Stella loves her family and her Mexican heritage, but she doesn't always like being different from the other kids at school. Now her class is going to dance around the Maypole at the school's May parade, and Stella wants her tulip costume to be special, even if she won't look like the other girls at school. Sometimes being different can be exciting. This touching story that celebrates diversity is based on author Pat Mora's mother's childhood and is brought to life by Elizabeth Sayles's evocative paintings.
Illustrated by Elizabeth Sayles.
An award-winning author of children’s books, poetry, and nonfiction,
Pat Mora is committed to bringing together all children with books. She often speaks at conferences, universities, and schools about creative writing, leadership, and multicultural education. She also works with national organizations on Día de los niños/Día de los libros, an April 30th celebration of childhood, books, languages, and cultures. Born in El Paso, Texas, Mora has received numerous children’s book awards. In 2002 she was honored as a "Literary Light for Children” by the Associates of the Boston Public Library and included in “100 Library Champions” during the Texas Library Association’s Centennial. Mora has been the Carruthers Chair, Distinguished Visiting Professor at the University of New Mexico; a consultant on US-Mexico youth exchanges; an administrator and museum director at her alma mater, the University of Texas at El Paso; and has taught English at all levels. The proud mother of three grown children, she divides her time between Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the northern Kentucky/Cincinnati area.For more information on Pat Mora, visit her website at www.patmora.com.
Elizabeth Sayles has illustrated more than 20 books for children, including
The Goldfish Yawned, which she also wrote. It was chosen as a Bank Street College Best Children’s Book for 2005. She has also illustrated Billy Crystal’s
I Already Know I Love You, which was a
New York Times #1 bestselling picture book. Elizabeth lives in Valley Cottage, New York.
