Too Many Tamales

Author: Gary Soto

Illustrator: Ed Martinez

Publishing information: (Puffin Books, August 8, 1996, Ages 4-8)

Number of Pages: 32 pages

Genre: Picture

Summary of Plot:

One Christmas a family was getting ready to throw a party. Maria and her mom were making tamales. Maria felt so grown up. She was wearing her mother’s apron, some lipstick and perfume. Her mom had set her diamond ring on the counter and had left the room.  Maria looked to see that her mom was gone, and then she quickly decided to try it on.  It soon fell into the masa, the dough, oblivious to her.

Once the cousins we replaying and the tamales were all made was when she remembered the ring. She and her cousins ate the entire plate of tamales hoping to find it within one of them.  To Maria’s amazement, and relief, her mother had found it in the batter, and was wearing it. They made a second batch of tamales. The cousins groaned because their stomachs were so full.

My Reaction to the book:

                This story reminds me of another book, although I cannot recall its title. This contains a valuable lesson to be learned by children, about the importance of not only asking before handling things, but also confessing when a mistake has been made.  I like how this story is about a Hispanic family. Using masa instead of dough was a good touch because it was true to their culture.

Potential Problems:

               The way in which solutions problems were thought of may pose a problem.  I think a better approach to the cousins eating of the tamales could have been just telling her mom up front. She may have had a suggestion, or could show she had it already.  I think kids should be taught good problem solving skills.

Recommendations:

This is a fun, cultural, moral, and simply written book. It has a great moral message and it will connect to children.  This story has a real plot; it was not unrealistic because, things in real life could happen like they did in the book.