January 2019 - Between the Pages: New Mexico Book Co-op

Nasario Garcia is very prolific, both for adults, young readers, and kids. These two books hit all categories of readers. Nasario is one of the nicest treasures in the New Mexico literary world and he specializes in the folklore of Northern New Mexico and the people who live and work there.

With No More Bingo Comadre!, Nasario also introduces us to how the people play – in casinos! Comadre is a collection of short stories about gypsies, family, animals, doctors, prisons, and of course the ills of casinos and the people who go there. The book is total New Mexico from language, habits, likes, loves, and what Hispanic New Mexicans find important.

Grandma Lale’s Magical Adobe Oven is the third story in the series about Junie López – age nine. Dolores Aragon’s pictures of New Mexico are whimsical and fun. An adobe oven in New Mexico is an horno and in the back of the book, traditional Hispanic foods for the holidays are explained. The back of the book also has a Spanish/English Glossary of words common to the Rio Puerco Valley of New Mexico. This is a story that helps children with all the wonderful foods you can cook in an horno and how important the horno is to Hispanic New Mexicans (and Native Americans too!).

Both books are insights into New Mexico and the people who have lived here for hundreds of years. Both books are available at Bookworks, Treasure House Books & Gifts, UNM Bookstore, and Collective Works.

This is a book review of New Mexico books written by members of the New Mexico Book Co-op. New Mexico books are worth taking a look at in stores, libraries, or online.

No More Bingo Comadre!

Nasario Garcia

UNM Press

2018

$19.95 (S)

184 pages

Grandma Lale’s Magical Adobe Oven

Nasario Garcia & illustrated by Dolores Aragon

Rio Grande Books

2018

$25.95 (H)

$17.95 (S)

61 pages