Like a young child eager to help, Perico, the parrot, is excited about the upcoming Cinco de Mayo preparations and repeatedly cries, “Let me help! / ¡Quiero ayudar!”—a phrase learned from his family’s youngest child, Martita. So whatever the activity—as Abuela and Tía Lupe make tamales, Elena and mother fashion paper flowers, Lupita and Carmen prepare for the folklórico dance, Antonio and Francisco practice their mariachi piece and Don Martín bakes pan dulce—Perico’s offer to help is either ignored or actively rebuffed by the very busy family. What can a parrot really do to help? Once the celebration begins, Perico flies across the city watching the festivities, and when his family’s extravagantly decorated barge loses its top-most decoration as it passes under the bridge, Perico perches on top with wings spread wide to replace the fallen flowers as the barge continues elegantly down the river. Domínguez’s vigorous paint strokes in bold aquas, greens and blues that stand out against the dusty backdrop vibrantly complement this bilingually told story about the Latino fiesta. (Picture book. 4-6)
