TREASURE NAP
by Juanita Havill & illustrated by Elivia Savadier
It's too hot to sleep, so Mam† takes Alicia and baby Ram¢n downstairs, blows the fan over ice cubes toward them, and tells them the true story her own mam† used to tell when it was too hot: Little Rita made a long trek on foot, somewhere in Central America, to a mountain village to say goodbye to her grandfather before her family moved to the US. In the end, Alicia is allowed to play with the things that Grandfather gave to Rita, which Mam†—who is Rita's granddaughter—still treasures: a serape, a pito (flute), and a birdcage. An unassuming yet telling story that effectively honors the Latin American heritage; Savadier makes a fine debut, the primitive style and richly glowing colors of the illustrations for the inner tale contrasting nicely with the monumental simplicity of the appealing characters she depicts for the framing story. (Picture book. 4-8)