November's Libro del Mes and a Giveaway!

The Best Mariachi in the World
El mejor Mariachi del mundo
By J. D. Smith
Illustrated by Dani Jones

The LBBC’s recommendation for November’s Libro del Mes, is J. D. Smith’s The Best Mariachi in the World/El mejor Mariachi del mundo.

This wonderful book is about little Gustavo, who dreams of being a great mariachi, playing the guitarrón in front of a roomful of appreciative fans. But because he cannot play the trompeta, the violín, or the guitarrón, his family won’t let him be a part of their mariachi band. He does not get to perform with them in restaurants or at wedding parties. As a result, Gustavo feels like he is the worst mariachi in the world. Until one day he discovers his true talent…

The book is written primarily in English, with Spanish words embedded throughout, and a dictionary in the back. A wonderful way to introduce new words and increase your vocabulary is by reading the words within the context of the storyline.

For a little taste, here is how the story begins…

"Gustavo was the worst mariachi in the world.
Everyone else in the family band could play an instrument.
But not Gustavo.
He did not play songs at weddings or at restaurants.
He did not wear un traje de charro or un sombrero."

And the illustrations are so adorable! The faces are so expressive, perfectly portraying the emotion in the story. And if you don’t want to take home Gustavo’s little dog by the end, I’ll eat my chanclita.

I can’t tell you, Amigas, how MUCH we thoroughly enjoy this book. If you have children, we highly recommend it. If you have little boys, it is a "must read." My son is two, and I think we have read this book almost every night for the last month. As soon as we lay down on the bed, his little hand reaches for it. Even my daughter favors this story over others.

So I have decided that because I love this book so much, and because our readership is growing quickly, I am going to giveaway a copy of this fun book. All you have to do is leave a comment saying hi and telling us what you think of the Latin Baby Book Club. The winner will be announced on Saturday, Novemeber 8th.

Or, if you would like to buy your own copy of The Best Mariachi, please click here. 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.

¡Buenas Suerte!

The Oxford First Words Series- First Spanish Words

Confession: I was one of those kids who read dictionaries. I'd sit with ones in Spanish, ones in English, Spanish-English ones and just pour over the words... I even had an Italian-Spanish dictionary I took with me when my mom would take me shopping with her (I had to be only 7 or 8, and Italian is not even a language I know!) Now, with three kids, a career, and a halfway-decent sleep schedule, dictionary reading doesn't get the time it once did, but I was thrilled when Oxford University Press asked me to review their First Spanish Words picture book for kids- it's basically a dictionary, only it's so chuli they're not calling it that.

The goal of the First Words series is to give kids a head start in language learning while their communication skills are still developing. The picture books accompany illustrations (by the talented David Melling) of a typical child's day with over 400 foreign words and their English translations. They also include supplementary material of a matching game, a counting page, shapes, opposites, weather and time.

I decided to test the book out on our older daughter, who is a very precocious 2 1/2. We sat together, I took her through the illustrations reading the vocabulary myself, and then I asked her to find things in the picture, in Spanish. She loved the challenge of pointing out the words she'd just learned and the adorable busyness of the illustrations made her giggle frequently, and definitely helped keep her engaged. We spent 30 minutes doing this, and might have gone longer, except her brother and sister woke up from nap. Another dictionary reader in the family? I think so.

But the First Spanish Words title is fun even for the less studious set. My husband and son spent some time reading and engaging with the book, and both enjoyed it. My husband said it helped him as an adult Spanish-language learner, and our son especially loved the pages featuring airplanes and dinosaurs.

I'd recommend the First Words series for bilingual as well as monolingual parents of toddlers/preschoolers/young school aged kids alike. It'll grow with your children as they grow in their bilingualism (or multilingualism- the series is available in French and German, too!). The worst case scenario is not that your kids won't like Oxford's First Spanish Words picture book, but that they'll like it so much, they'll wear it out.

A New Contributing Blogger

Just a quick post to introduce to you a new contributing blogger to the LBBC blog. Lydia Breiseth comes to us from the bilingual English-Spanish website, Colorín Colorado, where she is the Website Manager. Colorín Colorado is an online resource whose mission is to provide educators and parents with information about teaching English language learners to read and succeed. Lydia began her career teaching English to adults in Ecuador with the educational exchange program WorldTeach, and has subsequently taught English and Spanish in a variety of educational and family literacy programs to students of all ages. Prior to working at Colorín Colorado, she served as the Community Affairs Liaison at Telemundo Washington DC, managing outreach initiatives to the region’s Hispanic community.

