And our October pick is...
The Ofrenda That We Built by Jolene Gutiérrez, Shaian Gutiérrez & Gabby Zapata
October Pick -- The Ofrenda That We Built
It is Día de Muertos--the Day of the Dead--and the family ofrenda is at the center of the celebration! Inspired by the popular nursery rhyme "The House That Jack Built," The Ofrenda That We Built invites readers to join in the building of a colorful ofrenda, a home altar full of symbols and meaning, one special element at a time. This is truly an intergenerational holiday with deep familial love at its heart. Readers will recognize these moving and universal themes in the hands-on activity of building an ofrenda together, an accessible way of learning more about other cultures and celebrations. Told in warm and welcoming rhyme, with beautiful, immersive illustrations, this is a delight for readers of all backgrounds to enjoy when the holiday arrives each autumn or any time of year that calls for remembrance and connection with loved ones.
With warmth and energy, this spirited picture book is a joyful ode to family traditions and the memory of loved ones who have passed but whom we continue to remember.
Meet Our Creators:
Jolene Gutiérrez
"I dream that the books I write will become someone's perfect book. I can't imagine anything more magical than that!"
Jolene Gutiérrez grew up on a farm in northeastern Colorado, surrounded by animals, plants, and history. She is an award-winning teacher librarian and has been working with neurodivergent learners at Denver Academy since 1995. She’s a wife of 25+ years and mama to two young adults, three dogs, two cats, and an ever-rotating variety of other rescue animals. She’s a contributor to If I Could Choose a Best Day: Poems of Possibility (Candlewick, 2025) and the author of Unbreakable: A Japanese American Family in an American Incarceration Camp (Abrams Childrens 2025, co-authored with Minoru Tonai), Mamiachi and Me (Abrams/Appleseed, 2025, co-authored with her son Dakota), The Ofrenda That We Built (Chronicle, 2024, co-authored with her daughter Shaian), Too Much! An Overwhelming Day (Abrams/Appleseed, 2023), the Stars of Latin Pop series (Rourke, 2021), Bionic Beasts: Saving Animal Lives with Artificial Flippers, Legs, and Beaks (Lerner, 2020), and Mac and Cheese and the Personal Space Invader (Clear Fork/Spork 2020). Find her online at www.jolenegutierrez.com
Shaian Gutiérrez
Shaian Gutiérrez’s family is from Jalostotitlán, Jalisco, in Mexico, and she loves to show her appreciation for her Mexican roots through her work, whether it’s writing, creating art, or cooking. In 2022, she graduated from Colorado College with a double major in art and Hispanic studies, earning a distinction in Spanish after presenting two theses and winning a grant to create art abroad about Mexican collective identity. Co-author, Jolene, is her mom!
Gabby Zapata
Gabby Zapata is from sunny Los Angeles, California with a Mexican & Colombian descent. She loves creating art that represent the beautiful diversity we have in the world. Full of color and inclusivity. She has a BFA in Computer Animation at Ringling College of Art & Design. After college, she worked at Digital Domain Studios in Port St. Lucie, Florida as a Visual Development Artist for their Feature Length Animation film, "The Legend of Tembo." She is currently a Lead Character Designer at ShadowMachine. Check out her upcoming illustrated picture books -- You Be Teacher by Karla Clark (releasing 5/6/25) & A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes Little Golden Book (releasing 1/7/25). Learn more about Gabby on her website: https://gabbyzapata.com/
Below you will find our monthly craft; printable activity sheets; and our community outreach activity where we will be celebrating & learning more about Día de los Muertos. We'll also be setting up our own alters with ofrendas to honor those in our family who have passed on. For more books to read this month, don't forget to check out book list on Día de los Muertos:
This is also the perfect opportunity to read books Hispanic Heritage Month, which is celebrated from September 15-October 15th -- you can find that booklist here.
We really hope you enjoy this month of book club as we continue to keep our nationwide book club free & accessible for all. Each book is intentionally handpicked with each activity and outreach curated to engage and enrich our youth's experiences. Through these diverse and inclusive reads, working and playing together, and giving back to their own community, we hope to instill empathy, understanding, & kindness in our kids. Be sure to sign up for our book club to receive a virtual storytime reading of The Ofrenda That We Built read by our co-founder, Kara Cecchi, directly to your inbox. Email us at hello@mosskidsbooks.com for this month's story.
