Latin Baby Book Club

February's Libro del Mes: Lola's Fandango

2012-02-12T23:44:00.000-05:00

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

2012-02-01T21:09:00.010-05:00

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

2012-01-19T23:48:00.000-05:00

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

2012-01-04T23:03:00.016-05:00

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™

2011-12-06T23:56:00.001-05:00

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

2011-12-01T19:49:00.000-05:00

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!

2011-11-22T11:05:00.000-05:00

¿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

2011-11-13T00:03:00.010-05:00

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

2011-11-10T08:06:00.000-05:00

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.

Libros del Mes: Trilingual Board Books From Little Pim

2011-10-25T00:02:00.000-04:00

For all of you who are fans of the excellent foreign language learning company, Little Pim, you will be delighted to learn that they have recently released their first set of trilingual board books.

Written in English, Spanish, and French, their first two books are titled, Feelings and Colors. I find these books to be especially engaging as both of them are interactive with flaps and tabs that allow young readers to discover the visual and written concepts. My children giggled after pulling a tab to see the smiling face of another child peering back at them.

Feelings is about Little Pim, the panda, who is learning to express himself and share his emotions with others by learning how to say the words in Spanish and French. In Colors, the reader helps Little Pim find a rainbow assortment of balloons only to discover a surprise party at the end.

These board books are just a small sampling of a long line of quality products from Little Pim, which also includes flash cards, videos, and apps. You can learn more by visiting their site at LittlePim.com.

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Disclosure: These two board books were sent to me by Abrams Books.

My Handy Writing Book: A New, Fun & Easy Way to Write Stories

2011-10-15T01:32:00.000-04:00

Writers’ Groups & Press of Ventura & Beyond
Amada Irma Pérez & Associates

PO. Box 3513

Ventura, CA 93006

Phone: 805-642-7940

www.amadairmaperez.com

contact: Amada Irma Pérez

My Handy Writing Book: A New, Fun & Easy Way to Write Stories
$9.95 * September 2011

Ventura, CA---How to write stories and narratives is something that students in all grades are expected to master, yet few methods are easy, enjoyable and unforgettable. My Handy Writing Book: A New, Fun & Easy Way to Write Stories makes the process of writing pure joy for children 6 and up, their parents and teachers. Grandparents will also find it irresistible to share and write their own stories with their lucky grandchildren as they help to color the whimsical black and white illustrations and trace hands on the blank pages. Families will create heirlooms to be enjoyed for generations.

Amada Irma Pérez is an award-winning author of many bilingual children’s books. She taught elementary and university classes for twenty-five years before becoming an author. She plans to write many more multicultural books. She lives in Ventura, California.

Lili Sosa is the owner and creative director of Lili Sosa Creative Studio. She has many years of experience in graphic design including illustration, web sites, and marketing materials in Mexico and the U. S. She lives in Ventura, California

Praise for Amada Irma Pérez’s
My Handy Writing Book: A New, Fun & Easy Way to Write Stories

“Amada Irma Pérez is a captivating storyteller and educator...Amada knows how to make the complicated act of writing easy and available to all, and for this she should be given a President’s medal. -Sandra Cisneros, author of The House on Mango Street and Caramelo

“...My Handy Writing Book is a must in schools, libraries and homes.” -Rene Colato Lainez, author of From North to South and The Tooth Fairy Meets el Raton Perez

www.amadairmaperez.com

REVIEW COPIES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

Eric Carle's La araña muy ocupada

2011-10-14T13:51:00.000-04:00

For those of you who have been wondering what sounds animals make in Spanish, check out the Spanish translation of Eric Carle's, La araña muy ocupada.

Translated by Nancy Mercado, the story is about a busy little spider who goes about making her web and ignores the attempt of various farm animals to interrupt her work. Many of you may recognize Carle's book from the English version. The Spanish version is equally adorable. Previous reviews on Amazon point out several grammatical mistakes. However, the publisher seems to have corrected these... though I did find one mistake in the translation (they use the phrase "este mosca" instead of "esta mosca").

