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Kersten Hamilton
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Days of the Dead Kindle Edition

by Kersten Hamilton (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 26 ratings
See all formats and editions
By the critically acclaimed author of Tyger Tyger, a warm, magical story of a girl’s struggle to keep a promise to her dead mother.

Glorieta Magdalena Davis Espinosa is happy that Papi married Alice. She’s happy that he can smile again after years of mourning Mamá. But the urn containing Mamá’s ashes disappeared into a drawer the day Alice moved in.

If everything about Glorieta’s life is going to change, then she wants one thing to go her way: She wants to hear stories about her mamá when the family gathers on the last night of los Días de los Muertos. And that can only happen if Tia Diosonita will allow Mamá to be buried with the Espinosas in holy ground. If she will allow people to speak Mamá’s name.

With the help of her best friend, River, and her cousin Mateo, Glorieta sets out to convince Diosonita that Mamá is not burning in Hell. To do so, she’ll have to learn to let hate go—and to love the people who stand in her way.

In prose that sparkles with magical undertones, author Kersten Hamilton weaves a tender story about grief, faith, and the redemptive power of love.
Previous page
  1. Reading age
    8 - 12 years
  2. Print length
    193 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Grade level
    5 - 8
  5. Publisher
    Sky Pony
  6. Publication date
    September 4, 2018
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
  10. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  11. ISBN-13
    978-1510728585
  12. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Hamilton is a wonderful, dynamic writer. Glorieta’s courage and faithful search for goodness will make your heart glow a little brighter.” —Francisco Stork, award-winning author of Marcelo in the Real World

"Timely in its treatment of immigration injustices, and timeless in the exploration of the enduring spiritual and cultural traditions of the author’s beloved home. An engaging story of strength, love, and redemption, complete with dazzling touches of laugh-out-loud humor." —Laura Resau, award-winning author of The Lightning Queen

Review

Praise for the Goblin Wars trilogy by Kersten Hamilton

"Laced with humor, packed with surprises and driven by suspense, the plot grabs readers from the start using the stylistic tactics of the best fantasy writing. . . . Buy this novel for readers of Franny Billingsley and Dia Calhoun as well as fans of urban fantasy."―Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Ancient Irish myths and legends mix and mingle with the modern world in this fast-paced fantasy. . . . Hamilton has created characters who are quirky and complex. Their stories are tightly woven together and riveting, and readers will look forward to the next installment in the series."―School Library Journal, starred review

"Hamilton seamlessly blends magic and realism....The searing chemistry between Tea and Finn will have romance fans swooning"―Bulletin


"Brimming with heroism, violence, romance, and tragedy. . . . This will more than satisfy series fans―it will make them laugh, fill them with wonder, and uplift them in the end."―Booklist Online

Praise for Gadgets and Gears by Kersten Hamilton

A Winter 2013–2014 Indie Next Pick

"Fast paced and funny, with plenty of alliteration and word definitions provided by Noodles, it carries hints of both Lemony Snicket's wordplay and the absurdity of M. T. Anderson's Pals in Peril series. . . . Young, precocious readers and older readers looking for a shorter read will enjoy this first title in the Gadgets and Gears series."―Booklist

“Hamilton makes the comedic most of her premise. . . . Noodles's antics and droll, mannered narration make him the indisputable star of this show." ―Publishers Weekly

"Steampunk with training wheels for the chapter book set. . . . Sly humor . . . nifty, gear-laden illustrations . . . [an] imaginative, engaging premise."―Kirkus Reviews

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B072R5YMK2
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Sky Pony; Illustrated edition (September 4, 2018)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 4, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1052 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 193 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars 26 ratings

About the author

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Kersten Hamilton

Kersten Hamilton

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I was born in a trailer in High Rolls, New Mexico, in 1958.

By my sixth birthday, I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wanted to be a writer. I was fascinated by the sound of words, the sweep of story. I wanted to make word magic and tuck it inside the covers of a book.

A writer needs a very tough skin. And she needs something to write about.

Fortunately, my parents were quite eccentric. My childhood can only be described as ‘exciting.’

I tracked caribou and arctic wolves across my family’s homestead in Alaska, caught tiny tree frogs in the swamps and rain forests of the Pacific Northwest, and chased dust devils and rattlesnakes across the high desert of New Mexico.

Against all odds, I survived my many misadventures. I was not electrocuted or drowned. Most of the bullets missed, and the incidents with bears, snakes, wolves, and angry moose were not fatal.

Before I settled down to have children I worked as a ranch hand, a wood cutter, a lumberjack, a census taker, a wrangler for wilderness guides, and an archeological surveyor.

I am the author of several picture books and many middle grade novels. Tyger Tyger, book one of the Goblin Wars series, is my first novel for young adults.

