The Twenty-Five Mixtec Cats — Matthew Gollub

The healer in an Oaxacan village returns from market with 25 kittens, but the unfamiliar animals are viewed by the townspeople with suspicion and scorn. When an evil spell threatens the local butcher, the healer and his cats save her life and win the villagers' hearts. "Succeeds on all levels....The story is told in easy colloquial English that has the cadenced feel of Spanish. The illustrations are remarkable."--School Library Journal.