I especially loved reading what sounds each animal makes in Spanish. And, of course, Carle's distinctive illustrations are engaging.

Here's a sample:

"Híiiiiii! Híiiiiii!" relinchó el caballo.
"¿Quieres tomar un paseo?"
Pero la araña no contestó. Estaba muy ocupada, tejiendo su tela.

So if you're looking for some English classics to share with your children, you might want to consider La araña muy ocupada.

Latina Authors Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

2011-10-05T21:47:00.000-04:00

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month Isabel Campoy, Gabriel Zubizarreta, Suni Paz, and Alma Flor Ada will be making a series of presentations. If you happen to be in the area, you may want to attend one or more of them!

October 5 - Relación escuela-hogar para asegurar el éxito de los niños/Home-School Interaction for the Success of Our Children.
California Center for the Arts, Escondido, CA
Alma Flor Ada, Isabel Campoy and Suni Paz, Wednesday October 5, 2011, 5:30PM
to 7:30PM, California Center for the Arts, 340 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido, CA 92025

October 6 - Excellence and Justice in Education Academies.
El Cajon, CA
Alma Flor Ada, Isabel Campoy and Suni Paz, Thursday, October 6, 2011, 8:00AM to 3:30PM
Author’s visit to Excellence and Justice in Education Academies,
851 South Johnson Ave., El Cajon, CA 92020, (619) 401-4150

October 7-8 Spanish Language Arts Conference.
Handlery Hotel, San Diego, CA
The goal of the conference is to assist districts to accelerate achievement for all students, eliminate the achivement gap, and increase parent and community participation, through professional development that nurtures and supports leaderships, innovation and creativity by promoting the integration of Language Development, Biliteracy and the Visual and Performing Arts.
Presenters:
Alma Flor Ada, Suni Paz, Isabel Campoy, Simon Silva. For additional information please contact: Vanessa Villasenor, Program Secretary San Diego County Office of Education, Phone: (858) 292-3548
email: vvillasenor@sdcoe.net
http://sdcoe.k12oms.org/eventdetail.php?id=51162

October 13 - Kidquake, Koret Auditorium.
San Francisco Public Library
Alma Flor Ada and her son Gabriel Zubizarreta will present their newly released book, their first collaboration as co-authors, Dancing Home, also published in Spanish as Nacer Bailando from 10AM to 12PM at the Koret Auditorium in the San Francisco Public Library. Join acclaimed children’s book authors, illustrators, poets for a morning of readings, discussion, and special workshops designed to help fuel the imagination of kids from 3rd to 5th grade.
http://www.litquake.org/calendar-of-events/event/kidquake-grades-3-5

October 13 - Colorado Bilingual Association Conference (CABE).
Denver, CO
Isabel Campoy is a keynote speaker at the Colorado Association for Bilingual Education (CABE)’s 2011 Fall Conference on Thursday October 13. The theme for the conference is “Unidos: Building Our Dream Together”
http://cocabe.org/2011_conference_56.html

October 14 - California Council for Teacher Education Conference.
San Diego, CA
Alma Flor Ada will make a featured presentation on Friday, October 14th at the Fall 2011 Conference of the California Council on Teacher Education at the Kona Kai Resort in San Diego, California. The theme of the conference, which also features Donaldo Macedo is “Reconnecting Student Voice with Teacher Education in a Globalized Society”
http://www.ccte.org/conferences/fall2011/fall2011announcement.pdf

October 21-22 USBBY Conference.
Fresno, CA
Peace the World Together with Children's Books is the theme of the 9th United States Regional Conference of The International Board of Books for Young People [IBBY]. It will take place in the Arne Nixon Center at California State University at Fresno. A unique opportunity to meet with national and international authors of children's literature.
Alma Flor Ada and Isabel Campoy will join other California authors that will be available to meet the participants and to sign their books.
http://www.usbby.org/conf_home.htm

