Book Review: Just A Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book by Yuyi Morales

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Title: Just A Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book
Author and Illustrator: Yuyi Morales
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Publication Date: September 1, 2003
ISBN: 978-0811837583

PLOT SUMMARY
Grandma Beetle is visited by Señor Calavera, a living and speaking skeleton man. He tells Grandma Beetle that "it is time for her to come along with him," but Grandma Beetle continuously delays her departure by requesting that Señor Calavera let her finish household chores. She counts her chores in English and Spanish, gradually exasperating Señor Calavera with her numerous chores, to the point where he joins in to help her finish her chores faster. Finally, it is revealed that Grandma Beetle has been preparing to celebrate her birthday with her nine beautiful grandchildren, and invites Señor Calavera to share their meal. After hugging and kissing her grandchildren goodbye, she is ready to leave, only to find that Señor Calavera had so much fun at the birthday party and looks forward to attending her next one.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Just A Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book is an original trickster folktale that is steeped in Mexican culture, from the various storytelling devices to the art of the picture book.

Grandma Beetle is the eponymous trickster of the story, who uses her wiles to trick the patient Señor Calavera into delaying her departure. The name for "Señor Calavera" has many meanings. The word "calavera" means "skull," and is often referred to the brightly colorful sugar skulls used in Día de los Muertos celebrations. The word was also used in the late 18th century and early 19th century to describe short, humorous poems, which were often sarcastic tombstone epitaphs (Ward, 2017). This short and humorous picture book nods to the literary calaveras of Día de los Muertos.

As a counting book, each page has a predictable pattern. Using numbers in English and Spanish, Grandma Beetle stresses that she has another chore to complete: "uno house to sweep," "dos pots of tea to boil," "tres pounds of corn to make into tortillas," "cuatro fruits to slice," "cinco cheeses to melt," " seis pots of food to cook," siete piñatas to fill with candy," and "ocho platters of food to arrange on the table." The last two numbers divert from this pattern, introducing the "nueve beautiful granchildren." When Grandma Beetle announces that all ten guests have arrived, her grandchildren ask who is the tenth guest. "Diez, of course, is Señor Calavera.

Morales' illustration style reflects the Mexican muralism movement of the 1920s. It is ironic that this is a style used in a book to teach children how to count in English and Spanish, since the Mexican government commissioned muralists to educate the illiterate population about Mexico's history (The Museum of Modern Art, n.d.). The color palette is bright and colorful, and the illustrations include textures that imitate the look of painted murals.

This book also subtly introduces children to the concept of death. It is not explicitly stated that Señor Calavera represents death, so younger children might not grasp this concept. However, older children might infer this, as he tells Grandma Beetle on the first page "it was time for her to come along with him," but to where he never says. When her nine grandchildren appear, it seems that Grandma Beetle has been preparing to spend her last birthday with her loved ones, and Señor Calavera looks at them in terror. What kind of monster would take away this loving grandmother in front of her grandchildren? In a touching illustration, Grandma Beetle happily hugs and kisses them goodbye, literally surrounded by love as she is embraced by her grandchildren. When the reader reads the letter left behind by Señor Calavera, Grandma Beetle winks at the reader. It seems that Grandma Beetle knew what she was doing, and emotionally buttered up Señor Calavera by inviting him to her birthday party and introducing him to all of her grandchildren. Thanks to her wits, she will live another year.

AWARDS
2004 Pura Belpré Award for Illustrator
2004 Golden Kite Honor Book
2003 Texas State University's Tómas Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award
2003 Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP) Americas Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature

REVIEW EXCERPTS
"Like the text, the rich, lively artwork draws strongly upon Mexican culture, with hints of Diego Rivera in Grandma's robust form, and the skeleton resembling the whimsical figurines often seen in Day of the Dead folk art. The splendid paintings and spirited storytelling--along with useful math and multicultural elements--augur a long, full life for this original folktale." - Booklist, starred review
"Lit with dancing lines and warm colors, Morales' illustrations enhance the appeal of this winning story even further." - Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"This story is a delight. Morales's personification of death is never forbidding or scary, but rather a simple matter of fact. This deceptively simple read-aloud treat has as many layers as an onion, and is every bit as savory." - School Library Journal

"Like the best folktales, the darker motivation for the skeleton's visit remains elusive for youngest readers, and the sly interplay between hostess and visitor makes light of his role. Morales (Harvesting Hope) whips up a visually striking book, and funny to boot. Her deep, glowing pastels and stylized human characterizations beautifully conjure the traditions of Latin American muralists, while Señor Calavera's ghoulish, goofy gallantry would make him the comic lead of any Day of the Dead festivity." - Publishers Weekly

CONNECTIONS
Enrichment activities: The publisher offers a website where librarians and teachers can download and print paper masks and puppets of Señor Calavera (http://www.yuyimorales.com/just_aminute.htm). While the book is not explicitly about Día de los Muertos, children can be introduced to the calavera used in celebrations. This can segue into more lessons and activities about Mexican culture. Be mindful not to appropriate the culture, and to teach in a sensitive manner. Death can be a scary topic for children, but we must also strive to make sure that children can understand and discuss the topic without fear.

Related books:
Morales, Y. (2008). Just In Case: A Trickster Tale and Spanish Alphabet Book. New York, NY: Roaring Brook Press.

ISBN:  978-1596433298

Morales, Y. (2018). Dreamers. New York, NY: Neal Porter Books.
ISBN: 978-0823440559

Morales, Y. (2016). Little Night/Nochecita. New York, NY: Square Fish Books.
ISBN: 978-1250073242

Morales, Y. (2015). Niño Wrestles the World! New York, NY: Square Fish Books.
ISBN: 978-1250062703

Tafolla, C., & Morales, M. (2009). What Can You Do With A Paleta? / ¿Qué puedes hacer con una paleta? New York, NY: Tricycle Press.

ISBN: 978-1582462219

Montes, M, & Morales, Y. (2006). Los Gatos Black on Halloween. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company.

ISBN: 978-0805074291

REFERENCES

The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). (n.d.). Mexican muralism. Retrieved from https://www.moma.org/collection/terms/183

Ward, L. (2017). Top 10 things to know about the Day of the Dead. National Geographic. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/north-america/mexico/top-ten-day-of-dead-mexico/