Chachalaca Chiquita — Melanie Chrismer

A cultural spin on the classic Chicken Little tale, this story follows Chachalaca Chiquita, a colorful southwestern bird, through her journey after a pebble falls from the sky and hits her right on the head. On a mission to tell the jefe (boss) that the sky is falling, Chachalaca Chiquita joins the feathered flock of Lina Gallina, the prairie hen, and her chicks and heads to the mountain.

Passing bugs buzzing, lizards snatching, and animals moseying, the pajaros (birds) march through the Southwestern terrain. On their way to the jefe, they are joined by Carlos Cordoniz, the Montezuma Quail, and Pablo Pavo, the wild turkey, and pass by Buho Sabio, the sleepy Elf Owl. Suddenly, their adventure takes a turn when they meet sly Tacito Ocelote The group discovers the mystery of the jefe and of the pebble that started it all. In addition to a lesson on bravery, this fun tale includes Spanish vocabulary and a glossary of terms.