Nine Days to Christmas: A Story of Mexico
This picture book is beloved for presenting the Mexican Christmas tradition of Las Posadas through Ceci's first experience of it. The excitement of the celebration and her anticipation of choosing a piñata are conveyed through soft, warm illustrations.
Work Information
As the nine-night celebration approaches, Ceci's excitement steadily grows.
Nine Days to Christmas follows Ceci as she joins Las Posadas for the first time and chooses her own piñata. The book gently conveys the atmosphere of a Mexican Christmas through a child's growing anticipation and delight.
Review Summaries
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Readers appreciate it as an accessible introduction to Mexican seasonal traditions for children. Some also feel the book is somewhat instructional and dated in tone.
Book Information
- Publisher
- Dover Publications
- Published
- 2017-10-18
- Pages
- 48 pages
- Language
- 英語
- Size
- 21.59 x 1.91 x 27.94 cm
- ISBN-13
- 9780486815329
- ISBN-10
- 0486815323
- Category
- 洋書/Children's Books/Geography & Cultures/Explore the World/Central & South America
Generations of readers have treasured this 1960 Caldecott Medal winner and its tale of a little Mexican girl's excitement at the approach of Christmas. Ceci eagerly awaits Las Posadas , the traditional nine-day series of yuletide celebrations. This year she'll lead the candlelight procession that reenacts Mary and Joseph's trek to Bethlehem. Meanwhile, Mother takes her to the old marketplace to choose her very first piñata. Ceci is dazzled by the colorful array of options, and after making her choice has second thoughts about the fate of her piñata once the posada takes place. Graced by evocative illustrations, this international holiday classic is now available in a lovely hardcover edition. "The youngest child will be completely transported by this story," noted The Atlantic, and readers of all ages will be charmed by the child's-eye view of Mexican culture.
Marie Hall Ets (1895–1984) wrote and illustrated 22 children's books and nonfiction books. She won the Caldecott Medal in 1960 for Nine Days to Christmas. Ets' co-author, Aurora Labastida, was the children's librarian at the U.S. Embassy's Benjamin Franklin Library in Mexico City.
Reviews
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This book was my childhood favorite. I’ve shared with my children and grandchildren. A story that lets you go escape to a different culture and feel the innocence of a child.
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this book is so beautifully done. the pages have beautiful pictures and the story line was so cute. although, with it saying 9 days to christmas i thought it was going to be a bit more informative on the mexican tradition. it was a nice kids perspective but i wanted something more informative.
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This is a book from my childhood and I always loved the pictures. I liked that it showed life in a different country. The original was a gift to my sister from my Grandmother but I took it because I loved it better. My daughter's friend's family is from Mexico and I thought she might enjoy the illistrations of 1950's Mexico City. (I know, I'm weird)
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Enjoyed reading this to my granddaughter’s class at Christmas time.
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"Nine Days to Christmas" is a delightful children's Christmas book all about a Mexican family preparing for the Christmas holiday traditions of the nine days of Las Pasadas. The reader will experience all the holiday preparations that Ceci and her family are making for the celebration of Las Pasadas. Baking and making holiday foods, shopping for holiday foods, shopping for the perfect pinata, and other holiday preparations are incorporated into this story. This year Ceci will be leading the candlelight procession that reenacts Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem. The culmination of the Las Pasadas celebrations is the party with the breaking of the pinata. Ceci and her mother shopped for the perfect pinata in the market. Ceci decides on the large golden star pinata. On the night of the party and the eventual breaking of the pinata, Ceci has second thoughts whether she wanted her beautiful pinata broken or not. This book measures 8 1/2 inches by 11 1/4 inches and has 48 pages. Just about every page has an illustration. These illustrations remind me of vintage children's book illustrations where the main characters are colored but the surrounding scenery is done in grays so that the characters really stand out. This book is the 2017 republication of the original book which was published in 1959 and won the 1960 Caldecott Medal. When looking at the illustrations, one gets that nostalgic and vintage feel. I would recommend this book because it exposes the reader to the culture and Christmas celebrations in Mexico.