What Can You Do With a Paleta?

Bilingual picture book

    I read Carmen Tafolla's What Can You Do With a Paleta? on an unseasonably warm day.  It brought back refreshing memories of buying frozen treats from people pushing carts in Mexico as a child and teen.  Nothing sold by ice cream truck vendors in the United States could compete.

     Tafolla's jubilant narrator first sets the stage:

"where the big velvet roses bloom red and pink and fuschia,

where the accordion plays sassy and sweet, 

where the smell of crispy tacos 

or buttery tortillas 

or juicy fruta 

floats out of every window."

     Then she hears a bell and runs out to select a sweet treat.  As she makes her choice she's wondering what you can do with a paleta.  Her ideas range from silly and whimsical to thoughtful.  

     I think this is a great book to read aloud to the little ones in your life.  Just don't be surprised if they (or you) start craving a sweet, cool treat.  Even if it's winter.

On a purrrsonal note, last week was pretty good.  Mostly I worked my job and worked and consulted about my initiatives.  There was one low point and one high point.  The low point was burning my right hand on a very hot pan at work.  It really hurt. Ointment and bandages healed my hand up just fine.  The high point was Eugene coming safely back from his vacation days at camp.  He can't keep in touch with me because he has no wifi out there.  So I worry that if he has something like a chainsaw accident he won't be able to get help.  So I was quite relieved when he walked through the door.  (Jules)

So was I.  (Tobago)

A great big shout out goes out to Eugene.

Tobago and Jules Hathaway 

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