October 24 – Kid Lit Salon: Writing Around the World. Book Passage Bookstore.
Corte Madera, CA
Spanish-born Isabel Campoy, Cuban-born Alma Flor Ada, and Gabriel Zubizarreta (Alma Flor’s American-born son) discuss collaboration and the best path to getting multicultural fiction and nonfiction children’s books published in today’s market. They will also share insights about several of their books, like the recently published Ten Little Puppies/ Diez perritos and Dancing Home as well as some of their previous titles, now beloved classics. Come join us at from 7-9PM at 51 Tamal Vista Blvd, Corte Madera, CA, 94925
http://www.bookpassage.com/event/kid-lit-salon-isabel-campoy-alma-flor-ada-gabriel-zubizarreta

October 27 and 28 Miami, FL
Alma Flor Ada and Isabel Campoy will be making a two day presentation to Dade County Spanish Language teachers. The presentation will feature Puertas al Sol [also published as Gateways to the Sun] their series of 35 titles on multiple aspects of the Hispanic culture [poetry, art, biographies, theatre, Hispanic lands], their multicultural series Libros para celebrar [also published in English as Books to Celebrate] . The books in this 12 title collection combine a contemporary real life story of children living in the United States and a non-fiction section which provides cultural and historical information on specific holidays celebrated by various cultures. For information on these presentations, please contact the Director of the Dade County Bilingual Education Office, Maria A. Miranda TMiranda@dadeschools.net

Diez Perritos, Adaptación de un canción infantil tradicional

2011-09-20T22:01:00.000-04:00

Diez Perritos

Adaptacion de un cancion infantil tradicional

By Alma Flor Ada and F. Isable Campoy

English version by Rosalma Zubizarreta

Illustrated by Ulises Wensell

My daughters and I go to our local big box book retailer all the time so we're familiar with their selection of Spanish children's books. It's not impressive; the books are either not age appropriate or we already own them. So the day I came across Alma Flor Ada's "Diez Perritos", I almost did a cartwheel!

Based on a traditional Spanish nursery rhyme, the book tells the story of a little girl with a lot of love for dogs. The little girl and her furry friends go everywhere together and this book tells the story of how easily distracted puppies can be. By the story's end, the little girl has discovered the dog she loves most. The use of repetitive phrases and rhyming words, make this a great book to help children develop a love for language and furry four legged friends.

I really love the story but I fell head over heels once the story ended and my daughters and I explored the extras at the end of the book. First, readers get the musical notes to the nursery rhyme. We've got a date with grandma's piano to make some music. My daughters have not stopped asking to sing the puppy song. And the icing on the cake is the dog breed section which shows an illustration and brief description of each dog breed depicted in the story. Who knew a Dalmation is a Dalmata in Spanish? My girls are dog people so they love to try and guess what dogs they encounter when we're out and about.

While we don't have a dog of our own (our condo association won't allow it), this book does an amazing job of satisfying my little girls' obsession for a puppy dog. This is another beautiful book by Alma Flor Ada to add to your growing collection. But be careful, you might find yourself sweet talked into adding a new four legged friend to the family!

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Carla Molina is a weaver of words and creative collaborator. A Jersey girl at heart with lots of love for Boston, she spends most of her time raising two bilingual little ladies and brainstorming more ways to write her heart out. She blogs about being a woman and a creative creature at All of Me Now. And plays cheerleader to the local businesses serving families in her current home state at Petit Rhody.

Welcome to the Latin Baby Book Club!

2011-09-16T23:40:00.002-04:00

For those of you who have recently discovered our site, bienvenidos! I am so happy you’ve found us! This is the official blog of the Latin Baby Book Club. The LLBC is a result of my work with Latin Baby, and is inspired by the many Latino families who are actively seeking a way to supplement and support their children’s education.

I just want to take a moment to share with you the goals of the LBBC, which have not changed since we began, as you can see from our very first article published on this site.

We know the value of literacy, and the important role it plays in our children’s academic success. The book club’s main goal is to encourage families to spend time reading together. All parents should spend part of each day reading to their children to develop a love of learning and to spark their imaginations.

