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Please Pass the Tamales!

Illustrated by Mirelle Ortega
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Hardcover
10.38"W x 10.5"H x 0.38"D   | 15 oz | 24 per carton
On sale Aug 18, 2026 | 32 Pages | 9780593482148
Age 4-8 years

A mouth-watering picture book that celebrates the rich cultural diversity and culinary traditions of tamal-making across the Americas. Features an informative backmatter and activity created by collaborator, the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino!

Join Liliana, Yasmany, Tomás, Eduardo, Isabela, and Valeria as they help their families prepare delicious tamales from Mexico, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Ecuador, and Colombia! Each family has their own recipe for this special dish, but they all share ingredients, and come together for one big tamalada.

Created in collaboration with the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino, this is a delightful celebration of family, culture, and tamales.
Silvia López is a Cuba native raised in Miami who has served as children's librarian at schools and public libraries for over three decades. She is also the author of Uno Más, One More: A Latino Retelling of an Old Scottish Ballad; Queen of Tejano Music: Selena; Pacho Nacho, and several Little Golden Books. Siliva currently resides in Miami.

Mirelle Ortega is a Mexican artist based in Los Angeles, California. She's the author and illustrator of Magic: Once Upon a Faraway Land, for which she received a Pura Belpré Illustration Honor and an International Latino Book Award medal, and River of Mariposas. She has a love for storytelling and creating vibrant illustrations.
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additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo
"The book thoughtfully celebrates the richness of the Latine diaspora....Mouthwatering and informative." —Kirkus Reviews

"While simple, this story effectively educates readers on an important Latine tradition and celebrates the way this dish differs across cultures." —School Library Journal

About

A mouth-watering picture book that celebrates the rich cultural diversity and culinary traditions of tamal-making across the Americas. Features an informative backmatter and activity created by collaborator, the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino!

Join Liliana, Yasmany, Tomás, Eduardo, Isabela, and Valeria as they help their families prepare delicious tamales from Mexico, Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Ecuador, and Colombia! Each family has their own recipe for this special dish, but they all share ingredients, and come together for one big tamalada.

Created in collaboration with the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino, this is a delightful celebration of family, culture, and tamales.

Creators

Silvia López is a Cuba native raised in Miami who has served as children's librarian at schools and public libraries for over three decades. She is also the author of Uno Más, One More: A Latino Retelling of an Old Scottish Ballad; Queen of Tejano Music: Selena; Pacho Nacho, and several Little Golden Books. Siliva currently resides in Miami.

Mirelle Ortega is a Mexican artist based in Los Angeles, California. She's the author and illustrator of Magic: Once Upon a Faraway Land, for which she received a Pura Belpré Illustration Honor and an International Latino Book Award medal, and River of Mariposas. She has a love for storytelling and creating vibrant illustrations.

Photos

additional book photo
additional book photo
additional book photo

Praise

"The book thoughtfully celebrates the richness of the Latine diaspora....Mouthwatering and informative." —Kirkus Reviews

"While simple, this story effectively educates readers on an important Latine tradition and celebrates the way this dish differs across cultures." —School Library Journal
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