Let's Craft: calavera masks
A Little History Lesson: Although most strongly identified with Mexico, Día de los Muertos is celebrated throughout Latin America! The Aztec empire had been celebrating "Day of The Dead" long before Spanish conquistadors invaded and fused it with Catholicism to create the Día de los Muertos we know today. The spiritual holiday was originally intended to celebrate the Lady of the Dead, Mictēcacihuātl, Queen of Mictlān (the underworld). The Aztecs believed it was her job to watch over the bones of past lives. Bones of past lives were believed to be used to create new life in the land of the living. As their protector, Mictēcacihuātl looked after the bones even after they had been stolen and brought to the land of the living. Once a year she ascended to the land of the living to make sure the bones were being cared for properly. Upon her arrival the Aztecs would hold celebrations of death with dance and food to thank her for her protection. When the Spanish conquistadors invaded America, they brought Catholicism with them and forced many of the indigenous people they conquered to convert. After witnessing the Aztec celebrations of death, the Spaniards began fusing Aztec tradition with the Catholic holidays of "All Saints Day" & "All Souls Day" (pagan holidays unofficially adapted into Catholic practice during the medieval ages). During these festivals in Spain, families would decorate graves, bring food to gravesites, and light the way for the dead to return to their families. The blending of these two spiritual practices evolved into the more modern celebration of Día de los Muertos we recognize today. In modern day celebrations Mictēcacihuātl has been replaced by a new “lady of death”, La Catrina- a skeleton woman wearing a European hat adorned with flowers and feathers. For Mexicanos, the festive Days of the Dead are celebrated much differently than funerals, which are solemn occasions. Over time, the holiday has transformed into a jubilant display of art, literature, and music. The playfulness of contemporary Day of the Dead calaveras represent a counterpoint to the solemnity of death, and a reminder to all to savor the vibrancy of life.
Materials:
White Paper Plates (1 per child)
Scissors
Markers
Pencil
Tape
Colorful Straws (1 per child)
Modifications:
Easy: Pre-prep plate by cutting skull shape & adding eyes/nose for child
Moderate: Pre-prep plate by cutting skull shape
Hard: Allow child to create with no modifications
Instructions:
1. Gather materials. Pre-prep paper plates for younger children or to save time. We will have all plates pre-cut for our school visits. Draw a skull shape on the plate & cut it out (see below).
2. Prompt kids to draw two big black eyes; we made oval shaped eyes. Next, prompt kids to draw a nose; we chose to create an upside down heart nose. Then, prompt to draw 4 vertical lines for the "teeth" on top of the ridges.
3. Now it's time to decorate. Encourage kids to use bright vibrant colors. Use different shapes to decorate. This is the perfect opportunity to talk about shapes & symmetry.
4. Once decorated completely, tape a straw to the back of the plate to use as a mask!
Remember: Since we are no longer sending out free copies of the book, we encourage you to request your local library purchase the title for your community to share. It's easy to request. Head to your local library's website. On the site, there will be a "Suggest A Title" tab (see below). Just add this book The Ofrenda That We Built by Jolene Gutiérrez, Shaian Gutiérrez & Gabby Zapata & submit. You can even share this blog with them. After reading or listening, we encourage you to please review the book on goodreads, on Amazon, & on your social media platforms. Reviews will help get the word out about this incredible book!
printable activity sheets:
Our author, Jolene Gutiérrez & publisher, Chronicle Kids Books have a beautiful activity kit to pair with The Ofrenda That We Built on Jolene's website. This guide was created by Gabby Zapata, Shaian Gutiérrez, and Jolene Gutiérrez, M.L.S., teacher and librarian. Jolene has held her Colorado teaching license with endorsements in English Language Arts and School Library Media since 2000. This is perfect for classrooms, library storytimes, & homeschool co-ops! Included are activity sheets to complete together as a group & those that con be completed at home/by themselves. Download the kit below:
Community Outreach: create your own ofrenda
We are encouraging our kids to learn more about Día de los Muertos & create an ofrenda together with their family, book club, or even at their school. People honor their ancestors and remember and celebrate loved ones in a number of ways. The following is a list of celebrations
from around the world that include an element of honoring ancestors: Obon (Japanese tradition), Památka Zesnulych (Czech Republic tradition), Pitru Paksha (Hindu tradition), Fèt Gede (Haitian tradition), & Awuru Odo (Nigerian tradition) to name a few. We suggest using the steps listed in the back of the book to help create your own ofrenda to remember & honor your ancestors.