We also believe that children should be able to see their own faces and experiences reflected in the stories they read. The LBBC promotes books that are bilingual, or that describe Hispanic culture and traditions. So many of our cultural traditions are being slowly lost with the passing of our abuelitos and the evolution of America. Toys and electronic games are quickly replacing traditional children’s games, and Latin American folksongs and nursery rhymes are being forgotten. Part of our desire is to create a resource for parents who are interested in preserving our culture.

As such, the Latin Baby Book Club strives to support Latino authors, illustrators, and songwriters who are writing down our traditions to save them for future generations. These talented artists are developing understanding, and even acceptance, in an age struggling with ignorance and intolerance. They are the whispers of our past and they give voice to la sangre hispana that is coursing through our veins.

I encourage you all to dig through the pages of this blog to find reviews of bilingual songs and literature for children (ages infant to young adult), book suggestions for Latino parents, interviews with emerging and established authors and illustrators, the official LBBC's Book of the Month/Libro del Mes, special events being held at local libraries and/or bookstores, and mucho, mucho más!

We have been honored to publish articles and reviews by a fantastic group of people, including authors, teachers, bloggers, and parents. Together they bring their Hispanic heritage to the site and I am so happy to have such a diverse representation of the Spanish-speaking world at the book club.

In the last three years, we have created a valuable resource for bilingual families. This site contains over 300 articles available for your review. And because we value the education of our Latino children so much, we encourage you to also visit our sister site, MommyMaestra.com, where we share additional resources for parents who want to be more involved in their children’s education.

So if you are a Latino parent looking to find reading material for your niños that encourages cultural pride not shame, or if you’re a non-Latino parent looking for a way to supplement your child’s bilingual education, then you have found the right place! Bookmark this site, or join our Facebook page and enjoy the beauty and richness of being bilingual.

Con mucho cariño,

~Monica

Disclosure: This post enters me into a giveaway by FlanboyantEats. However, everything expressed within this post describes the current and original goals of the LBBC.

Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match

2011-09-11T01:34:00.003-04:00

Written by Monica Brown

Illustrated by Sara Palacios

Bilingual in English and Spanish

32 Pages

Ages 4 to 8

8 ½ x 9 ¾

Hardcover ISBN 978-0-89239-235-3

Available September 2011

My name is Marisol McDonald, and I don’t match. At least, that’s what everyone tells me.

Marisol McDonald has flaming red hair and nut-brown skin. Polka dots and stripes are her favorite combination. She prefers peanut butter and jelly burritos in her lunch box. To Marisol, these seemingly mismatched things make perfect sense together.

Other people wrinkle their nose in confusion at Marisol—can’t she just choose one or the other? Try as she might, in a world where everyone tries to put this biracial, Peruvian-Scottish-American girl into a box, Marisol McDonald doesn’t match. And that’s just fine with her.

A mestiza Peruvian American of European, Jewish, and Amerindian heritage, renowned author Monica Brown wrote this lively story to bring her own experience of being mismatched to life. Her buoyant prose is perfectly matched by Sara Palacios’ mixed media illustrations.

Monica Brown is the author of many award-winning bilingual books for children, many of which are inspired by her Peruvian American heritage. Monica is a Professor of English at Northern Arizona University, specializing in U.S. Latino Literature and Multicultural Literature. She lives in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Sara Palacios was born in Mexico City. She holds degrees in Graphic Design, Illustration, and Digital Graphic Techniques, and is pursuing her MFA in Illustration at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. She divides her time between Mexico City and San Francisco, California.

HBO Presents El Perro y El Gato Series

2011-09-09T07:32:00.002-04:00

The bilingual series, El Perro y El Gato, (on HBO Latino and HBO Family) is now in print! I had not seen this show before, but after seeing a few clips of the show and reading the books, I am completely hooked! This series is best suited for second language learners, but really, I think any child would get a total kick out of these stories. My five-year-old was immediately intrigued by the covers of the book and demanded we sit down and read them together.

I think what impresses me most, is the amount of time and effort that seems to be put into this series. Take a look at this video that tells about the making of El Perro y El Gato...

