[.ca] Jalapeno Bagels (ISBN 0689805306)

Jalapeno Bagels by Natasha Wing:
This story is about a young boy who is asked to bring something to school for "International Day". He is asked by his teacher to bring something that reflects his culture. His mother suggests that he help out in their family bakery to aid him in making his decision. He could not decide between his mother's Mexican or his father's Jewish baked goods. To the surprise of his parents, the boy decides to take in jalapeno bagels. When his father asks him "Why jalapeno bagels?", his son replies "Because they are a mixture of both of you. Just like me." I feel this book is very important for the classroom library because it is a wonderful portrayal of a diverse ethnic family. There is also a glossary of Spanish and Yiddish terms for children to learn and recipes from an authentic Mexican-Jewish bakery. The illustrations of bright watercolors help to enhance the richness of the story. It is well written and holds the reader's interest with new words from different languages.

Beautiful, Heart-Warming Story (Not Only For Kids....):
Pablo wants to bring from his parents' bakery something that reflects his culture. But Pablo is confronted in a dilemma: Should he bring a Mexican treat, which reflects his mother's culture or a Jewish, pastry that reflects dad's? Pablo has a hard time deciding between a pan dulce and a challah. Pablo finally decides on a jalapeno bagel - a pleasant mixture of both mom and dad's cultures. Natasha Wing's heart-warming story of a mixed family simply makes the book more appealing to both parents and children. Jalapeno Bagels is a rarity among picture books as it will of tremendous interest to those who search for materials to teach kids about ethnically diverse families. The appendices provide glossary of terms in Spanish and Yiddish. What really makes me happy is that the book comes with recipe for jalapeno bagels. Robert Casilla's water-colored paintings authenticate the characters.