Crack Goes the ­Cascarón: An Eggcellent Not-Just-for-Easter Shellebration!

K-Gr 3–Cascarones are empty eggshells that have been decorated, filled with confetti, and then sealed. A Latinx Easter tradition involves breaking them over loved ones’ heads. In this story, egg puns abound when Toti, the self-proclaimed “King of Cascarones,” prepares for his favorite Easter “shellabration.” Toti has been carefully removing the tops of eggs and filling them with not just old-school confetti, but also surprises like slime and “smoke-screen cascarones,” so no one will see him coming. “I’m a mastermind of eggceptional creations!” he gloats. But Toti doesn’t have any idea that this Easter, his family has some shell-shocking surprises of their own. Filled with the bright, inviting colors of Easter, these jam-packed illustrations burst with movement, life, and celebration—a fitting complement to the the playful narrative highlighting family time and the importance of tradition. Peppered with Spanish words that are translated easily from context; prankster energy; and wide, oversized smiles on every family member from Toti to Abuela, readers will no doubt be inspired to eat their eggs and save the shells so they, too, can dive into the tradition of cascarón making with their own families—no matter which holidays they celebrate. The back of the book contains illustrated instructions for how to make cascarones.