The books are just as adorable. The writing is very simple, and includes full text in both English and Spanish. The illustrations are also simplistic, but together with the bold colors, it is perfect for young children.

The books are sold individually, or as a 4-book collection in the HBO online shop. The first four titles are: La granja/Farm, El doctor/Doctor, El cumpleaños/Birthday, and La nieve/Snow. I think our favorite is La granja (because the facial expressions are just so hilarious!). What a fun way to learn Spanish....or English!

The new special El Perro y El Gato Keep On Dreeming/Sigue Soñando premieres on HBO Latino and will be airing on September 15 at 7AM/6AM CT.

And if you haven't seen the show, or don't have access to it, run over to mi amiga's blog, Thoughts of a Mommy, and enter to win a set of 4 DVDs. Tell her the LBBC sent ya!

Back to School: Carmen Learns English

2011-09-08T10:12:00.008-04:00

As we prepared a new back-to-school booklist for Colorín Colorado this year, I had the pleasure to discover Carmen Learns English, written by teacher Judy Cox and illustrated by Angela Dominguez. I wasn't just charmed by our spunky heroine, though - I found myself cheering for her from the beginning of the story until the very last page of the book.

Carmen is a young girl preparing for the first day of school, and she is nervous about starting school without speaking any English. Things get worse when she arrives to school to find that none of her classmates speak Spanish.

Much to her surprise, however, her teacher (Señora Coski) greets her in Spanish! While her teacher's Spanish sounds muy terrible, Carmen knows that she has at least found someone who won’t laugh at her English. Slowly, Carmen begins to learn new words each day which she teaches to her younger sister, Lupita, at home. In the meantime, Señora Coski encourages her to teach her classmates new words in Spanish. Carmen's confidence blossoms over time, until she finally has the courage to confront a pair of bullies at the playground who make fun of her accent:

"I put my hands on my hips the way Mami does when something does not please her. 'Excuse me?' I said as polite as la Señora Coski. 'Excuse me? I don't got an accent. It's you who got the accent!'"

On the surface, this is an engaging story about a young girl learning a new language and assimilating into her new environment. Yet the story is so much more than that. Carmen is a wise and responsible older sister, preparing Lupita for kindergarten so that she doesn't have to confront the same obstacles the following year. Alternatively, the scene at the playground offers a chance to talk about bullying and respecting all of our classmates, no matter how different their backgrounds (or accents!) are.

Perhaps most importantly, however, this story offers a positive depiction of Carmen's first language rather than only celebrating her success in English. Not only does Señora Coski greet Carmen in Spanish to help her feel more comfortable on the first day, but she welcomes Carmen's language into the classroom whenever possible. When a classmate complains that Carmen recites her numbers in Spanish rather than English, Señora Coski asks Carmen to teach the class to count in Spanish, recognizing an opportunity for the class as well as the important knowledge Carmen has already learned. Señora Coski also serves as an important example for other teachers - even if you speak just a few words of a new language and it sounds muy terrible, it can provide a lifeline to a young English language learner.

Written with authenticity and filled with rich details, Carmen Learns English is a story that will inspire children of all backgrounds and will introduce young English language learners to a character that they will never forget.

For related stories, take a look at the following back-to-school booklists from Colorin Colorado and Reading Rockets:

Finally, in honor of Grandparents' Day, don't forget these great titles in the Grandma's Stories and Grandpa's Stories booklists! Happy reading!

September's Book of the Month: Under the Mesquite

2011-09-05T20:59:00.001-04:00

Under the Mesquite

by Guadalupe Garcia McCall

The LBBC’s recommendation for January’s Libro del Mes is Guadalupe Garcia McCall’s Under the Mesquite.

Under the Mesquite is the moving story of Lupita, the oldest of 8 children in a close-knit familia. Not long after they move to America, Lupita’s mother is diagnosed with cancer. This story chronicles Lupita’s struggle to keep her family together while dealing with the emotional burden that comes with knowing her mama may die. And it shows how Lupita discovers writing as an escape.

