Bisa's Carnaval, written by Joana Pastro and Carolina Coroa, reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Summary:  A young girl named Clara and her great-grandmother are preparing for their favorite celebration of Carnaval.  Clara’s Bisa (grandma) is getting too old to be partying in the street celebration and parade.  She is happy to help create the elaborate and colorful costume.  They go shopping to buy all the material needed and Bisa reminisces to Clara about other Carnavals from previous years.  The whole village is coming together to celebrate.  Since Bisa can’t come to the party, the party comes to her with just a slight detour and everyone gets to celebrate!

Straight Talk for Librarians:  This book is just as colorful as the title suggests.  You can feel the Carnaval atmosphere with the setting and the colors the illustrator chose. You see a small seaside village where Clara and her Bisa live.  You can tell they are somewhat poor, but still make the best of their situation by making a costume.  There are Portuguese words sprinkled throughout the text and in the illustrations. Both the author and the illustrator originate from Brazil and can showcase with some authenticity the Carnaval of Olinda, a city in the northeast of Brazil.  There is a glossary at the end.  A great book to add to any elementary school library collection to celebrate diverse holidays and celebrations of the world.  A highly recommended purchase for any IB school library collection because of the global community emphasis.  All readers will appreciate the multi-generational relationship between Clara and her Bisa.  A sweet, fun read.