Too Many Tamales

Author: Gary Soto 

Illustrator: Ed Martinez

Genre: Realistic Fiction 

Grade Level: K-2

Maria helps her family make the Tamales for Christmas dinner. She sees her mom putting her diamond ring aside to make the tamales. She just wants to try it on for a second because the ring is so beautiful. After having it on she realizes that it is gone from her finger! She thinks she may spy it in the tamale dough. When her cousins arrive Maria and them come up with a plan. They will eat all 24 tamales in hopes to find the ring. They eat all of the tamales and didn't end up finding the ring. When Maria goes to confess to her mother about it, she notices that the ring is right there on her finger! But now there are no more tamales for dinner. They decide to make more and all of them join in together to make more tamales joyfully. 

This book can be used to help illustrate what Christmas would be like in a multicultural home. It can also help illustrate family traditions.

The illustrations in this book are very dark and somber. They go with the feeling of winter time. Although the color scheme is dark and somber, the story and the expressions on the children's faces make it a joyful story full of fun. The illustrations are very realistic.