Halloween is almost here, happily, but there is another holiday that is every bit as exciting and in many ways even cooler than Halloween: Dia De Los Muertos--Day Of The Dead. This is one of my favorite holidays and such a beautiful way to celebrate life and our loved ones who have passed on. In Mexico, Dia De Los Muertos is celebrated from October 31 through November 2nd. At our house it is celebrated on November 1-2nd.
Children respond to this not with fear, but curiosity and excitement. My son loves Day of the Dead and welcomes the chance to hear stories about relatives he never got to meet. He's also quite happy to partake in the special foods, music and decor.
The Festival of Bones, by Luis San Vicente, is a great way to introduce children to this holiday. The artwork is fantastic. We have three other Day of the Dead children's books, but this one is my favorite. I love that it is bi-lingual and the illustrations are incredible. In the back of the book are some fun facts about the holiday, and recipes for Sugar Skulls and Bread of the Dead. I highly recommend this book. Festival of Bones is published by Cinco Puntos Press where you can also find a variety of bi-lingual books for kids.
