Storytime; No. 211; Para Ti

<v Keano>What's the story Amigos? This is Keano with some cool stories for today's story <v Keano>time. <v Narrator>Today, Keano meets Isabel and together they enjoy a <v Narrator>Tale of tamales. <v Maura>Help me, Maria cried. They looked at each other. <v Maura>Danny Piped up first. <v Maura>What do you want us to do? <v Maura>eat them, She said. <v Narrator>Isabelle only speaks only Spanish, so when uncle Ruben visits, It's The Little Red Hen <v Narrator>with a twist. <v Ruben>[Ruben in spanish]. <v Narrator>And Edwardito loses his teddy bear in the woods. <v Ruben>[Ruben in spanish] <v Narrator>Major funding for storytime para ti is made possible by a grant from Helen <v Narrator>and Peter Bing so that families can share the joys of reading with their children. <v Narrator>Additional funding is provided by the California Community Foundation, serving <v Narrator>the communities of Greater Los Angeles by Arko Clean

<v Narrator>Fuels for today and tomorrow and by Toyota <v Narrator>[spanish] working hand in hand with the community. <v Narrator>Toyota. <v Narrator>Storytime para ti. <v Keano>Storytime for you. <v Maura>Well, you know, I wanted to bring you here because this looks like a lot of the <v Maura>churches in Spanish speaking countries do, do you like it? <v Keano>Oh, I like it. All right. Especially the bell tower. <v Maura>Haha. When I was little, I used to go to a church just like this one. <v Keano>Yeah.

<v Keano>Hey, look, Maura. <v Keano>That girl's looking at us. <v Maura>Maybe you could invite you to join us. <v Keano>Oh, okay. <v Keano>Hey, come on over here and talk to us. <v Keano>Do you want to? <v Keano>Hmm. I think she doesn't want to come. <v Maura>Well, that's OK. <v Keano>Yeah. <v Keano>Oh Maura, what did you do for Christmas when you were a little girl? <v Keano>Did did you have a party with lots of present? <v Maura>Oh, we used to do so many different things. <v Maura>First, we went to church on Christmas Eve and then we would go and have dinner and <v Maura>we ate delicious tamales that my mother made and my aunts and <v Maura>I helped, of course. <v Keano>Well, I love Tamales. <v Keano>Yum, yum. <v Keano>Hey, is that book you have there about tamales by any chance? <v Maura>Yes, it is, in this book a little girl is making <v Maura>Tamales with her mother on Christmas Eve and she gets in to a little bit of trouble. <v Maura>Should we read it?

<v Keano>Oh, hi. You changed your mind. <v Maura>Oh, hi. Do you want to listen to a story? <v Isabelle>[isabelle in spanish]. <v Keano>Hola amiga. <v Isabelle>[Isabelle in spanish]. <v Keano>What's she say? <v Maura>She thinks you speak Spanish. <v Keano>I wish I did. That'd be so cool. <v Keano>I just know how to say Hola amiga and a couple other things. <v Isabelle>[isabelle in spanish] <v Keano>What did she say, Maura? <v Maura>She asked you your name. <v Maura>You can say Me llamo Keano. <v Keano>Me llamo, yeah OK. <v Keano>Me llame Keano. <v Isabelle>[Isabelle in spanish]. <v Maura>[Maura in spanish]. <v Isabelle>[Isabelle in spanish]. <v Keano>Is she going to stay for the story? <v Maura>Yes she is but she's going to look at the pictures. <v Maura>[Maura in spanish] <v Isabelle>[Isabelle in spanish].

<v Keano>Muy Bien, That means very well. <v Maura>That's right. <v Maura>And here we go with Too Many Tamales by Gary Sorto. <v Maura>Illustrations by Ed Martinies. <v Keano>OK <v Maura>Snow drifted through the streets. <v Maura>Now that it was dusk, Christmas trees littered in the window. <v Maura>Maria moved her nose off the glass and came back to the counter. <v Maura>She was acting grown up now, helping her mother tamales. <v Maura>Their hands were sticky with masa. <v Maura>That's very good, her mother said. <v Maura>Maria happily kneaded the Masa. <v Maura>She felt grown up wearing her mother's apron. <v Maura>Her mom had even let her wear lipstick and perfume. <v Maura>If only I could wear mom's ring. <v Maura>She thought to herself. <v Maura>Maria's mother had placed her diamond ring on the kitchen counter. <v Maura>Maria loved that ring. <v Maura>She loved how it sparkled like their Christmas tree lights. <v Maura>When her mother left the kitchen to answer the telephone, Maria couldn't help herself.

