Go to the library to find books about different customs around the world...like Dia de los Muertos!

How to encourage your child to write:

Choose the level of your child:
Toddler/Preschool – discuss the answer(s) out loud first and have your child draw a picture of the answer
Preschool/Kindergarten – discuss the answer(s) out loud first and write the answer down for him/her leaving one word for him/her to write out himself/herself with your help. You could also encourage him/her to draw a picture as well.
Early Grade School– have your child either write out the answer himself/herself (encourage phonetic spelling) without your help, or offer to help with spelling each word out loud one word at a time.
Grade School – have your child write a sentence or two on his/her own and then read over and discuss the response. (You decide whether to correct the spelling or not)
Older Child – have your child write a longer response (paragraph).
As A Challenge – instead of a question ask your older child to write a story or poem about what they've learned about The Day of the Dead or about loved ones who have passed away..

The Dead Family Diaz, by P.J. Bracegirdle and pictures by Poly Bernatene, Dial Books for Young Readers, 2012 – This brightly illustrated book features a skeleton family who prepares to walk among the living on the Day of the Dead, but the youngest boy is afraid to meet a live person.

Dia De Los Muertos, by Roseanne Greenfield Thong and pictures by Carles Ballesteros, Albert Whitman & Company, 2015 – A colourful look at all the preparations and fun of Dia de lost Muertos.

Mi Familia Calaca: My Skeleton Family, by Cynthia Weill and papier-mâché by Jesús Canseco Zárate, Cinco Puntos Press, 2013 - Written in both English and Spanish this book highlights the sculptures while teaching Spanish vocabulary.

Uncle Monarch and the Day of the Dead, by Judy Goldman and illustrated by René King Moreno, Boyds Mills Press, 2008 – A beautiful story of a girl and her old uncle who taught her about the importance of the butterflies who arrive in the Mexican countryside before Dia del Muertos. This is also a good book to help children who’ve lost a loved one.

Here are two nonfiction/learning titles we found:

Day of the Dead, by Carrie Gleason, Crabtree Publishing Company, 2009 – Part of the “Celebrations in My World” series, this book has a lot of great information on the Day of the Dead celebrations in both Mexico and the United States but with large text making it perfect for grade schoolers.

Day of the Dead, by Joanna Ponto and Carol Gnojewski, Enslow Publishing, 2017 – Part of the “Story of Our Holidays” Series this is a smaller book but it is packed with a lot of detailed information about this celebration and even includes a recipe and a craft at the end of the book.

Dia de los Muertos

Day of the Dead

BOOKS:

Here are some picture books perfect for your Day of the Dead Theme Day:

Calavera Abecedario: A Day of the Dead Alphabet Book, by Jeanette Winter, Voyager Books, 2004 – The beginning of this story is inspired by real life artist, Don Pedro Linares, whose papier-mâché calaveras were famous all over Mexico. The end of the book is a fun illustrated Spanish alphabet.

Clatter Bash! A Day of the Dead Celebration, by Richard Keep, Peach Tree, 2004 - Featuring delightful cut-paper illustrations this is a fun book of alliterative sounds, easy to read.

The Day of the Dead El Día De Los Muertos: A Bilingual Celebration, by Bob Barner and translated by Teresa Mlawer, Holiday House, 2010 – Using bright illustrations made of cut, torn and crumpled paper this book explains what the holiday is all about.

JOURNALING QUESTION PROMPT:

Write out one or more of the following questions in your Family Theme Day Scrapbook or on a piece of paper to glue in your scrapbook:

What do you know about how Day of the Dead is celebrated in Mexico? How does your family remember family members who have passed away?

Reading & Writing