Written in free verse, Under the Mesquite immediately captures the reader’s attention with its poetic form. McCall’s descriptions are so vivid, that I felt as though I were sitting at Lupita’s kitchen table in Eagle Pass, Texas, or floating lazily on my back in the Rio Grande. I felt Lupita’s every emotion, and knew her most intimate thoughts. I really love that this story honestly depicts the struggle with poverty that Lupita’s family experiences, as well as the closeness and love that only families can understand.

Here is an excerpt:

It was Papi who first told me
I had the gift of words.
One night he said it was time
to put them on paper.
He opened Mami’s old blue suitcase,pulled out his notebook,
and leafed through
his sketches of horses,
which he worked on at night.
I caressed them as they galloped by,
page after beautiful page,
until he came to the blank pages at the back…

Under the Mesquite is written in English with embedded Spanish text. McCall does include a glossary in the back of the book.

Parents and teachers: this is a beautiful book dealing with the death of a loved one while providing hopeful ending. An excellent read if you are discussing family, dealing with family illness and loss. Other topics include extended family, immigration, Mexico, acclimating, and more. This book is best suited for older children ages 7 – 12.

If you would like to buy your own copy of Under the Mesquite, 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.

El Otro Niño by Lorraine Donlon

2011-08-23T23:03:00.001-04:00

El Otro Niño written by Lorraine Donlon is a draw it out guidebook/journal for children dealing with a special needs sibling.

Written in clear and simple language, El Otro Niño is an excellent learning tool for children to use with parents, grandparents, educators, special education service providers and social workers. Targeted for children between five- and twelve-years-old, El Otro Niño, validates the complex feelings of being the sibling to a brother or sister with special needs. It encourages siblings to express their feelings through art and writing. The book also allows siblings to appreciate their brother/sister, to respect and accept their strengths, as well as their weaknesses. It also highlights the similarities between siblings. More importantly, El Otro Niño is the beginning of an honest conversation.

While my son is an only child, I would highly recommend this book to parents with multiple children. I also believe that this book should be added to every school library and/or used with sibling support groups. It's important that children understand their feelings. El Otro Niño supports awareness and acceptance.

The sibling of sisters with special needs, Donlon wrote this book from her own experience. Born in 1959, Donlon was considered "lucky" to be "normal." However, she admits that she "didn't feel lucky" and often felt "guilty" for being a typically developing child while her sisters were "very low functioning" and "mostly non-verbal." Donlon shared that she "created El Otro Niño as a coloring book because I wanted very small children to know that all the feelings they were experiencing were nothing to be ashamed of - and actually a very normal response to a very stressful situation. Letting kids have a place to draw and talk about what they are feeling also gives caring parents insights into what "el otro niño" is feeling so concerns can be addressed in a loving and supportive way."

Donlon's advice to parents: Find a way to have "alone" time with the typically developing child. Kids with special needs demand a lot of time, energy, and resources. It's important to remember that the typically developing kids need attention too - special 1:1 time where they can just be kids and feel important.

Donlon's advice to "El Otro Niño": It's OK to need your parents, too. It's OK to have really strong feelings - both positive and negative - and that there are caring adults who will listen. It's also important for kids to know they are not alone - and can feel very reassured when they realize other siblings have felt the same way.

El Otro Niño is available on Amazon for $10.95 and is also available in English (The Other Kid).

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Lisa Quinones-Fontanez is a secretary by day, MFA Creative Writing CCNY student/blogger by night and Mommy round the clock. Lisa also is the author of AutismWonderland. Her writing has been featured in Being Latino, BronxMama and Tiki Tiki Blog.

Reader Recommendation: Nancy La Elegante

2011-08-19T22:41:00.001-04:00

Nancy La Elegante

Written By: Jane O'Connor,

Illustrated By: Robin Preiss Glasser

A girl who wants to learn French, loves ice cream and uses the word "boligrafo"? That's Nancy La Elegante for you! My daughter fell in love with this popular character because of her girly ways and flare for the dramatic (I think she saw a bit of herself in there). I fell in love with Nancy because of all the great vocabulary words sprinkled throughout the book.

