Pepe and the Parade: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage

Join Pepe as he celebrates his Mexican-American heritage by participating in a Hispanic Day parade. Children will delight in seeing many Hispanic cultures proudly honored in this joyous picture book.

Pepe wakes up energized to attend his first Hispanic Day parade. With new food to taste, music to dance to, and a parade to watch, Pepe couldn’t be more excited to celebrate and share his Hispanic heritage. Many of Pepe’s friends also attend the festival, celebrating their own Hispanic ties. Mexican, Dominican, Panamanian, Colombian, Honduran, Nicaraguan, Chilean, Puerto Rican, Salvadoran, Guatemalan, and Cuban cultures are all represented in the parade. A day filled with joy and pride, Pepe and the Parade is a jubilant celebration of culture and identity.

Illustrated by Pura Belpré Honoree, Mirelle Ortega, and with Spanish words effortlessly included throughout, this gorgeous story is a great introduction to the Spanish language. A glossary of Spanish words, complete with English translations, and an educational author’s note provide useful tools for further learning and discussion.

Tracey Kyle is a children’s book author and an eighth-grade Spanish teacher. She studied in Madrid, which inspired her to write her first picture book, Gazpacho for Nacho. Tracey is also the author of the stunning picture book, A Paintbrush for Paco. When she’s not writing lesson plans or working on a new story, she loves to read, cook, and practice yoga. She lives in Virginia with her husband and their two cats. Learn more about Tracey at traceykyle.com

Mirelle Ortega is an illustrator and concept artist currently living in California. She’s originally from the southeast of Mexico, and has a passion for storytelling, sci-fi, film, tv, color, and culture. Mirelle has a BFA from the Tecnológico de Monterrey (Monterrey, Mexico) in digital art and 3D animation, and an MFA from Academy of Art University in San Francisco. She is fluent in Spanish and English. mirelleortega.com