Storytellers are always looking for fine story collections from which to mine their latest gems. With Hispanic Heritage Month fast approaching (Sept. 15-Oct. 15), a great collection of Latin American tales is just right. Senor Cat’s Romance is a terrific introduction to classic stories that are an integral part of Hispanic tradition.

Lucia Gonzalez has assembled a number of popular tales with crowd appeal, including two of this reviewer’s personal favorites: “The Little Half-Chick” and “Martina, the Little Cockroach.” Even those faint-hearted souls with a particular aversion to cockroaches will not be able to help sharing in Martina’s sorrow when her sweet, gentle Ratoncito Perez suffers a terrible accident. In some versions of this story, the mouse dies—a terrible blow—or worse, Martina is gobbled up by a feline suitor as punishment for her vanity. Thank goodness Gonzalez has opted for an ending wherein the good-natured rodent husband not only recovers, but it is revealed that Martina has an unexpectedly beautiful voice, a quality that goes far toward redeeming the more repulsive aspects of this insect—even if couched in fantasy. And in a culture where children are often instilled with a sense of entitlement rather than schooled in sound moral character and the value of community service, Half-Chick’s hard-learned lesson truly hits home.

Four other stories grace this collection, and each one is followed up with a note about its origins as well as a glossary of the Spanish words used in the text—and perhaps most helpful of all, a pronunciation guide! All elements of the compilation are extremely well thought-out and executed, making it an immensely useful and entertaining source of Hispanic folklore.