Gr 3-5 Sabrina recalls a visit from her Mexican grandmother. Abuelita tells her about the history and culture of the Mayans and Aztecs through such activities as unpacking her suitcase with "surprises from M&3;xico," shopping at the market, eating ice cream, and taking the girl to school. Children will enjoy reading about their own customs or learning about new ones, such as making hot chocolate with a molinillo , braiding colorful ribbons into their hair, wearing a huipil, and playing with traditional Mexican toys. Fields does a wonderful job of blending images from the pre-Columbian past with Sabrina's modern present. The emphasis on the characters through the use of warm colors set against dark yellow backgrounds helps to convey the caring relationship between the main characters. The English text is printed on the top of the page with an excellent Spanish version at the bottom. Both languages are enjoyable reading and easy to understand. A spot illustration dividing the two texts highlights important elements from the story. Pair this book with Braids/Trencitas (Lectorum, 2009) for a family storytime honoring abuelas . Rebecca Alcala, San Mateo County Library, CA

Sabrina's much-loved grandmother's latest visit from Mexico is filled with gifts and interesting tidbits about chocolate, Mayan culture and history. Musical instruments, a traditional blouse ( huipil ) and pretty ribbons to weave in her hair allow Sabrina to play, dress and feel like a Mayan princess. Sabrina is mostly intrigued by the chocolate bars, which come from the all-important cacao tree, the seeds of which were used by the Mayans in their religious observances, bartering practices and, of course, the making of hot and cold chocolate treats. A gentle, well-translated bilingual text infused with a wise and loving family elder's teaching is accompanied by earthy, gouache paintings of a round-figured abuelita with her beautiful, Mayan-featured granddaughter. Loose, tan-colored drawings of ancient Mayan scenes are frequently juxtaposed against the full-color modern settings to emphasize Sabrina's cultural heritage; when she and her abuelita go to the market, for instance, they are depicted straddling two worlds, a monochromatic ancient Mexico on the left, and a modern supermarket on the right. A sweet and loving way to introduce history through family connections. (Picture book. 5-9)

There's no shortage of princess books on the shelves, but few, if any, like this. In Price's bilingual story, Sabrina's visiting grandmother tells her stories about her Mexican heritage, braids ribbons into her hair, and gives her gifts, such as a huipil, a traditional blouse. ""When you put on this huipil, you will look like a Mayan princess,"" she tells Sabrina. After some lessons about the history of cacao, they make hot chocolate (just like Mayan princesses used to drink, to Sabrina's delight). Fields's strongest paintings are those of the rosy-cheeked family, which make evident the influence of their cultural roots and the strength of their intergenerational bonds. Ages 4%E2%80%938. (Nov.)

Sabrina is excited about the special gifts that her grandma has brought back from her visit to Mexico. As they play with the ribbons, clothes, and music makers, Abuelita explains each item's role in their cultural heritage. Sabrina also learns that cacao was important to her ancestors, who grew it on plantations, used it as currency, and developed it into chocolate, and together Abuelita and Sabrina celebrate cacao's delights further by making hot chocolate together from scratch. Price's language lacks rhythm, and a recipe or additional material about the cultural details discussed in the bilingual text would have been welcome. Still, with the high demand for bilingual books about Mexican culture, this will likely attract an audience, while the full-page, mixed-media artwork celebrating family heritage and togetherness will show well to a crowd.