The Little Float That Could

The big day has arrived and the youngest riders in the Mardi Gras Day parade are ready to share their beads and trinkets with the children of New Orleans. But as they prepare to start the parade, their float falters and breaks a wheel.

Will the children be able to work together to bring the magic of Mardi Gras to the Crescent City? In this Louisiana adaptation of The Little Engine That Could, the children must work together and ask for assistance from other floats as they try to celebrate the spirit of the day.  It will take some persuading to make it across and onto the parade route! What will give the float the confidence to get across and entertain all the costumed children waiting to see the parade?

From their costumes as Louisiana animals to their discussion of leaving the float barn across the river from the parade, the story provides local details to help initiate young readers in the mysteries of Mardi Gras.

Author and illustrator Yvonne Spear Perret captures the hopes and fears of the children as they prove that even the smallest riders can have the biggest spirit. The illustrations add the glittering sights of the season through bright decoration, highlighting the traditional Carnival colors of purple, green, and gold. The book is completed with a glossary of Carnival and costume-themed terms.