THE NEXT CHAPTER: A gathering to celebrate Children's Book Press' past and future

After 36 years of publishing groundbreaking multicultural and bilingual picture books, Children’s Book Press is moving into its next phase of existence as an imprint of New York–based publisher Lee & Low. Please join us as we celebrate the enormous impact CBP has had on children’s literature and the lives of countless children and their families.

Saturday, March 3rd, 2012

7:00 PM (Program begins at 7:30 PM)

The Green Arcade Bookstore

1680 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94102

Enjoy light refreshments while listening to tributes by authors, artists, former staff and other community members. A limited number of Children’s Book Press’ archival paperbacks will be sold at their original 1975 prices! This event is FREE and open to the public. All

ages welcome!

Please RSVP to cbp.nextchapter@gmail.com by February 27th.

A partial list of books published by Children's Book Press

Spring is right around the corner, but for many of us, winter still has us in her grip. If you're looking for a book with which to snuggle up with your nenes, consider Hats, Gloves, Hot Cocoa With Love/Gorros, Guantes, Chocolate Caliente Con Amor.

This bilingual picture book is a short poem that reflects the warmth of the season. It comes with full text in both English and Spanish. It is a great way to teach second language learners new vocabulary associated with winter.

The illustrations are attractive and childlike, encouraging to young artists. After reading this book, break out some paper and crayons and ask your child to draw their favorite winter scene.

A recipe for hot cocoa is included at the beginning of the book, and a glossary can be found in the back. This book is best suited for children ages newborn to 6 years old.

To purchase a copy, visit the author, Gretchen Archambault's, website at http://www.angelchildrenbooks.com/.

February's Libro del Mes: Lola's Fandango

Lola's Fandango, El fandango de Lola

by Anna Witte

illustrated by Micha Archer

narrated by the Amador Family

We are deviating just a bit from our normal selections for this month's libro del mes. Instead of a bilingual book, we have chosen a bilingual audio book published by Barefoot Books.

Lola's Fandango is a heart-warming story about a young girl named Lola, who feels trapped in the shadow of her vibrant, older sister, Clementina...until one day when she discovers a pair of dancing shoes in her Mami's closet. After a little bit of pleading, Lola's Papi finally agrees to teach Lola the art of flamenco. But does Lola have the duende needed to really master the dance?

My children and I first listened to this book at their bedtime reading routine. I popped the CD into the player and we curled up on my daughter's bed. It was so much fun listening to this story while turning the pages of the book. The storytelling CD is filled with not just the voice actors' words, but also with music and sound effects that truly bring this book to life. And before I knew it, we were tapping our feet and clapping our hands to the rhythms within the story.

The Spanish version of this book is just as rich and entertaining as the English version. I really appreciate the quality of the CDs and the recording by the Amador family - and I think you will, too. Both versions come with a 3-track CD that includes an intro, a read-aloud, and a follow-along with page-turn signals.

The illustrations are bold and colorful, creating an feeling of movement and rhythm to the story. I could see snapshots of my own family in Spain embedded within the book and I was happy to introduce some of the scenes to my children.

I have been super pleased with the audio books that we've listened to lately. And I have found them to be a wonderful tool for developing my children's literacy skills. So I am extremely happy to recommend this particular book as the LBBC's February Book of the Month.

Teachers and parents: This book is great for studies on flamenco, Spain, and family relationships. Other good topics would be sibling rivalry, individuality, music, and dance. Best suited for children ages 4 and older

To purchase your own copy of Lola's Fandango/El fandango de Lola, visit Barefoot Books' website.

The 2012 Pura Belpré Award Winners

Last month this year's winners of the Pura Belpré Award were announced. I am so excited that both the Author and the Illustrator Awards went to two excellent books reviewed on the LBBC last year, as was one of the Illustrator Honor Books. I am eager to read the other honor books and share them with my children. If you are looking for some good reading this month, take a look at these titles. To read the LBBC reviews, click on the linked titles. Also, you can watch the video made by Rafael López on our sister site, MommyMaestra.com.