Pick a sturdy object to use as a base. Tables, shelves, or boxes are excellent choices.
Cover your base with one or more festive fabrics. Try using a tablecloth, a sheet, or a colorful scarf.
Now, you can begin decorating! Add objects like candles (if you're in a school, faux candles will work), orange and yellow marigold flowers (you can make these with tissue paper), & water in a pretty glass (we plan to use clear, plastic cups that we can decorate with sharpies).
Try cutting and hanging your own papel picado around the ofrenda. The activity kit has a papel picado template to print, color, & cut out. Download above.
Consider adding your loved one's favorite foods or foods that are traditionally included on an ofrenda: tamales, pan de muerto, and sugar skulls!
If this ofrenda is honoring your loved ones & ancestors, be sure to add their photographs in a prominent place. This is a great opportunity to share fond memories with friends & family. The activity kit has a frame printable that children (especially in schools) can print, color, cut out & draw their loved ones in the frame. A great classroom activity & a way for children to better get to know their peers. You can then add the paper frames to the ofrenda to honor those who have passed on.
This doesn't need to be extravagant. This is a way for us to celebrate & educate with our kids -- learning about & honoring a beautiful tradition from a different culture is the perfect way to teach empathy, understanding, & acceptance. To raise kinder kids.
supplemental books:
We're also reading An Ofrenda for Perro, Gustavo the Shy Ghost, ¡Vamos! Let's Celebrate Halloween and Día de los Muertos & Luna Oscura to celebrate & educate on friendships, kindness, acceptance & understanding!! There is a few great educator guides/activity kits for some of our supplemental books, check them out below:
Please do not skip the community outreach activities. We truly believe this outreach activity is a vital part of childhood & an opportunity to raise kind kids. Teaching our youth the importance of celebrating & educating cultural traditions. To learn the importance of understanding the diversity of our world & of our own communities. To learn kindness, empathy, acceptance, & understanding of our peers, neighbors, & new friends while honoring & remembering our ancestors.
YAY! Another MOSS Kids Book Club pick, craft, printable sheets, and community outreach activity. We would love to see all the calaveras & ofrendas you create. You do not need to share kid's faces. Please be sure to tag us on Instagram @mosskidsbooks & use #mosskidsbookclub. Sharing about MOSS Kids Book Club is a way for your community to learn more about what MOSS Kids has to offer & for them to know about brand new diverse & inclusive books. By doing so, we can reach & help more kids across the country. We'd also love to hear any feedback you may have, please email us at hello@mosskidsbooks.com. We appreciate you all so much for taking the initiative to bring kids together to read diverse books & hopefully learn vital life skills to help make our world a better place.
sign up for our book club
Want our blog with a video storytime sent directly to you email each month? The perfect way to connect with your kids, get friends together, a classroom activity, or even a library storytime.
Don't Forget: We Have Local moss kids book club locations in eastern north Carolina!!
Wednesday, 10/9 at 7pm: Picture Books on Tap at Larema Beverage Company in Rocky Mount
Saturday, 10/26 at 10am: MOSS Kids Book Club with Drag Story Hour at Boxyard RTP with reader TBD
Sunday, 10/27 at 2pm: MOSS Kids Book Club at Larema Coffee House in Rocky Mount
Monday, 10/28 at 430pm: MOSS Kids Book Club at Wilson County Public Library in Wilson
And this month -- more SCHOOL POP-INS! We have plans to visit 4 local elementary schools across two counties bringing our MOSS Kids Book Club right to them & then donating the book to their school library for all to enjoy. We're hoping to expand & add more each month!
And starting this month -- Lunch Bunch! We will be popping in biweekly to a local school to read with a small group of third graders, to diversify their bookshelves (they get to keep the books!) & to develop a love for reading. Our first Lunch Bunch pick of the year is -- Marya Khan and the Spectacular Fall Festival by Saadia Faruqi who generously donated all copies for us & the kids! Our BIGGEST, heartfelt thanks!
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