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LA
NUEVA COCINITA, #106
While Maya and Miguel are searching with their Abuela
Elena for treasures through her seemingly bottomless trunk
of memories, they happen upon an old menu from her defunct
restaurant “La Cocinita.” She rhapsodizes dreamily
about the menu – summoning magical, Marquez-like concoctions
that can cure an ill-tempered grouch. After a walk around
the neighborhood, they see grumpiness and general disharmony
everywhere, and Maya quickly decides that not only Abuela
Elena, but the whole neighborhood is in need of a New Cocinita
to bring happiness and harmony to everyone with the magic
of the old recipes. Enlisting her friends to be the kitchen
and wait staff, Maya prepares for the big opening night over
Miguel’s steady stream of protests and warnings. Of
course, Maya and her crew soon get in over their heads…
Vocabulary words: restaurant,
recipe, kitchen,
plate, bowl |
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THE LETTER,
#107
Maya finds an abandoned letter on Miguel’s
desk, written to a pretty girl in their class named Esperanza.
Thinking that her brother might need a little help in making
friends, Maya (with the eager assistance of Maggie and Chrissy)
tells Esperanza how wonderful Miguel is. No sooner does Esperanza
decide that Miguel is the coolest boy in the fifth grade than
Maya learns that the real author of the letter wasn’t
Miguel, but Andy! Suddenly, “Las Tres Amigas”
have a lot of explaining to do.
Vocabulary
words: pencil, desk,
letter, write |
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TEACHER'S PET,
#108
When Paco stops speaking, Maya and Santiago take
him to the vet, who tells them that the poor parrot is simply
lonely staying at home all day. Maya solves the problem by
taking Paco to school with her. But when Paco gives wrong
answers in front of the class, accidentally insults kids in
the hall, and eventually flies off somewhere in the school,
Maya has a lot of problems to solve all at once.
Vocabulary
words: talk/listen,
loud/quiet |
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LA CALAVERA,
#109
When Maya wants to add some oomph to her presentation
about Mexico for school, she consults her Abuela Elena, who
allows her to borrow a prized possession: a calavera, or skull
made of sugar, that is used in the yearly Day of the Dead
celebration. Maya promises to let nothing happen to this special
calavera. Her presentation goes well, but Maya loses the calavera!
After Theo, Maggie, Chrissy and Andy each share their fantastical
ideas about how the lost calavera will make Abuela feel, Maya
herself feels horrible. She promised her abuela that she wouldn’t
let anything happen to it! Then, as luck would have it, Maya
discovers that she accidentally switched backpacks with another
student, and the calavera is recovered. An excited Maya can’t
contain herself, and while jumping up and down, breaks the
calavera! Maya is determined not to let her abuela down, and
goes to great lengths to have the calavera re-made. Unfortunately,
this too is a disaster. When Abuela is finally told the truth,
Maya is surprised – Abuela is happy! Not about the calavera,
but about Maya’s good grade on her presentation. And
though Abuela misses the calavera, she thinks that rebuilding
it together would make her even happier.
Vocabulary
words: doll, worried,
happy |
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POLITICS UNUSUAL,
#110
Maggie wants to star in the upcoming School Assembly
Day show. Her teacher, Mrs. Langley, recognizes her talent
and assigns her the starring role, which she must share with
non-dancer Miguel. Horrified, Miguel wants to have nothing
to do with this show, but Mrs. Langley won’t let him
out of the deal. The only person who could do that is the
Class President. Maya has a bright idea: Maggie will run for
Class President. She’s popular, and nobody else is running!
Then she can change the show to suit both her and Miguel.
Unfortunately, someone else decides to run, an unassuming
kid named Simon. Maya and Maggie try to out-glitz Simon, by
sponsoring makeovers and re-decorating the cafeteria, with
comically disastrous results. Simon, meanwhile, takes the
time to listen to the concerns of the other students. In the
end, Maggie comes to realize that Simon cares about what the
other students want, while she was only running for selfish
reasons… and so she announces at the presidential debate
that she is supporting Simon. Simon wins by a landslide…
and his first act as President is to appoint Maggie to be
director of School Assembly Day, to change the show however
she wants.
Vocabulary
words: booth, paper,
newspaper, chalk |
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