El Cinco De Mayo (On My Own Holidays)

Yo Solo ~ Festividades

by Linda Lowery, Linda Lowery Keep

Introduces Cinco de Mayo, relating the story behind the holiday and how it is celebrated.

Genres: Picture Books

47 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I used this book for my small group on Cinco de Mayo and we discussed cause and effect. I wrote prompting phrases with blanks for them to fill in after reading the book. They also had to tell me if the paper went under cause or effect and I repeated this for each paper. They enjoyed this book and learning about Mexican history.

[Rachel Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief, effective history of Cinco de Mayo. Absolutely loved the illustrations, and the simple (but beautiful) way that things were explained. It was a quick, informative read that made me feel more knowledgeable about a day that I was always aware of but not as sure really why it was celebrated. A great resource for anyone to read and learn from!

[Nallely Ibarra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book! As a Mexican American, I should have known the story behind Cinco de Mayo, but I never knew why it was celebrated. I've lived in America all of my life and have celebrated Cinco de Mayo at school almost every year, but I thought it was only an American tradition. My relatives that live in Mexico don't celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Through this book, many including Mexicans or Mexican American can learn the history behind Cinco de Mayo and why it celebrated. Those who are Mexican/Mexican American that have relatives that don't celebrate Cinco de Mayo can learn that the reason why they might not celebrate it is because it is mostly celebrated in Puebla. This book was really easy to understand, it could technically be a history book. Because Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in most schools in Arizona, on May 5th or the weekend before May 5th, I would have my students get in a circle and take turns reading it aloud. After reading aloud and making sure that the students understood the book, we would have a Cinco de Mayo celebration in my class room. Food and arts and crafts!

[J-Lynn Van Pelt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent resource for older elementary students or a quick reference for middle school students who want to learn the history of Cinco de Mayo. The book discusses the Spanish colonization, Mexico's independence and the fight with the French. Most interestingly, the book compares Mexican president Benito Juarez and American president Abraham Lincoln and discusses how they became allies not too long after their contries had been at war. Excellent information! The illustrations add to the story.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

On My Own: Cinco De Mayo is a brief history of the cooperation between Mexico and the United States in 1862 when they combined forces and drove a French army back. In this way, the proud people of Mexico protected their rights, land, and people from French rule. Mexican president Benito Juarez and American president Abraham Lincoln came from similar backgrounds and found they had a common goal in protecting this continent.

Used for "Celebrate! Cinco De Mayo" storytime: May, 2011.

[Joy Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

book with CD version