Let’s Work: Mexican Folk Art Trabajos in English and Spanish

PreS-Gr 2–“Boxer, dancer, doctor, chef: you can be what you love best!” Readers will learn about lots of different occupations and Mexican folk art in this lively and whimsical bilingual book. Bibliotecarios/bibliotecarias (librarians,) maestros/maestras (teachers,) taxistas (taxi drivers), payaso/payasas (clowns) and more are modeled into tiny palm weaving figurines crafted by villagers at Flavio Gallardo’s workshop in Chigmecatitlán, Puebla, Mexico, a traditional artform that has endured in the region since pre-Columbian times. Each type of worker is shown doing their job using the appropriate accessories in miniature form: a fisherman or fisherwoman and their boat, a hairdresser with their scissors, and a chef with their spoons and pans. Bright, contrasting text in English and Spanish facilitates an accessible and interactive reading experience for beginners; colorful reproductions of the tiny yet vibrant figurines seem to pop off every page. A wide variety of vocations are displayed, with both males and females portrayed in most of the roles. Ability diversity is portrayed by una música (female musician) using a wheelchair. A tribute to the artisans at the end of the book provides readers with cultural and historical context. Opuestos, Count Me In, and Colores de Vida, also by the same author, are similar purchases.