2012 Author Award Winner

Under the Mesquite

by Guadalupe García McCall

2012 Illustrator Award Winner

Diego Rivera: His World and Ours

by Duncan Tonatiuh

2012 Author Honor Books

Hurricane Dancers: The First Caribbean Pirate Shipwreck

by Margarita Engle

Maximilian and the Mystery of the Guardian Angel:

A Bilingual Lucha Libre Thriller

by Xavier Garza

2012 Illustrator Honor Books 

The Cazuela that the Farm Maiden Stirred

illustrated by Rafael López

written by Samantha R. Vamos

Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match /Marisol McDonald no combina

illustrated by Sara Palacios

written by Monica Brown

Bilingual Reading- In English and español

Listen to María de la Luz Medina Pérez reading Braid/ Trencitas and René Has Two Last Names/ René tiene dos apellidos. Have fun, if you have the books, go get them!

Braids/Trencitas 

By Kathleen Contreras

Illustrated by Margaret Lindmark

This bilingual story shows the importance of family and of reading, while also emphasizing the rewards of passing along cultural traditions. Beautiful illustrations portray the moving story of Bela and her grandma, who love to tell stories, braid hair, and play lotería with the family: "Our stories, like our braids, bind us forever."

Listen/ Escucha

Braids

Trencitas

 René Has Two Last Names/René Tiene Dos Apellidos
    By René Colato Laínez

    Illustrated by Fabiola Graullera Ramírez

Young René is from El Salvador, and he doesn't understand why his name has to be different in the United States. When he writes Colato, he sees his paternal grandparents, René and Amelia. When he writes Laínez, he sees his maternal grandparents, Angela and Julio. Without his second last name, René feels incomplete, "like a hamburger without the meat or a pizza without cheese or a hot dog without a wiener."

This charming bilingual picture book for children ages 4 - 8 combines the winning team of author René Colato Laínez andillustrator Fabiola Graullera Ramírez, and follows their award-winning collaboration, I Am René, the Boy / Soy René, el niño. With whimsical illustrations and entertaining text, this sequel is sure to please fans and gain many new ones while explaining an important Hispanic cultural tradition.

Listen/ Escucha

René Has Two Last Names

René tiene dos apellidos

The LBBC's Favorite Latino Children's Literature Reviewed in 2011

This past year, the LBBC reviewed a lot of great books for the Latino children's market. Here are our favorite books for 2011...

¡Olé! Flamenco

Photo-essayist, George Ancona, explores this passionate, colorful, and explosive Spanish dance.

The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred

by Samantha R. Vamos

Illustrated by Rafael López

Written in the same rhyming format as that of “The House That Jack Built”, Cazuela gives this classic rhyme a bilingual twist.

Deigo Rivera, His World and Ours 

by David Diaz

A beautifully illustrated book that inspires the reader to think of how Diego’s art is relevant today.

Under the Mambo Moon

by Julia Durango

A unique story that explores various types of Latin American music - from Colombia’s cumbia to the Dominican merengue to the candombé of Uruguay. 

Under the Mesquite

by Guadalupe Garcia McCall

 

 The moving story of Lupita, the oldest of 8 children in a close-knit familia, and her struggle to keep her family together while dealing with the emotional burden after her mother is diagnosed with cancer.

 

 

 

Dancing Home

by Alma Flor Ada and Gabriel Zubizarreta

 

The story of two cousins, Margie (Margarita) and Lupe, who are learning to embrace their cultures while fitting into a new one.

De Colores, Bright with Colors

Illustrated by David Diaz

A picture book based on the well-known folksong that was brought to the Americas by the Spaniards in the 16th century.

Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People

By Monica Brown

Illustrated by Julie Paschkis

A beautifully illustrated and written book that introduces children to the Chilean poet and to the concept of words as art.

Caramba! Kids™

A note from José-Luis Orozco


You are invited to visit my new website, Caramba! Kids™ (www.carambakids.com), an innovative bilingual educational web-based portal that delivers effective learning tools for pre-school and elementary school aged children.


Caramba! Kids™ includes bilingual music by me (José-Luis Orozco) and educational content co-developed with insight from award winning experts in animation, music, technology and early childhood development.


Caramba! Kids™ includes videos, songs and activities to teach skills to young kids that are crucial for their success in school. It includes user friendly activities directed to educators and parents to use along with the songs. Every activity has been carefully developed and are linked to the newly developed core standards.