<v Maura>She wiped her hands on the apron, looked back at the door. <v Maura>I'll wear the ring for just a minute. <v Maura>She said to herself, the ring sparkled on her thumb. <v Maura>Maria returned to needing the massage, her hands pumping up and down on her thumb. <v Maura>The ring disappeared, then reappeared in this sticky glob of dough. <v Maura>Her mother returned and took the bowl from her. <v Maura>Go get your father for this part, she said. <v Maura>Then the three of them began to spread Masa on to corn husks ideas. <v Maura>Father helped by plopping a spoonful of meat in the center and folding the <v Maura>husk. He then placed them in a large pot on the stove. <v Maura>They made 24 Tomales as the windows grew white with delicious <v Maura>smelling curls of steam. <v Maura>A few hours later, the family came over with armfuls, bright presence. <v Maura>Her grandparents, her uncle and aunt and her cousins,

<v Maura>Doloris, Theresa and Danny. <v Maura>Maria kissed everyone Hello. <v Maura>Then she grabbed Doloris by the arm and took her upstairs to play with the other cousins, <v Maura>tagging along after that. <v Maura>They cut off pictures from the newspaper, pictures of toys they were hoping were <v Maura>wrapped and sitting underneath the Christmas tree. <v Maura>As Maria was slipping out a picture of a pearl necklace, a shock <v Maura>spread through her body. <v Maura>The ring she screamed. Everyone stared at her. <v Maura>What ring? Doloris asked <v Maura>Without answering, Maria ran to the kitchen. <v Maura>The steaming tamales lay piled on a platter. <v Maura>The ring is inside one of the tamales. <v Maura>She thought to herself. It must have come off when I was <v Maura>kneading the masa. <v Maura>Doloris, Theresa and Danny skidded into the kitchen behind her. <v Maura>Help me, Maria, I cried. They looked at each other. <v Maura>Danny piped up first. <v Maura>What do you want us to do?

<v Maura>Eat them, she said. If you bite something hard, tell me. <v Maura>The four of them started eating. <v Maura>They ripped off the husks and bit into them. <v Maura>The first one was good, the second one. <v Maura>Pretty good. <v Maura>But by the third tamale they were tired of the taste. <v Maura>Keep eating. Maria scolded. <v Maura>Corn husks littered the floor. Their stomachs were stretched till they hurt. <v Maura>But the cousins kept eating until only one tamale remained <v Maura>on the plate. <v Maura>This must be it, she said. <v Maura>The ring must be on that one. <v Maura>We'll each take a bite. You first. <v Maura>Danny. Danny was the youngest, so he didn't argue. <v Maura>He took a bite. Nothing. <v Maura>Doloris took a bite. <v Maura>Nothing. Thersa took a big bite. <v Maura>Still nothing. <v Maura>It was Maria's turn. <v Maura>She took a deep breath and slowly, gently bit into

<v Maura>the last mouthful of tamal. <v Maura>Nothing. <v Maura>Diidn't any of you bite something hard. <v Maura>Maria asked. Danny frowned. <v Maura>I think I swallowed something hard, he said. <v Maura>Swallowed it? Maria cried. <v Maura>Her eyes big with worry. She looked inside his mouth, Theresa said. <v Maura>I didn't bite into anything hard. But I think I'm sick. <v Maura>She held her stomach with both hands. <v Maura>And of course, Maria didn't dare look into Theresa's mouth. <v Maura>She wanted to throw herself onto the floor and cry. <v Maura>The ring was now in her cousin's throat or worse, his belly. <v Maura>How in the world could she tell her mother? <v Maura>But I have to. She thought she could feel tears pressing <v Maura>to get out as she walked into the living room where the grown up sat talking. <v Maura>They chattered so loudly that Maria didn't know how to interrupt. <v Maura>Finally, she tugged on her mother's sleeve. <v Maura>What's the matter? Her mother asked.

<v Maura>She took Marai's hand. <v Maura>I did something wrong. <v Maura>Maria sobbed. <v Maura>What her mother asked. <v Maura>Maria thought about the beautiful ring that was now sitting inside Danny's belly <v Maura>and got ready to confess. <v Maura>Then she gasped. <v Maura>The ring was on her mother's finger, bright as ever. <v Maura>The ring Maria nearly screamed. Maria's mother scraped off a flake of dried <v Maura>masa. <v Speaker>You were playing with it, she said, smiling gently. <v Maura>I wanted to wear it. Maria said, looking down at the rug. <v Maura>Then she told them all about how they've eaten the tamales. <v Maura>Her mother moved the ring a little on her finger. <v Maura>It went to silvery light. Maria looked up and Andros had winked <v Maura>at her too. <v Maura>Well, it looks like we all have to cook up another batch of Tamales Rosa <v Maura>said cheerfully. Maria held her full stomach as everyone <v Maura>filed into the kitchen, joking and laughing.

