Author Dulce Torres-Petty, Tandem Alameda County Program Supervisor, all dressed up and celebrating the Day of the Dead.

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Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) is one of my favorite holidays. I love that in my culture we celebrate the lives of those that have passed and we have a special day to remember them and wait for their spirits to visit. These celebrations are lively and fun, with humor playing a central role in honoring the lives of our departed.

Ever since I was a girl I remember watching my granny make extensive preparations throughout October to lay out the altar of offerings: taking out all the photos of our late relatives, baking bread, preparing chicken with mole (a savory sauce made with tomato, chili, and cocoa) and tortillas, making candied pumpkin, buying flowers, candles, and little sugar skulls. These days were always very special for my family and to this day I keep a permanent altar in my house to always remind me of my grandparents.

Since you can build a child’s literacy skills anytime and anywhere, here are a few tips for doing just that, while also celebrating this culturally rich holiday:

1.  Write calaveritas literarias with your children.
In the Mexican tradition, one of the ways we “laugh” at death is by writing “calaveritas literarias.” Basically, these are short rhymes written about people who are still living, but in which death portrays a fun or silly role. For example, take a look at this calaverita that my mother wrote for me:

When Dulce was sitting, very content
telling a story to children,
Along came the skeleton lady, intent
on staying to hear the reading.
At the end of the story the skeleton lady
waltzed Dulce straight to the cemetery.
Now she tells stories down there in the tomb
And everyone listens in her new classroom.

2. Make an altar in your house in remembrance of your loved ones who have passed away.
Tell stories with your children about the people you are honoring, and as you place offerings on your altar, describe each one. Some offerings you can add to your altar include: pan de muerto (a sugary bread, popular for the holiday), sugar skulls, marigolds and other colorful flowers, tissue paper flowers, papel picado (colorful flags made of cut tissue paper), candles, a cross, candied pumpkin, water, photos of the deceased, or their favorite foods.

3.  Share books about Día de Muertos with your children. We recommend: