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THREE KINGS DAY by Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith

THREE KINGS DAY

A Celebration of Christmastime

by Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith & photographed by Lawrence Migdale

Pub Date: Sept. 1st, 2004
ISBN: 0-8234-1839-1
Publisher: Holiday House

Hoyt-Goldsmith and Migdale specialize in photo essays highlighting contemporary holiday celebrations in the US. In this volume, Veronica Rangel and her family celebrate el Día de los Tres Reyes on January 6, also known as Epiphany. The day when the Magi, the Three Kings, came to see the baby Jesus is a favorite holiday in many European countries and the Spaniards brought this custom to the new world. Veronica’s family come from Puerto Rico and Ecuador and the author emphasizes the Puerto Rican traditions in this account. Although the general information about Puerto Rico is useful, some mention of why Veronica’s family came to New York would have been relevant. With a special version of the story of the Three Kings, a recipe for arroz con dulce, a sweet rice pudding, photos of El Museo del Barrio’s parade in New York City, and background information on the santos—the wooden statues of saints, a popular Puerto Rican art form—this is a rich authentic mixture of visual images and informative text based on interviews and observations. To be savored by readers. (glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 7-10)