GROOVY!” The cat is shown at the wheel of a yellow microbus strung with garland and lights and with a star-topped tree tied to its roof. Nor does Pete have a great sense of scansion: “On the first day of Christmas, / Pete gave to me… / A road trip to the sea. If it weren’t part of the title and repeated on every other page, readers unfamiliar with Pete’s shtick might have a hard time arriving at “groovy” to describe his Christmas celebration, as the expressionless cat displays not a hint of groove in Dean’s now-trademark illustrations. Pete, the cat who couldn’t care less, celebrates Christmas with his inimitable lassitude. This pleasant family story conveys strong family bonds and traditions while offering non-Spanish speakers a way to learn some basic vocabulary. Vibrant illustrations create a cozy atmosphere with a palette of warm shades and a retro, 1960s vibe established through clothing styles and fabric patterns. A complete glossary of Spanish words is appended, though there is no pronunciation guide. Spanish words or phrases are included in each sentence and are generally clear from context. Opening presents is the concluding event. On Christmas Eve, the family enjoys games, special foods and a trip to midnight Mass, along with a fireworks display and a late dinner. Others are Latino traditions, such as Las Posadas, in which celebrants parade from house to house, and breaking a piñata made from a jar. Some of the activities are common to Christmas celebrations across cultures, such as hanging decorations and putting up a tree. The girl lives in a comfortable home with her parents, grandmother and three younger siblings, with extended family nearby. Using the familiar structure of “The Night Before Christmas,” the unnamed little girl describes the preparations her family undertakes each December. A Latina child celebrates the Christmas season with her extended family in this warm, cheery story that incorporates Spanish vocabulary into the text.

Es Nochebuena by Roseanne Thong