"Izzy just wanted to hide.
Because hiding from your mistakes
ALWAYS works.
Oh no ... Fridays meant making tortillas.
Lito LOVED tortillas!
He loved them so much that he couldn't see
that making tortillas was the last thing
Izzy wanted to do.
She tried, but a LOT can go wrong
when making tortillas."
Izzy considers herself the President of MISTAKES. She sets out to prove it to readers while reflecting on the many she has made in her life. There are almost too many to remember. While others can see the humor in some, Izzy is having none of that. So, on a day when she made a colossal mistake while at school with a pudding cup, she has no intention of telling anyone.
Even though it is tortilla night with her grandparents, Izzy does not want to be seen or heard. She prefers hiding, which doesn't last long. Her grandparents love having her help when they are making tortillas. It does not go well. First, she sneezes dough all over her Lita's face; then, in trying to roll out the tortillas, she makes mistake after mistake until one gets stuck on the rolling pin. By the time she has shaken it off, it is all over her face!
Her astute grandfather recognizes there is more to her sadness, and asks what is wrong. It's all Izzy needs to offer the truth. A series of mishaps has resulted in everyone at school calling her Chicken Lickin' Puddin' Pickin'! Izzy is traumatized and her grandfather knows just what to do. He will eat every one of her mistakes. If Izzy will share again, he will make a taco out of each mistake and eat them. He proceeds to do exactly as planned.
As Izzy's tension eases, she makes her own unusual taco and comes up with a new idea for naming them. They will call them mistacos! Lito loves the idea and soon family members are regaling all gathered with their own mistakes, making everyone happy. When it's time to go home, and Izzy steps in it again. Oh, well! Lita is there with a bag of warm mistacos for Izzy to take to school come Monday.
Filled with some angst, endless love, a great deal of laughter and support, and a thoughtful solution to what seems an insurmountable problem, it's clear for readers that everyone makes mistakes. The cartoon images are filled with the energy of a warm and loving family. Chaos seems to be their middle name! Their use of Spanglish as they work together to make things better is explained in back matter, along with directions for making your own mistaco.