Multicultural Literature Review - Too Many Tamales by: Gary Soto and Ed Martinez

    Too many Tamales

Too many Tamales is a multicultural contemporary realistic fiction children's book. The grade level for this book is K - 2. This wonderful fiction was written by Gary Soto and illustrated by Ed Martinez. This fiction was published in 1993. Gary Soto wrote a great contemporary fiction that could happen to anyone while Ed Martinez illustrated such great art work on every page. 

 Maria a little girl loves to help her mother in the kitchen during the holidays. One of her favorite things to do is make Tamales. However she strays away from the task at hand when she notices her mother place her beautiful diamond ring off to the side. When she realizes that her mother's ring is gone she will do just about anything to find it. What will Maria do to try and locate her mother's ring.

This funny fiction tells and illustrate to early childhood children that touching and taking things that don't belong to them can get them in a real pickle. 











Discussion Question:

1. What would you have done when you saw that the diamond ring wasn't there anymore? 
2. Do you think Maria did the right thing by not telling her mother what she had done? 
3. If you were Maria's cousin would you have helped her try and find the ring? and why?
4. Do you think you could have eaten all of those Tamales?

Motivational Activity: 

This would be a great opportunity to have your students get into groups of 4. Have 2 of the students write a 4 sentence story with a ending that tells the wrong thing to do when in a pickle. One the left side of the paper have the other 2 students write 4 sentences with the ending telling what is the right thing to. Then have each group present to the class their story. 

Enjoy!