Kinkz, Eliza. ¡Mistaco!: A Tale of Tragedy y Tortillas. Eliza Kinkz, Illus. Kokila, 04/2025. 40pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-0-5937-0023-5. GRADES Preschool–3. HIGH ADDITIONAL.
Kinkz’s authorial debut picture book follows Izzy, a young Latine girl who is the self-proclaimed “President of Mistakes!” Izzy visits her grandparents Lito and Lita after school to help with their weekly tortilla-making tradition. However, Izzy is in a terrible mood because of the enormous mistake she made at school. But, with encouragement from her Lito, Izzy learns that everyone makes mistakes. And it helps to speak them out loud, because the best way to vanish the blunders is to eat them in a delicious tortilla—a mistaco. Peppered with Spanglish and word bubbles, Kinkz’s text is sure to elicit giggles. Her signature cartoonish artwork enhances the humor in this laugh-out-loud story. Word bubbles and silly, exaggerated facial expressions make this a delectable book. Illustrations were done with pencil, ink, watercolor, gouache, crayons, and “muchas concha crumbs.” The back matter includes instructions on how to make your own Mistaco and information on Spanglish.
Yesica Hurd—Berkeley Public Library