Sisters Forever, Near or Far—Featuring “Growing Up with Tamales” and “The Two Mutch Sisters”

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Looking for more picture books about sisterhood? Add these titles to your list!

Growing Up with Tamales / Los tamales de Ana (English and Spanish Edition) by Gwendolyn Zepeda and April Ward

Meet Ana and Lidia. They are sisters who are two years apart. Every year at Christmas, it is a tradition in their family to make tamales. Tamales is a dish made of corn dough and steamed in corn husk. Ana is six years old at the time the story begins. Ana describes the tasks that she and Lidia are assigned to. The years pass, and Ana turns eight, ten, twelve, fourteen, and sixteen. Lidia is two years ahead, so she always gets to do the big sister things no matter what. Ana wishes she could do what Lidia does. Later, readers will see how Ana’s perspective changes as she prepares for adulthood herself. This bilingual edition is perfect in teaching Spanish to children. I like how Zepeda portrayed the relationship of the siblings through tamales. Tamale-making is a labor of love, and Ana has nothing but love and admiration for Lidia, even though it may seem like Ana is jealous of the things that Lidia is allowed to do. This is a tender picture book about two sisters who are forever bound by love.

The Two Mutch Sisters by Carol Brendler and Lisa Brown

Meet Violet and Ruby. They are known as the Mutch sisters. The Mutch sisters are big collectors and they also buy two of everything—from toy teapots when they were younger to two sundials, two snorkels, two clavichords, and two tapestries when they got older. That wasn’t even half of their possessions! The house was jammed with so many things, that the Mutch sisters could appear in an episode of Hoarders! One day, Ruby decided that she has had enough. She loaded a moving truck with half of everything they owned and hauled it to a new house on the other side of town. What do you think would happen next? This picture book is perfect for teaching kids about siblings staying close—literally and figuratively—in spite of their differences.