<v Maura>At first, she still felt like crying. <v Maura>She needed a great bowl of Masa next to cross. <v Maura>She thumped her hands up and down. <v Maura>A left over tear fell from her eyelashes into the bowl and for just a second. <v Maura>Rested on her finger, sparkling like a jewel. <v Maura>Then Rosa nudged her with her album and said. <v Maura>Hey, Nina. <v Maura>It's not so bad. Everyone knows that the second batch of Tamales always tastes <v Maura>better than the first right when Dolaris, Theresa and Danny heard <v Maura>that from the other side of the room. <v Maura>They let off a groan the size of twenty four tamales, then Maria couldn't <v Maura>help herself. She laughed. <v Maura>And pretty soon everyone else was laughing, including her mother. <v Maura>And when Maria put her hands back into the bowl of Masa, the leftover tear <v Maura>was gone. <v Maura>The end, interestante? <v Isabelle>Si. <v Keano>That was good. You know, I like to help my mom cook, too, especially

<v Keano>brownies. Yum, yum, yum. <v Keano>I wonder, does Isabelle cook tamales with her mom? <v Maura>Why don't you ask her? <v Keano>I don't know. <v Keano>I guess I could try. <v Maura>Or just say it slowly. <v Keano>Do you cook tamales with your mom? <v Isabelle>Tamales? <v Isabelle>Mama? <v Isabelle>Oh, Si [isabelle in spanish] <v Keano>Oh, I know she said yes because she said si. <v Maura>That's right. <v Isabelle>[Isabelle in spanish] <v Maura>Oh, she's gotta go now. <v Keano>Gee, well, maybe maybe you could invite her to story time. <v Maura>Oh, sure. <v Maura>[Maura in spanish].

<v Isabelle>SI, quando? <v Keano>When is she coming Maura? <v Maura>I don't know. I'll ask her if she can come tomorrow. <v Maura>[Maura in spanish] <v Isabelle>[Isabelle in spanish]. <v Maura>Well she's got to ask her parents. <v Maura>[Maura in spanish]. <v Isabelle>[Isabelle in spanish]. <v Isabelle>Adios <v Maura>What a nice girl. Hope she can come tomorrow. <v Keano>Yeah, manana <v Keano>Right Maura? <v Maura>Si Keano. <v All>[singing in spanish] <v Maura>That was great. You guys did a great job learning that song.

<v Maura>You did. I'll tell you what. <v Maura>Later I'm going to get some tamales and a pinata for a Christmas party. <v Keano>Oh, that sounds really cool. <v Keano>What's a pinata? <v Keano>You'll see Keano <v Isabelle>Hola Keano. <v Keano>Hola, Come sit down with us. <v Maura>Bienvenidos Estas tu papi? <v Ruben> Oh, no. I'm her Tio, I'm her uncle, Ruben <v Ruben>But I like stories, too. <v Ruben>So we decided we both come in for a couple little gifts. <v Keano>Wow. Did he say gifts? <v Keano>I understand that in any language. <v Keano>Gracias. What are they? <v Ruben>Why don't you open them, open. <v Maura>Oh, need some help there? <v Keano>Hey, they are a couple of books. <v Keano>Hey wait a minute. <v Isabelle>[Isabelle in spanish] <v Keano>Faverito, Hey, favorite.

<v Keano>Oh, wait a minute. <v Keano>I know that book. <v Keano>It's. It's the little red hen. <v Keano>And I know that one, too. It's where's my teddy? <v Keano>Only it's in Spanish huh? <v Ruben>I've been reading these books to Isabelle since she was a little tiny girl <v Ruben>and she still likes them. So we decided that we would share them with you and with your <v Ruben>friends at home. <v Isabelle>[Isabelle in spanish] <v Keano>[Keano in spanish] <v Keano>Is that what she said? <v Ruben>Roja means red. <v Keano>Oh. <v Maura>Well is everyone ready for a story? <v All>Yeah. <v Maura>Keano, will you help our friends at home who maybe haven't heard this stroy? <v Keano>Oh yeah. Sure thing. Okay. <v Keano>Well see this is the story of the little red hen. <v Keano>She finds some grains of wheat and then she asks her friends, the <v Keano>goose and the cat and the pig to help her to plant the grains and then to cut the wheat. <v Keano>And the next thing that happened, is that she she she she she she. <v Keano>What else, Maura?

<v Maura>She grinds the wheat into flour. <v Keano>Oh, yeah. Right. Right. And so on. <v Keano>See, she keeps asking for help, but none of her friends helps her. <v Keano>So she keeps working by herself. <v Keano>The little red hen that is. <v Isabelle>Roja <v Keano>Right. <v Keano>Roja, Roja and then. And then. Well, you'll see what happens. <v Keano>OK. <v Isabelle>[Isabelle in spanish] <v Keano>Yeah. I don't know what you said, but gracias anyways. <v Keano>Go ahead Tio Ruben <v Ruben>OK, here we go. <v Ruben>[Ruben in spanish] by Margo Zimmek. <v Ruben>[Ruben in spanish] The end. <v All>Bravo. <v Maura>I'll tell you what.

