My Cousin, the Quinceañera

It’s time for a fiesta de quince! Get ready for a beautiful 15th birthday party filled with Latine traditions in this Step 2 Reader that includes over a dozen Spanish words or phrases!

It’s my cousin’s birthday! She’s turning fifteen and it’s tradition to have a big party called a Quinceañera! We all wear pretty dresses (my cousin’s is the prettiest!) and eat lots of yummy food and treats. We also give the birthday girl lots of presents, and there are special dances, too! This beautiful party is so much fun for everyone in the family!

Step 2 Readers use basic vocabulary and short sentences to tell simple stories, for children who recognize familiar words and can sound out new words with help. Rhyme and rhythmic text paired with picture clues help children decode the story.

JULISSA MORA is Cuban American, born and raised in Miami. Although she does not live there any longer, she loves going back to visit family and eat lots of Cuban food. She studied illustration at Ringling College of Art and Design. It is extremely important to her to portray multicultural scenes in her illustrations that represent the real world. This is her second Step into Reading book. She lives in Austin, Texas with her family.