I'm looking forward to Lydia's posts which will touch on a variety of topics including tips for learning a second language, telling us about on-line bilingual resources, news and activities at Colorín Colorado, and much more.


Please welcome her warmly!

Bilingual Parent Tips for Reading with Your Baby

It’s never too early to read with your baby! Colorín Colorado, a bilingual website with resources for parents and teachers of English language learners, offers some great tips for getting started that will help your baby develop language skills and a love of books, such as:

1. Be sure to look for baby-friendly books with bright or bold illustrations; books made of cloth or soft plastic (for the bathtub) or "board books" with sturdy cardboard pages are easier for a baby to handle.
2. Remember to keep books where your baby can reach them!

To see more of these tips in English and Spanish, visit Colorín Colorado, and if you work with parents, feel free to distribute these tips!

Also, check your public library to see what kinds of programs they offer for babies and toddlers – to get an idea of some of the services that many libraries offer, see Library Services for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers (also in Spanish).

For some reading fun with Reba McEntire, watch Toddling Toward Reading, the newest episode of Launching Young Readers from our sister site, Reading Rockets.

Hosted by McEntire, "Toddling Toward Reading" examines what it takes to give our babies and preschoolers the early literacy skills they need to become successful readers.

If you’d like more ideas about reading with your baby, take a look at these great resources!

Pierce County Library System, WA: Early Education Resources (check out the bilingual “Read to Your Baby Booklet” at the bottom of the page)

PBS Parents: About My Baby

U.S. Department of Education: Baby Talk (also available in Spanish on Colorín Colorado)

U.S. Department of Education: Healthy Start, Grow Smart bilingual pamphlets

There are lots of ideas out there – it’s just a question of finding them and getting started. Try something new each week and see what works best for your baby!

Getting Your Preschooler Ready to Read

By Christianne Meneses Jacobs

Reading is more than just saying words. Reading is about comprehending, making relations, inferring, comparing and contrasting, developing vocabulary and critical thinking. Try asking your preschooler (4 and 5 years old) questions about the book you are reading together.

Talk about the story
Who are the characters?
What does the character do?
How does the character change?
What is the setting?
What do you think it is going to happen next?
What do you think the ending is going to be?
How would you change the ending?

Talk about the words and sounds
What sounds does the letter “(choose a letter)” make?
Can you find another word that starts with the same sound?
Can you think of another word that has the same sound?
Can you think of a word that rhymes with “(choose a word)”?

Talk about the vocabulary
What do you think this word “(choose a word)” means?
Is there another way to say the same thing?
Can you think of a word that means the opposite?

It is important that as parents, you help your child listen for the first sound in a word and notice when different words start with the same sound. Also, help your child listen for words that rhyme and introduce your child to new words and their synonyms. Talk about the letters in the alphabet and try to find them in the books you read. As you walk or go shopping with your child, point out the letters on labels, street signs and foods in the grocery store. Your child will begin to notice that everything in our environment contains letters, and that those letters make words and that words make sentences that we use to communicate thoughts and feelings.

Have fun reading!

¿Me quieres mamá? O, si Mi Cielo.

Do you know the words berrinche, perreta, rabieta?

If you do, you know a small child with a hard head and you know these are Spanish synonyms for tantrum.

I have a small child with a hard head. And so, I am a woman on the verge of sirimbas with some regularity.

Which brings me to a little book I love to read with Maria on days less than smooth: "¿Me quieres mamá?'' by Barbara M. Joosse and beautifully illustrated by Barbara Lavallee. The English version is titled: "Mama, do you love me? Yes, I do, Dear One."

The book, a true classic, was published in English in 1991 and translated into Spanish. We have both versions, but I read the Spanish one 99% of the time.

It features an Arctic mother who tells her young daughter that she loves her girl more than a dog loves its tail, more than a whale loves its gusting water spout. The child pushes: What if I dropped and broke our eggs? What if I put a salmon in your parka? What if I extinguished our oil lamp? What if I turned into a mean polar bear?

At every turn, the mother tells her she might get angry, or get afraid, or get worried, but "simpre te querré.'' I will always love you.