<v Maura>While you read your other book. <v Maura>I'm going to go and get Christmas party stuff. <v Ruben>OK. <v Ruben>And and when you come back, we will open the other gift we brought. <v Maura>Oh. I'll hurry back. <v Keano>Oh, are are we going to read the other book, you know. <v Keano>Where's my Teddy. <v Ruben>[Ruben in spanish]. <v Ruben>But you know, before we start, Keano. <v Keano>Yeah. <v Ruben>You want to help us with our friends home. <v Keano>Oh, okay. Sure. Gracias. <v Keano>This is the story of a boy who lost his teddy bear. <v Keano>Osito? Is that right. <v Ruben>Osito. <v Keano>Osito. He losses it in the forest. <v Keano>See, and he goes looking for it, but he finds a huge teddy bear instead. <v Keano>And then he sees a huge real bear carrying the little teddy bear. <v Keano>And then, well, you'll see what happens. <v Keano>You'll see. <v Ruben>OK, here we go. The name of the boy is Edwardito. <v Ruben>[Ruben in spanish]

<v Keano>Boy, you know, it's so cool that I kind of knew where the story was going.

<v Keano>Even without being able to speak Spanish. <v Isabelle>[Isabelle in spanish] <v Keano>Gee, I understood some of the story, but I still wish I could speak Spanish. <v Keano>Oh, man, that'd be so great. <v Keano>Do you guys know words in Spanish? <v All>Yes. <v Keano>You do. Like what? <v Guest>Half of the numbers, not most of it. <v Keano>You know the numbers? <v Keano>Let's hear it. <v Ruben>Let's hear it. <v Guest>Try it. <v Guest>Uno Dos Tres Quatro Cinco Seis Siete Ocho Nueve That's very good. <v Keano>What about you, Lenne? Can you say any Spanish words? <v Guest 2>I how to say the alphabet. <v Keano>Let's hear it. I don't believe it. <v Guest 2>[Lenne in spanish] <v Keano>That's very good. <v Ruben>That's really good.

<v Maura>Well we're back. <v Maura>And look what I brought. <v Isabelle>[Isabelle in spanish] <v Keano>Oh. What's the matter. <v Maura>Well Isabelle wants to know if it's a problem that they brought tamales and I brought <v Maura>tamales. <v Keano>Oh well that's not a problem because you can't <v Keano>ever have. <v All>Too many tamales [laughing]. <v Ruben>[Ruben in spanish] <v Maura>Well, I'll tell you what. While you munch away, I'm going to go hang the pinata. <v Ruben>I'll go help you. <v Maura>Okay. <v Isabelle>Mira Keano [Isabelle in spanish] <v Keano>Well, si, I guess that these can be our story picks. <v Keano>Well, I'd like to recommend this book right here. <v Keano>It's called Margueritte and Marguerita, and it's in Spanish and English <v Keano>about two girls who learned to play together. <v Isabelle>[Isabelle in spanish]

<v Keano>This is when we say keep a story in your heart. <v Keano>Are you ready? <v Isabelle>Keep a story in your heart. <v Keano>Oh, that was real good. OK, everybody, all together now. <v All>Keep a story in your heart. <v All>Hasta la vista, amigos. <v Maura>OK, everybody come break the pinata. <v Isabelle>Vamos, vamos. <v Maura>Keano this is the pinata. <v Keano>Cool. And we, we are going to cover your eyes. <v Keano>Uh oh. <v Maura>Wait a minute, wait a minute. <v Maura>Let me have the stick. <v Keano>Yeah. <v Maura>OK. Now you-. <v Keano>I can't see anything. <v Maura>I know. That's the point. Now you try to break the <v Maura>with this stick. OK. <v Ruben>Inside it has some surprises. <v Keano>I don't know about this. <v Maura>Go Keano [music plays]

<v Narrator>Today's books are Too many Tamales. La Gallinita Roja. <v Narrator>Margaret and Margarita, margaretia. <v Narrator>Y Margaret. And El Tapez De Abuela. <v Narrator>You can find these and other books at your local library.

<v Narrator>Major funding for Story Time para ti is made possible by a grant from Helen <v Narrator>and Peter Bing so that families can share the joys of reading with their children. <v Narrator>Additional funding is provided by the California Community Foundation, serving <v Narrator>the communities of Greater Los Angeles by Arko Clean Fuels <v Narrator>for today and tomorrow. <v Narrator>And by Toyota, [Spanish] <v Narrator>working hand in hand at the community, Toyota. <v Narrator>Storytime is a production of KCT Los Angeles.