To experience the very best in bilingual educational resources for children ages 8 and under, visit Caramba! Kids™ now!


Sincerely,


José-Luis Orozco

The 2nd Children's Poetry Festival Takes Place in El Salvador

On November 16 - 18, 2011, the 2nd Children's Poetry Festival was celebrated in San Salvador, El Salvador. Author Jorge Argueta was kind enough to share this beautiful video with us. It is a little tribute to this amazing festival...

¿Pavo para la Cena de Gracias? ¡No, gracias!

 ¿Pavo para la Cena de Gracias? ¡No, gracias!

by Alma Flor Ada

illustrated by Vivi Escrivá

One of the cutest Thanksgiving books I've read in a while, ¿Pavo para la Cena de Gracias? ¡No, gracias! is the story of a turkey who is worried about being Thanksgiving dinner after he overhears a conversation about how fat and tasty he will be! Fortunately, una araña, in a nearby tree takes it upon herself to figure out how to help him out of his predicament.

The back of the book contains tips for parents on how to discuss the book and relate it to the child's life. This book is a lovely companion book to the classic story, Charlotte's Web. Available in English and Spanish, it is best suited for children ages 4 to 8.

You can see some sample pages and listen to a portion of the book on Del Sol Book's website.

Fly, Fly Butterfly/ Vuela, vuela mariposa

Written by  Diego H. Pedreros Velásquez

A beautiful book has emerged...

Fly, Fly Butterfly/Vuela, vuela mariposa, winner of the 2011 Skipping Stones Nature Books Honor Award, is hailed as being an “exceptional contribution to multicultural and ecological awareness in children’s literature.”

The journey of the monarchs...

“The author uses the monarch as a metaphor for how we should face life, and connects the fate of monarchs to how humans affect the planet. Excellent photographs by the author of monarchs and wildlife around Goleta (California)... The design, layout and artwork in the book capture the sense of wonder and adventure of learning about new things through the eyes of both the child and her father. It’s clear that this book was a labor of love... Perhaps the book’s most unique feature is that it is bilingual.”  Chip Taylor, director of Monarch Watch.

For more information visit, http://www.forlymonarch.com/

November's Libro del Mes: Dancing Home

Dancing Home

By Alma Flor Ada and Gabriel Zubizarreta

What a joy it is to share with you this month’s LBBC Book of the Month! With all the current rhetoric on what it means to be American and English-only agendas, I found Dancing Home to be such a beautiful lesson with a reaffirming message for our bilingual and bicultural children.

Dancing Home is the story of two cousins, Margie (Margarita) and Lupe. Margie is an acculturated Latina student living in California. She was born in Texas, speaks English, and knows without a doubt that she is American...until her cousin, Lupe, from Mexico comes to live with them. Then Margie begins to question what exactly it means to be “American” and is surprised to discover that embracing another culture and language does not mean you have to abandon the first.

Lupe has arrived in the United States not knowing the language or the people, but she is determined to try her best and has hope that she can find happiness in her new life.  She finds her bilingual education class to be very different from her school back in Mexico, but in it Lupe discovers the tools she needs to succeed academically and socially.

The book does such a great job of destroying stereotypes and judging people based on the way they look or the language they speak.

I like how the story provides the point of view of both girls. At the beginning, Margie has very negative feelings about her Mexican heritage. She doesn’t like to talk about it and has gone to great lengths in order to assimilate into her school by rejecting anything that that reflects the culture.  She is embarrassed by her cousin who doesn’t speak any English and resents the changes at both home and school that Lupe seems to bring with her.

Lupe’s character does a great job of showing how difficult it is for a child – or any person, for that matter – to move to a different country where they don’t know the language.  But her courage and strength come from her love for her culture. And the book ends by showing how beautiful and fortunate these girls are to have both cultures in their lives.

This book is best suited for older children ages 7 and up. Teachers and parents: This is a great book for discussing the value of being bilingual and bicultural. Other topics include immigration, friendship, teasing, assimilation, and the Mexican culture.

If you would like to buy your own copy of Dancing Home, please click here. The book is available in English or Spanish. Or you can follow the link in our sidebar to the LBBC’s on-line store. We have both new and gently used copies available.