Mice and Beans

Rating:
Summary: Pinata Power
Review: A big-hearted abuela prepares for her grandchild's birthday, carefully planning, cooking and setting a mouse trap each eve.
Unknown to her, a family of mice copy her preparations for their own party and save by the day by filling the pinata when she forgets. Sprinkled with Spanish words, there is a glossary at the end. This is a warm and funny recipe for a festive family celebration.

Rating:
Summary: A little known jewel
Review: A few years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Pam Munoz Ryan at a Summer Arts Children's Storytelling Forum held at California State University - Fresno. She read the book to parents, teachers, and students who attended the conference. I was amazed on the writing, culture, and illustrations that she used for this book. The novel serves as a tale of her childhood spending time with her family at her grandmother's house. Overall, the story teaches children the value of traditions, family, and heritage. In short, "Mice and Beans" is a good book to read.

Rating:
Summary: Great Author
Review: A few years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Pam Munoz Ryan at a Summer Arts Children's Storytelling Forum held at California State University - Fresno. She read the book to parents, teachers, and students who attended the conference. I was amazed on the writing, culture, and illustrations that she used for this book. The novel serves as a tale of her childhood spending time with her family at her grandmother's house. Overall, the story teaches children the value of traditions, family, and heritage. In short, "Mice and Beans" is a good book to read.

Rating:
Summary: A zany story of mice
Review: Joe Cepeda illustrates Pam Munoz Ryan's Mice & Beans, a zany story of mice who become involved in the food preparations at Rose Maria's house. Days of the week, party plans, and a plan for Mexican food make for rollicking action and fun accounts.

Rating:
Summary: I delightful tale that is fun to read aloud
Review: Mice and Beans is a wonderful tale about a "forgetful" Grandmother's preparations for a birthday party. I love the repetition in the text that heartily lends itself to a fun read-aloud session.

Rating:
Summary: I delightful tale that is fun to read aloud
Review: Mice and Beans is a wonderful tale about a "forgetful" Grandmother's preparations for a birthday party. I love the repetition in the text that heartily lends itself to a fun read-aloud session.

Rating:
Summary: A little known jewel
Review: My children, now 6.5 years, have loved this book since they were 4. It's simply and wonderfully written, has a number of great messages between the lines, introduces non-Latino kids to a bit of language and culture, and the illustrations are delightful as well as quite brilliant. We notice new things in the pictures every time we read it, which adds a treasure-hunt aspect to our readings. This is one of my daughter's all time favorite books.

Rating:
Summary: Falls Short of Promise
Review: Ryan has created a wonderfully wacky grandmother in this tale of mice and beans. However, it falls short of its promise when readers are left trying to figure out just how and why she concludes she's had a bit of help in preparing the pinata. Vibrant illustrations help the text, but again, a single piece of candy near a mouse hole really doesn't add up to sufficient evidence to draw such a conclusion. Disappointing.