Written by: Roseanne Greenfield Thong
Illustrated by: John Parra
For Ages: Ages 3 to 5
Language: English, Spanish
Topics Covered: POC-Centric Narratives, Culture & Traditions, Latinx Culture, Community, Family, Love, Self-Expression.
Summary: Green is a Chile Pepper is a joyful celebration of the many colors found in latinx communities, from the orange marigolds for Dia de los Muertos to the blue of the ojo de dios craft that children create under a bright blue sky. Each new color is accompanied by a Spanish translation that is prominently visible on the page, and the illustrations feature children of color with diverse skin colors and gender presentations.
From food (yellow masa corn tortillas) to parties (watch out for the pink piñata!) each page also offers up an array of Spanish vocabulary, and each italicized word can be found in the glossary at the end of the book.
The glossary doesn’t just offer a translation, but goes above and beyond, including important information about Latinx culture that can broaden the readers perspective and understanding, even if they have never heard the words before.
Green is a Chile Pepper received the Pura Belpré Award Illustrator Honor for John Parra’s vibrant work, and won a Latino Book Award, and we can’t say enough about how fabulous it is!
Create your own ojo de dios (“god’s eye”) which can be used to communicate with whatever spiritual connection you choose! Learn about the rich history of the god’s eye and how it can be found all over the world!
About the Author & the Illustrator:
Roseanne Greenfield Thong is a journalist and English teacher. She is the author of Round Is a Tortilla, Round Is a Mooncake, Red Is a Dragon, One Is a Drummer, and Wish. She lives in Fountain Valley, California.
John Parra is an award winning illustrator, fine artist, designer, and educator, best known for award-winning picture books. Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos (written by Monica Brown, NorthSouth Books) was named a New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book of the Year, Pura Belpré Honor for Illustration, Center for the Study of Multicultural Children’s Literature Best Book, and Smithsonian Best Book of the Year. John has received many awards and honors including three Pura Belpré Honors for Illustration, two SCBWI Golden Kite Awards for Illustration, and The Christopher Award, among many others. is an award-winning illustrator, artist, educator, and designer. His illustrations are featured in When Thunder Comes and Round Is a Tortilla. His Hispanic roots and heritage provide a rich cultural palette of inspiring imagery and customs. He lives in Jamaica, New York.