"Tú eres me cielo,'' the mother says. "You are my love.'' "Cielo," meaning sky, is a sweet nothing for "love."

When I read that book with my daughter, the words wrap up in their tenderness, a subtle reminder that no matter how difficult our day she is, and always will be, mi cielo.

A definite must for cuddling with children ages 2 to 6, and beyond.

Magnetic Poetry for the Bilingual Family

A while back, I discovered the following product that I just love, love, LOVE! I featured it on Mi Cielito Lindo, but it has just occurred to me that this would be perfect for the book club. And we already offer these in the book club's shop. Here is the review taken from Mi Cielito Lindo...

"Magnetic Poetry has the neatest little pack of double-sided magnets for the refrigerator. With a Spanish word on one side and the English equivalent on the other, these little magnets are a great teaching tool. The kit comes with over 200 bilingual tiles!

I would definitely recommend this for older kids and adults. If you are concerned about buying magnets for your children and want more information on the type that Magnetic Poetry uses, check out their Safety Info page.

To purchase Magnetic Poetry's Kids' Spanish Kit, click here. "

Bilingual Board Book Popularity Soars

This year, bilingual board books have been a bestseller at our booth at the State Fair of TX. I have already sent two shipments of books, but they are selling faster than churros on a Saturday morning in a Spanish town plaza. So I thought that I would highlight a few of them here.

For bilingual beginners, or for Spanish-speaking toddlers, one of my favorite board book series is by Tomie dePaola. Marcos Colors and Marcos Counts are both excellent choices for learning basic concepts in Spanish. With very simple text in both English and Spanish, Marcos Colors tells the story of young, adopted Marcos who is learning English from his new and older brother, Morgie. Each page depicts objects that center around a particular color and as Morgie states the English word, Marcos repeats it, but in Spanish. Marcos Counts follows the same basic principles but with Morgie’s twin sister, Moffie, as the teacher. Both books complement each other nicely, and I was happy with how quickly my daughter picked up the words and the pronunciations.

Another crowd favorite seems to be Te Amo, Sol Te Amo, Luna written by Karen Pandell and (again) illustrated by Tomie dePaola. It is hard for us to keep this book in stock, and I think it is so popular because of the wonderful artwork. The story itself is sweet and innocent and full of love as each page shows a different child admiring the object of his/her affection. Both English and Spanish text make this book an excellent resource for teaching either language as a second language.

So for those of you with little children, why not teach them to appreciate beautiful art while they learn a second language at the same time? You can find all of these books and more, by clicking here.

Board book
For children ages newborn to 4 yrs.

Winner...

Muchisimas gracias to those who participated in the giveaway. I'm kinda surprised more of you didn't comment. Don't be shy! We have some great books to giveaway over the next few months! I can barely wait until next month's giveaway. I just want to "sing" about it! But better keep it under wraps for now.

As you can see from the picture, I executed a very complicated procedure for choosing a winner. I just put everyone's name in one of my little salsa bowls, closed my eyes, wiggled my fingers inside to mix them up and ... tada!

Avill? You are the winner!! Congratulations! Please email me directly (admin@latinbabyusa.com) with a mailing address.

And thank you all for commenting. I hope you will do so again during our next giveaway.

Don't forget to spread the word about the LBBC!

Playing Loteria / El Juego de la Loteria

La bandera! El sol! La chalupa! La sirena!.. LOTERIA!!!

Loteria is one of my favorite childhood games. It brings back so many memories of Mexico…everyone sitting around the front porch, children laughing, everyone using frijoles or bottle caps to cover their cards. I remember being in awe of one of mi tias, who would play 4 cards at a time! Loteria is a fun game for the entire family, and if you have a ‘caller’ who says dichos…it’s 10 times more fun!

This month I bring you an interview with Rene Colato Lainez and his book is Playing Loteria / El Juego de la Loteria.

In this charming story, a little boy visits his grandmother in Mexico, and with the help of la loteria, learns a new language and how special the bond between a boy and his grandmother can be. Together they discover a world of language and come to realize that loved ones truly do have special ways of understanding each other. Accompanied by vibrant illustrations, this story also offers a Spanish lesson. The rules of the game are included so you can play and learn at home, too.

