The dialogue is crisp and funny, and the world which never sees daylight except above the mysterious Veil is a fascinating one. From the Sunstones, to the mysterious Shadowspirits to Tal's eccentric Great Uncle Ebbit who helps him at his Achievement of Music competition, the elements of this book are all intriguing. The next book in the six-part series is due out in just a few months, and readers, both children and adults, are sure to be clamoring for the next installment. E. White Salsa Stories by Lulu Delacre Scholastic, April 2000. Amazon.co.uk Salsa Stories by Lulu Delacre is an outstanding book that explains Hispanic culture through stories, and then adds to our experience by including recipes for dishes that are mentioned in the stories.
Many young people think of Hispanic culture as coming from a single country.
Texas youngsters may feel that most people who speak Spanish are from Mexico, while New York young people may think most Spanish speaking people come from Puerto Rico. Salsa Stories shows the panorama of this culture from many different countries, each country with different customs, climates, and cuisines. On New Year's Day, Carmen Teresa is working in the family kitchen helping to prepare the ingredients for her mother's famous arroz con pollo . Family members and guests are arriving, there is salsa music playing, the men are playing dominoes and children are running around noisily. Dona Josefa, a doctor from the free clinic, arrives and gives Carmen Teresa a gift.