Debbi Chocolate shines the light on both an urban Latino neighborhood and a quinceañera , the fifteenth-birthday celebration that is a significant rite of passage for girls in many Latino cultures. Describing both is a boy eager to share the energy and spirit of his community and the joy of his family at the time of his big sister’s celebration. “ El barrio is a heartbeat. / Shhh, listen! / It’s the sound of blaring trumpets, / tejano and salsa music / tickling my feet! / The mariachis play at all the quinceañeras / in my neighborhood.” Chocolate’s inviting narrative is paired with mixed media illustrations by David Diaz featuring a host of happy faces and scenes from the boy’s family and community, and artfully framed by photographic borders. (Ages 4–7)

Join a young boy as he explores his vibrant neighborhood. The city shimmers with life--at once a party, a waltz, and a heartbeat. El Barrio is his sister preparing for her quinceañera, his grandfather singing about the past, and his cousins' stories from other lands. The city is alive with the rhythms of the street.

Told in lyrical language and through bold, colorful illustrations, this celebration of Hispanic culture and urban life is sure to fire children's curiosity about where they live and what they can discover in their own neighborhoods.