La divina Catrina/Oh, Divine Catrina

K-Gr 2–Artist and illustrator José Guadalupe Posada’s famous Catrina takes center stage in this lovely bilingual picture book about Día de los Muertos. The Calavera Catrina is getting ready for the Day of the Dead festivities and searches for an outfit to wear. After trying out a stained dress, a skirt that may be a curtain, shoes that fit a little too tightly, and several other not-quite-right ensembles, Catrina finally finds a dazzling wine-colored dress that pairs perfectly with several unique pieces of jewelry and a lovely hat covered with cempasúchil flowers. Catrina illuminates the ball as she walks in the room. The cleverly rhyming text is sure to make readers smile. The English version isn’t always a direct translation in order to maintain the rhyming effect, but it keeps the spirit of the original Spanish. The illustrations include richly colored backgrounds and a wide range of facial expressions as Catrina decides on each outfit, and the incorporation of important aspects of the holiday—such as marigold flowers—will pave the way for discussions about these important celebrations.