Overview
A young girl describes what a typical day is like in her parents' Chinese store in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Recipient of a Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Honor in 2000.
From the clip, clop of the milkman's mule in the early morning to the clacking of her father's abacus at night, a young girl brings us into her home, which is also her parents' store. Located in Guatemala City, the store is filled with the colorful textures of cloth, threads, buttons, and things from her parents' homeland in China. As people come and go throughout the day, the girl hears several languages-Spanish, Chinese, and Mayan.
The Mayans buy thread for weaving in colors such as "parrot green" and "mango yellow." The girl's parents talk about their hometown in China, from which they emigrated, fleeing a war, years ago. The girl and her brothers and sisters make up games to play on the rooftop terrace, on the sidewalk, and in the store. After supper the girl dances to celebrate her day.
Lyrical writing and delightful artwork will captivate both children and adults in this story drawn from the author/illustrator's childhood memories.
While major retailers like Amazon may carry Mama and Papa Have a Store, we specialize in bulk book sales and offer personalized service from our friendly, book-smart team based in Portland, Oregon. We’re proud to offer a Price Match Guarantee and a streamlined ordering experience from people who truly care.
We’re trusted by over 75,000 customers, many of whom return time and again. Want proof? Just check out our 25,000+ customer reviews—real feedback from people who love how we do business.
Prefer to talk to a real person? Our Book Specialists are here Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST and ready to help with your bulk order of Mama and Papa Have a Store.