REVIEW
and EXCERPT
Mamá Graciela’s Secret
by Mayra
Calvani
Mamá Graciela’s Secret by Mayra Calvani is
currently on tour with Enchanted Book Promotions.
The tour stops here today for my review and an excerpt. Please be sure to visit
the other tour stops as well.
Description
Local customers
(including stray cats!) come from all over the island to enjoy her secret
recipe. But when the Inspector discovers that Mamá secretly caters to so many
cats and he threatens to close her tiny restaurant, Mamá must come up with a
plan to save it - and all of the animals she loves.
This book teaches
compassion to animals, is written for/with dyslexic children in mind, and
reading guide is available to help you, as parents, interact with your child and
the lessons in this book. Visit the author’s website to download a copy of
the reading guide.
Excerpt
Praise for the Book
“I love how this story moves from normal to wild and wonderful. I love
how the illustrations are so satisfyingly filled with character.” ~ Sheila Deeth
“Just a sweet and fun book that the kiddos will love and the
illustrations capture the heart of the story as well.” ~ hello-booklover
“This is a good book for parents to read to younger children. A good
story with a message.” ~ Sherry Legan
“This book will delight and enchant young children with its positive
message and beautiful artwork.” ~ Julie
Hawkins
“This is definitely a story for children and adults alike. Animal lovers
will love Mama Graciela and her effort to save the cats that come to her
restaurant.” ~ Danielle Urban
My Review
By Lynda Dickson
Mamá Graciela’s codfish fritters are the talk of the town. They attract
crowds of people, but also cats. Soon Mamá Graciela has
too many cats and the health inspector threatens to shut down her restaurant.
What will Mamá Graciela do?
Mamá Graciela is a wonderful character, as is her husband. Her compassion
and dignity make her a role model for all readers, children and adult alike. The
illustrations by Sheila Fein are rich and full of detail. Your kids will have
fun looking at all the cats, who each have their own personality.
This is a gorgeous book with a beautiful message.
Suitable for children ages 3-7.
About the Author
Mayra Calvani writes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults and
has authored over a dozen books, some of which have won awards. Her children’s
picture book, Frederico the Mouse Violinist
was a finalist in the 2011 International Book Awards; her anthology Latina Authors and Their Muses was a
First Place winner at the 2016 International Latino Book Awards; her nonfiction
book, The Slippery Art of Book Reviewing,
was a Foreword Best Book of the Year winner. Her stories, reviews, interviews
and articles have appeared on numerous publications like The Writer,
Writer’s Journal, Multicultural Review, Bloomsbury Review, and others.
She lives in Belgium with her husband of 30+ years, two wonderful kids,
and her three beloved pets. When she’s not writing, editing, reading or
reviewing, she enjoys walking with her dog, traveling, and spending time with
her family.
Links
