Not so much about Christmas as about putting together the party to celebrate, this
lively, vibrant
book is a joy. A variety of animals native to New Mexico join together to create a colorful native festival that builds each day for 12 days.
Everyone pitches in: armadillo, pigs, skunks, swallowtails, crows, and so on. They fill the scene with bushy piñon trees, garlands of chili peppers, poinsettias, silver beads, and a multi-colored, tasseled piñata. Yodeling cowgirls dance around the bonfire, kachinas weave through the crowd, and a mariachi band fills the air with song.
As the
story/song grows, a host
badger bakes in a panel on the left side of each page. She beats eggs, sifts flour, and rolls the dough as she makes
bizcochitos. Snow finally swirls down on the party, falling as the piñata spills on the dancing crowd and the bizcochitos are served. The recipe for this state cookie found in every New Mexican home at Christmastime is printed
inside the back cover. The words and melody to the song are inside the front.
So many versions of this favorite carol have been created, from the traditional to other regional adaptations. This is a particularly
fun and lively version; a festival in itself. Ashley Wolff''s artwork in gouache and pastel brings a warm festive life to the fun, and gives the reader much to look at. Details include the folk altar hanging on the badger''s wall in the first illustration, which honors the memory of the author who died in 2005.
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