry about health problems down the road? With peers that model good eating and exercise habits, Arte Público throws a curve ball into fun reads that are also good for kids. Yum, yum, please another one, mom! The books are part of the publisher’s initiative to bring awareness to the very large numbers of kids that are now at risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and self esteem issues. Every page bursts with a kaleidoscope of colorful foods and physical activities. The dazzling illustrations and engaging stories will grab readers’ attention, carrying them to the very last page.
In Alicia’s Fruity Drinks/Las aguas frescas de Alicia, mom introduces Alicia to the natural fruit drinks sold at a festival for Mexican Independence. At home, with blender in hand, she hooks Alicia into making her own versions of the delicious juices. Alicia’s fruity drinks score big with her thirsty soccer teammates.
Read Related: USDA: Healthy Foods Not as Costly as Once Believed
Unlike sporty Alicia, the main character in Sofía and the Purple Dress/Sofía y el vestido morado is sad because she does not fit into the purple dress she would like to wear for her cousin’s wedding. At mom’s urging, they walk home from school, cut out sugary snacks, dance and skate for exercise, and fill their grocery basket with fruits and vegetables. On wedding day, a trimmer Sofía looks radiant in her purple dress, which now fits her beautifully.
A Day without Sugar/Un día sin azúcar shows children that a fun-filled day is possible without filling up on junk food. Learning to identify sugar in foods turns into a fun-filled Saturday-long exercise for a group of cousins. In these books, Latino children will not only recognize familiar faces, foods, and celebrations, but also the value and rewards of making good choices.
—Reviewed by Gisela Norat, Ph.D., Agnes Scott College, Atlanta, Georgia
