{"product_id":"author-talk-were-off-to-carnaval-with-jasminne-mendez-january-9-11-am","title":"STORY TIME: We're Off To Carnaval! with Jasminne Mendez - January 9 @ 11 AM","description":"\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCelebrate the release of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eWe're Off to Carnaval!\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e with author Jasminne Mendez! Join us for a special storytime with the author, a fun activity inspired by the book, and a book signing following the event.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEVENT DEETS\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhen: Saturday, January 9 @ 11 AM CST\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhere: Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St. Houston, tX 77004)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHow: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\" aria-level=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRSVP ONLY\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e to reserve your seat.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli dir=\"ltr\" aria-level=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eRSVP WITH BOOK\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e to reserve your seat and purchase a copy \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWe're Off To The Carnaval\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, supporting both the author and our store programming. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe book will be available for pickup at the event.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlease Note: Books purchased from other retailers are not permitted in the bookstore and are not eligible for the signing or photo line. To participate in the signing and photo opportunity, you must purchase a copy from Kindred Stories. If you already purchased your book from Kindred Stories, you may select the RSVP Only ticket option and bring your Kindred Stories copy to the event.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIf you purchase a ticket and are unable to attend the event, your ticket is non-refundable. If your ticket includes a book, an email will be sent to all attendees before and after the event with instructions on how to receive your book. Books must be claimed within 14 days following the event. If your book is not retrieved it will be returned to the publisher and will not be available for pick up in the future.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eABOUT THE BOOK\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eA young Dominican girl is excited for her first Carnaval with her parents.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFlor, Papi, and Mami zip through the streets! They're off to Carnaval! When they arrive, the plaza is bursting with sights and sounds—people shouting and laughing, fried food sizzles, and the aroma of funnel cake wafts through the air. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFlor's feet can hardly keep still as the music of tambores and trumpets thump out a rhythmic beat. Papi lifts Flor on his shoulders so she doesn't miss a thing. Below her, the Carnaval is a brilliant swirl of pinks, purples, oranges, and blues. There's so much to see!\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrom los lechones de Santiago, who spin in circles, dancing their African and Latin dances. They sway and shake like palmas in the wind. Flor throws her arms in the air and swings them left to right. When Los Taínos appear, their grass skirts swish in the wind, their painted bodies telling stories of the ancestors. Everything about them seems from some other time and place, but Flor knows they are apart of her.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNext comes Roba la gallina in his rainbow dress, singing and throwing candy to the crowd, telling Flor to keep her ancestors alive and strong by telling their stories. El Diablo Cojuelo is not far behind. He taunts and teases, but Flor stands tall and brave. She knows it's all just fun and games.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBut then El Diablo invites her to join show! Finally! Flor, dances, whisked away by myth and magic, surrounded by Black and Brown beauty everywhere.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eWe're Off to Carnaval!\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is a joyous homage to a tradition that celebrates freedom, heritage and connection.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eABOUT THE AUTHOR\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eJasminne Mendez is a best-selling Dominican American poet, translator, playwright and award winning author. Her middle grade novel in verse \u003ci\u003eAniana del Mar Jumps In \u003c\/i\u003ereceived a Pura Belpré Honor Award, and her YA fiction debut \u003ci\u003eThe Story of My Anger\u003c\/i\u003e received the 2026 Pura Belpré Honor Award. Her other books have received prizes from the Texas Institute of Letters, the Writer’s League of Texas and the International Latino Book Awards. She is an MFA graduate of the Rainier Writing Workshop at Pacific Lutheran University and a University of Houston alumni.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kindred Stories","offers":[{"title":"RSVP ONLY","offer_id":50973681221887,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"RSVP WITH BOOK","offer_id":50973681254655,"sku":"9780593625606-EVENT","price":18.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0527\/3577\/0820\/files\/JasminneMendez.png?v=1794264064","url":"https:\/\/kindredstorieshtx.com\/products\/author-talk-were-off-to-carnaval-with-jasminne-mendez-january-9-11-am","provider":"Kindred Stories","version":"1.0","type":"link"}