Don’t Say a Word, Mama / No Digas Nada, Mama

Mam says she has the best daughters in the world. The two women live near their mother--Rosa with her husband and children, Blanca by herself. They both have flourishing gardens. Rosa and Blanca are so generous and kind and thoughtful--well, everyone, including Mam , ends up with too much corn, tomatoes, and red hot chiles It's crazy It's also Joe Hayes at his finest, telling one of those stories young kids love, full of mishaps, surprise endings, and happy mommas In fact, one seven-year old--after hearing Joe tell Don't Say a Word, Mama --came home and told her mother, "I heard a story today that I think changed my life " That's a pretty fantastic endorsement

2014 Honor Book, Patterson Prize for Books for Young People

Joe Hayes has been enchanting listeners and readers alike for over thirty years. His books have received many awards including two Land of Enchantment Children's Book Awards and an Aesop Accolade Award. His books have also been on the Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List three times. Ghost Fever won the Texas Bluebonnet Award for 2006-2007.

Esau Andrade Valencia comes from a family of folk artists. He is increasingly being recognized as a master artist in the tradition of Diego Rivera and Rufino Tamayo. His paintings are included in the collection of The Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach, California, as well as in the Downey Museum of Art in Downey, California.

Joe Hayes: Joe Hayes is the author of over twenty books for children and young adults. His writing style is storytelling-tested and has its roots in the oral traditions of the American Southwest. Each summer, he delights children and adults alike with his summertime storytelling performances at Santa Fe’s Wheelwright Museum. The rest of the year finds him speaking to thousands of readers around the United States at schools, libraries, and conferences. His book Ghost Fever/Mal de Fantasma won the Texas Bluebonnet Award in 2007. Dance, Nana, Dance / Baila, Nana, Baila, his collection of folktales from Cuba, won the Aesop Prize in 2009. The New Mexico Library Association named Joe the Centennial Storyteller in 2010, a storyteller so good he only comes around once every 100 years!