I received this book for free from Hear Our Voices Book Tours & the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.
La Noche Before Three Kings Day by Sheila Colón-Bagley Illustrator: Alejandro Mesa
Published by HarperCollins Publishers on September 12, 2023
Genres: Juvenile Fiction / Holidays & Celebrations / Christmas & Advent, Juvenile Fiction / People & Places / United States / Hispanic & Latino, Juvenile Fiction / Religious / Christian / Holidays & Celebrations
Pages: 32
Format: eBook
Source: Hear Our Voices Book Tours & the publisher
Buy on Bookshop
Goodreads
Inspired by Clement Clarke Moore's "The Night Before Christmas," La Noche Before Three Kings Day is a perfect holiday tale.
It's almost Three Kings Day, and while the grownups prepare a large meal, the kids prepare their shoe boxes for los Reyes to arrive later that night. Will they stay up late enough to wish the Kings a Feliz Día de los Reyes? Or will the magic pass them by?
Sing along with a great big familia as they fill up their platos, play their favorite juegos, and wait for the three kings and regalitos to arrive.
This enchanting celebration of a beloved holiday is brought to life through lively rhyming dual-lingual text by Sheila Colón-Bagley with festive illustrations from Alejandro Mesa.
La Noche Before Three Kings Day is definitely one of my new holiday favorites! When I first opened this bilingual book I shouted with joy at the beautiful representation that graced the pages. La Noche Before Three Kings Day by Sheila Colón-Bagley and illustrated by Alejandro Mesa was inspired by Clement Clarke Moore’s “The Night Before Christmas.” I love how the rhyming and illustrations work so beautifully together to tell the story of children excited for Three Kings Day. Both adults and children will connect with the lyrical magic jumping off its pages.
An Awesome Read-Aloud
This is a perfect read aloud that celebrates the anticipation, excitement and joy of the holiday season. Children who aren’t familiar with Día de los Reyes Magos will learn about this holiday that is celebrated in Latin America and globally on Jan. 6. Children who are familiar with the holiday will enjoy seeing themselves and their tradition reflected in the story and its beautiful and vibrant illustrations.
Celebrate Bilingualism
I loved how Spanish is woven organically into the poetry of the book! For non-speakers, the context clues are there to help you figure out the meanings of words you are unfamiliar with and there is also a glossary at the end of the book for you too. It was fun to see Spanish used in the rhyming of the story and I can’t wait to share it with my own children. I also hope an all-Spanish version is released too!
Recommended
I definitely recommend La Noche Before Three Kings Day and I already know this is going to be one of my Christmastime holiday read aloud staples.
About the Author
Sheila Colón-Bagley is a children’s book author. Born in Puerto Rico, but raised in Philadelphia, PA, she works to bring her dual heritage to the books she writes in order to provide children of multicultural backgrounds stories about families that look and live like they do. Her debut picture book, “La Noche Before Three Kings Day” (HarperCollins, 2023) illustrated by Alejandro Mesa, captures the magic and wonder of this treasured holiday through a child’s eager eyes.
Sheila holds a B.A. degree in journalism from Temple University, and lives in North Carolina with her family and a spoiled Havanese dog named Vader.
Leave a Reply