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
4.4 out of 5
26 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Frida Kahlo
5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet story.
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2022
Verified Purchase
This book is great for both kids and adults. Great story and good moral and theme.
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Wondermajica
4.0 out of 5 stars A heartwarming story about family.
Reviewed in the United States on September 14, 2018
There are many things going on in this book, but for the most part, it works. The main focus is on Glory and how she is adjusting to her new family. After the death of her mother, her father has remarried a woman named Alice who has two children from a previous marriage. After their father unexpectedly drops them off to stay with their mother for a while, Glory finds herself being forced to share a room with her stereotypically evil stepsister. On the surface, Lillith is a bully and Glorieta will do anything to protect her friends from her. On top of the drama at home, Glory is also trying to come up with a plan to convince her Tia Diosonita to allow her mother to rest in the family camposanto in time for Los Dias de los Muerto. Days of the Dead allows us to stay close by her side as she tries to navigate this rough time in her life.

One of the biggest pet peeves when it comes to books and movies are the usages of overused and incorrect stereotypes, so I was a bit annoyed when a few characters were mostly defined by them. There is also a situation that takes place in the middle of the story that, while timely, came off as a forced attempt to make the book political. Outside of those complaints, I loved this book. The amount of growth that Glory goes through from page one to the end is amazing (but still believable) and the humor, (especially between Glory and Mateo) is hilarious.

Upon finishing Days of the Dead the first thing that popped into my head was “this was beautiful”. I plan on rereading this one several times and definitely think it belongs in the category of middle-grade books that would be perfect for adults.
2 people found this helpful
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Tessa Marie
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2019
Verified Purchase
Such a great story! Really brings the realities of whats going on in border towns while also a poignant story of modern faith.
One person found this helpful
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Michelle Kidwell
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Story
Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2018
Days of the Dead

by Kersten Hamilton

Skyhorse Publishing

Sky Pony Press

Children’s Fiction

Pub Date 11 Sep 2018

I am reviewing a copy of Days Of the Dead through Sky Pony Press and Netgalley:

Glorieta is happy for her Papi after he married Alice. He is able to smile again after years of not smiling and mourning her Mamma, but she is upset because after Alice moved in.

Glorieta wants changes to go her way if everything in her life is going to change. She wants to hear the stories about her Mamma who died when she was so young on the last night of los Dias de los Mueretos but that can only happen if Tia Disonita will allow Mama to be buried with the Espinosa’s in holy ground, if she will allow Mamma’s name to be spoken.

Glorieta sets out to convince Disonita that Mama is not burning in Hell with the help of her best friend and her cousin Mateo! In order to do this she will have to let the hate go and learn to love the very people who stand in her way.

I give Days of the Dead five out of five stars!

Happy Reading
One person found this helpful
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shari sawyers
5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful story of family and forgiveness
Reviewed in the United States on October 30, 2019
DAYS OF THE DEAD is the lovely coming-of-age story of Glorieta Magdalena Davis Espinosa. As an Espinosa, Glory bears the weight of responsibility to her community, just like Tia Adora and Tia Diosonita, the great-aunts who have helped to raise her up in the family’s traditions and steadfast beliefs. While adapting to new step-siblings, Glory feels she is the only one who remembers her beloved mother, and she begins her quest to reinstate Mama in her family’s camposanto so that she can visit during Dias de los Muertos. Growing concerns over immigration raids in their border town, and bullying problems at school, plus Glory’s own personal mission all take on the important issue of choosing kindness, compassion, and forgiveness.
I would recommend this wonderful book for students in 5th grade and up - it is a beautiful window/mirror book, and a very respectful depiction of Dias de los Muertos.
One person found this helpful
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L. J. Rinaldi
4.0 out of 5 stars Coping with days of the dead
Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2018
Glorieta has a problem. She has a new step-mother, Alice, and step-sister, Lilith and brother, Angus, but she doesn't want any of these things. She just wants her mother's ashes back out where they were before her father remarried. Lilith is not nice to her. Alice is busy, as is her father. Why can't any of them see how important that, despite her mother committing suiside, that she be allowed to be buried in the church.

There are several things going on here, including ICE coming by to arrest people, because they can. And Day of the Dead is coming, and Glorieta is hoping to honor her mother this year.

And Lilith doesn't want to be here, with her mother. She wants to be back in Los Angeles, with her Dad.

It is a sweet, moving story, and Glorieta does not give up, and works hard to get what she wants.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
One person found this helpful
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Elena
5.0 out of 5 stars A Unique and Beautiful Story
Reviewed in the United States on September 18, 2018
I really enjoyed reading this book, even though there are some very heartbreaking parts to it. It was like peeling away the layers of an onion. The book touches on everything from grief and fear to religion, folk tales, and tradition. You really feel for Glorieta because what she wants seems simple: to bury her mother with the rest of the Espinoza family. It means a lot to her, especially with Dia de los Muertos coming soon. As the layers of the onion shed, you find out more about Tia Diosonita and why she is so strict in her ways. You peel even more layers and you find out why Lilith is such a bully. Even the layers of Glorieta peel away when she experiences something so severe, that it changes the way she thinks about human life. Once you get to the core of the story, you will find how all of this affects Glorieta and how she uses this new understanding of others to change the town’s deep-rooted ways. I would recommend this book for grades 4-7. A great read!
One person found this helpful
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