Rudolfo Anaya weaved bilingual holiday tale for children

By MORGAN LEE
Associated Press

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — An author known as the father of Chicano literature has left behind a bilingual children’s tale after his 2020 death. The book from Rudolfo Anaya about Christmas in the American Southwest is being published posthumously this year, extending a cycle of illustrated children’s books with a playful cast of youthful animal characters. Teacher Michelle Garcia says works like this help children inhabit and understand a unique culture and think about a few of life’s lessons from Anaya. Enrique Lamadrid collaborated with Anaya to translate the work, welcoming children to explore both English and Spanish literature.