FIESTA U.S.A.

Four Latino-American festivals are chronicled here, photographed in four different citiesDay of the Dead (San Francisco), Las Posadas (Albuquerque), Matachines (El Rancho, New Mexico), and Three Kings' Day (New York City). Ancona introduces readers to a family celebrating each fiesta, briefly explaining its origins and how it has become integrated into family or community life in the US. The photographs are full of fascinating information but the layout of the book is not particularly attractivethe pages are sometimes cramped and hard to read. Still, the high spirits carry the day. The book conveys the festivity of each ceremony and serves both as a valuable introduction to and a celebration of some of the Latino cultures that enrich this country. (Picture book/nonfiction. 8-10)