Menudo Sunday

Paletero Man meets Besos for Baby in this Spanish-English counting picture book that’s bursting with all the love, laughter, and chaos found at a large family gathering.

Sundays are the best: that’s when a little girl and her mamá, abuelitos, tías and primos all gather together to eat yummy menudo, a traditional Mexican soup. But when playtime with the cousins and family dogs gets out of hand and Abuelito Esteban’s special bowl of menudo breaks, everyone has to pitch in to make a new batch! Through all the menudo mishaps and sneaky snacks for perritos with wagging tails, young readers will giggle as they learn to count from 1-15 in Spanish and English. Bonus materials at the back of the book include a glossary of Spanish words, a note from the author, and tips for hosting your very own Menudo Sunday!

A Chicago Public Library and School Library Journal Best Book of the YearAn ALA 2026 Rainbow Book List Selection
An ALSC 2026 Notable Children’s Books Selection

★ "The abuelitos are a loving couple who warmly welcome their family to a celebration of love and connection; the counting and addition of well-chosen and highly supported Spanish is a bonus. Highly recommended." —School Library Journal, starred review

★ "[An] emotionally layered counting book . . . Meza’s digital colors under pencil and charcoal lines add texture and depth to Águila’s numerically driven narrative about a family experiencing life’s ups and downs together." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

"Águila mixes in Spanish words as she whips up a delicious story of family and food . . . Meza’s illustrations are especially notable for their strong sense of place; small touches, such as the mismatched chairs and vibrantly painted ofrenda (a Día de los Muertos altar), make this tale truly feel like Sunday with los abuelos in a Mexican American home. As warm and welcoming as menudo con la familia." —KirkusMaría Dolores Águila is a Chicana poet and writer from San Diego, California. Deeply inspired by Chicane history and art, she seeks to write empowering and inclusive stories about everything she learns. She is also the author of the historical fiction picture book Barrio Rising: The Protest That Built Chicano Park.

Erika Meza was born in Mexico, fell in love with animation on the border of California, and developed a taste for eclairs in Paris before moving to the UK to teach at Nottingham Trent University. She is the illustrator of numerous children's books including My Two Border Towns by David Bowles and Salsa Lullaby by Jen Arena.