1. What was the inspiration behind "Playing Loteria/ El Juego de la Loteria"?
Part for the inspiration was my love for the Lotería. I grew up in El Salvador saying the phrases: “El arbol”, “El gallo”, “El corazón.” The Lotería was the most popular spot at the fairs and festivals. Every time, we went to la feria, I had my favorite places to visit: the circus, the rides, and of course the lotería stand.
The other part for the inspiration was the students at the school where I work. Most of them come from Latino families but they have trouble speaking Spanish. I wanted to write a story where these students can discover that it is possible to speak two languages and that we need to be proud of our culture.

2. Each family has their own version of how to play Loteria, how/when did your family play the game?
At home, we played the traditional way. We had to cover all the pictures in order to win and yell “Lotería”. My older brother was always, the caller. He was very funny and said a lot of dichos and play of words every time he called the cards. All the family kids and neighbors sat in a circle on the patio and began to play. We played on weekends and after school.

3. Tell us about your experience at "La Voz Estudiantil"
I always received very positive feed back from my teachers, every time I wrote a poem or short story. I enjoyed reading the Spanish paper at school “La Voz Estudiantil” and I actually envisioned myself writing on the paper. After writing a poem in my Spanish class, I was invited to join “La Voz Estudiantil.” It was a wonderful experience, I remembered the time when I wrote a long story. The editor said that it was too long but that we could publish it in chapters. After the first chapter, I had a many students asking me “What will happen next, please tell us.” They could not wait for the next issue.

4. How can parents encourage their children to celebrate and embrace their Latino roots?
The Latino culture is rich in language, dances, and games. Parents can embrace their Latino roots to their children by dancing and singing songs (I love Cri Crí’s songs), playing clap hand games, saying dichos and refranes, telling family and folktale stories, playing traditional games like la lotería, and by reading Bilingual, Spanish and English books that celebrate the wonderful of the Latino culture and language.

Buy your copy of "Playing Loteria/ El Juego de la Loteria" at www.lacasaazulbookstore.com, you can also sign up for weekly updates from La Casa Azul Bookstore by entering your email address on the home page.

Article by: Aurora Anaya-Cerda, La Casa Azul Bookstore

Just A Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book

Just a Minute
A Trickster Tale and Counting Book
By Yuyi Morales
Illustrated by John Parra

Although Day of the Dead isn’t actually celebrated until November 1st and 2nd, because this is the month of preparations and in keeping with the festivities, the LBBC’s recommendation for October’s Libro del Mes, is Yuyi Morales’ Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book.

The book centers around the visit of Señor Calavera, who has arrived at Grandma Beetle’s house to take her with him. Of course, Grandma Beetle is a clever little abuelita and amidst promises to be ready soon, manages to delay Señor Calavera with all her important preparations for her own birthday party. For example, there is UNA casa to sweep, Dos pots of tea to boil, Tres stacks of tortillas…you get the idea.

The book is a perfect introduction to the Latino holiday as well as a delightful way to teach numbers in Spanish to little ones. The repetitive format is laid out in a manner that make it easy for toddlers to grasp the meaning of each number, yet written in such a way that it keeps the storyline moving and original.

"Just a minute, Señor Calavera."
Grandma Beetle said. "I will go
With you right away, I have just
SEVEN piñatas to fill with candy."
Señor Calavera shook his head
in disbelief, it was getting late!
SIETE Seven piñatas full
Of candy, counted Señor Calavera,
And he held open the door for
Grandma Beetle…"

The illustrations are what I classify as the 3 B’s – Beautiful, Bright, and Bold. Exactly the way a children’s book should be – especially a Latino children’s book. Morales quite obviously loves color and she arranges and blends the hues in such a way as to make the artwork joyful and lively.

I can’t get enough of this book and can barely wait for the sequel, Just in Case: A Trickster Tale and Spanish Alphabet Book, which is due out October 14th. As indicated by the title, Just in Case, is an abecedario to accompany the counting book and sounds hilarious. I will tell you all about it as soon as I get my hands on one!

In addition, I have to tell you how much I love author web sites. They tend to be so imaginative and inviting. And I especially enjoy those that include activities or lesson plans for parents/ teachers to print out. If you’d like to check out Morales’ web site, click here. Or if you would like to visit a page specifically for this book, you can find it here. It contains activity sheets for a mask project and a puppet along with a few other surprises. Teachers, you may find a downloadable teacher’s guide (grades K-3) here.

If you would like to buy your own copy of Just a Minute, please click here. 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.