Book Descriptions
for Mama Does the Mambo by Katherine Leiner and Edel Rodriguez
From Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)
Sofia misses a lot of things since Papa died, and sometimes she misses her Mama’s dancing most of all. Mama loved to dance with Papa, swaying to a slow, soft song or stepping and spinning to a pulsing beat. A year after Papa’s death, the neighbors tell Sofia that it’s time for Mama to find a partner who can dance the mambo with her at Carnival. Eduardo is willing, and Mama seems to like him, but “Eduardo’s feet seem put on backwards.” No matter how much they practice, he can’t dance. But Mama isn’t worried. She knows just who her Carnival partner will be in this lyrical, uplifting picture book about moving on from grief. The Cuban setting is enriched by the Spanish language woven into the text, and by Cuban native Edel Rodriguez’s full-color artwork, which was created with pastel, gouache, spray paint, and woodblock ink prints. (Ages 5–8)
CCBC Choices 2002 . © Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 2002. Used with permission.
From the Publisher
Sofia loved to watch her parents dance, her father's back straight and strong, her mother's skirts whipping a million lights. But Papa's been gone a long time now, and Sofia's beginning to wonder if she'll ever see her beautiful Mama dance again.
Katherine Leiner explores the enduring nature of love and the depths of family relationships in this masterfully crafted story. Remarkable illustrations by Edel Rodriguez sparkle with the brilliant color, movement, and energy of Havana, Cuba.
Publisher description retrieved from Google Books.