Well, once again here I am with more to tell you about a holiday just after it happened! I think the foods of Cinco de Mayo are absolutely delicious, but until I worked on Marco’s Cinco de Mayo, I knew very little about the history behind the holiday.

The event commemorated on Cinco de Mayo is a battle between French and Mexican soldiers in 1862. The French soldiers were thought to be the best in the world, but the Mexicans (who were outnumbered by the French) defeated them at the Battle of Puebla on May 5. This battle did not end their war, but it was a major boost to the Mexicans’ morale.

Our book Marco’s Cinco de Mayo tells the story of the battle, but it also tells the story of young Marco. He is going to perform at his community’s Cinco de Mayo celebration, but he is so nervous he doesn’t know if he can do it. He thinks of those brave Mexican soldiers 150 years ago, and he then finds the courage to get up on stage. Dance, Marco, dance!