Gary Soto's Too Many Tamales earned critical acclaim from Parents' Choice and Booklist magazines. This endearing story stars Maria, a young girl who is now old enough to help her mother make the traditional Christmas tamales. While kneading the masa, she spots her mom's precious ring lying on the table. Just to see what it feels like, she slips it on and continues her work. The real trouble begins later when she notices the ring is missing. Could it have been cooked into one of the tamales?