Whimsical illustrations tell the story of Nancy's quest to make her family "mas elegante" (fancier). She gives silly and fun examples of what it means to be elegant such as how wearing ruffled socks help her play soccer better than socks without ruffles. Nancy is a resourceful and creative little girl who takes it into her own hands to fancify (better yet - Nancy-fy!) her family. She sets up her own in house class for her mom, dad and sister where she teaches them how to distinguish between "lo sencillo y lo elegante" (simple things and fancy things).

Her family gets the hang of the fancy life and heads out to enjoy a glammed up pizza meal. A little run in with dessert leaves Nancy feeling not so "elegante" and the family heads home to settle in for the night. At the end
of the book, after an exhausting fancy day, Nancy shares with readers that there's only one way to say "I love you".

Nancy is a regular in our house - bedtime, story time, just cause. Her silly antics and delightful way of describing things always keeps us giggling!

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Author/Illustrator Interview: Maroe Susti

2011-08-17T08:41:00.000-04:00

Technology is allowing parents to access educational tools from almost anywhere and at any time. And some of the best tools are the digital storybooks that are now available online in a variety of formats. Recently, I was thrilled to learn about 4 amazing iPad e-4books for kids in English and Spanish.

Illustrator Maroe Susti is the owner of Susti Graphics, and has created some of the most beautiful e-books that I have seen. Ms. Susti graciously consented to answer a few questions and share her story with the LBBC. I hope you will take a moment to read our mini-interview and to explore her work...

When and why did you become a graphic artist?

I grew up in a family of artists; my mother was a painter, and I think I inherited this inclination and it developed naturally throughout my childhood. It was an easy decision for me after high school to study fine arts at the Art School of the Pontificia Universidad Católica in Lima- Peru. I did a year of postgraduate study for design in Milan Italy, where among my teachers was Umberto Eco. I have extensive experience in both fine arts and graphic design. I really enjoy my work on both.

What made you decide to create educational and bilingual stories for children? And why Spanish?

I was born and raised in an Italian family in Lima, Peru. I grew up speaking Spanish and Italian, and had English classes at school; for me speaking multiple languages has always been a part of my life. When my daughter was 3 or 4 years old, I used to make up stories to teach her about simple life situations. And at bed time, I would also make up stories when she was young. She liked some stories more than others, and I would write them down to re-read to her exactly the way it was the first time; she was very particular about that.

As time went by (this was the 1980s) I roughly illustrated some stories but never got around to publishing them. My daughter was older then, and I introduced her to Sesame street magazine. She spoke only Spanish at that time and it was then that I though about a bilingual book. She eventually became an avid reader and fluent English speaker with an interest in writing.

In the 1990s, I found the stories in an old documents' box, and re-made all the illustrations in a few of the stories. At this time, I had a vague intention of publishing them sometime in the future. This lasted for several years. I worked on them on an off in my spare time. The "maybe one day I will publish," became a family joke with my daughter, but I finally did it! Or I could say we did it, because she has been part of all this process since she was very young. She would give ideas and sometimes reformat the stories. She wrote the text for Christmas Trouble/Navidad en Apuros when she was thirteen.

What is the process like? How do you go about creating an app for iPad?

All my stories are very simple since they are for 4- to 8-year-olds. They rely heavily on illustrations to promote curiosity, entertainment and a little dose of learning simple things. Since I am a visual artist, I tend to go with little text and enhance the story with the images. The hardest part is to come up with a story that not only your child will like, but all children.

The initial concept of the book is the most important. The process would begin with the concept, taking into account the kind of story you will like to write, the age of the reader, and the media of the final product. It could be for print or digital, and if digital, you have to decide for what platform. Could be iPad only, or produce a set of several versions for every tablet in the market, and/or for phones. If you plan to do a digital book and add a lot of interactivity, sound, bilingual choices, games or personalization; it has to be decided early in the project. If I had to begin from scratch today, maybe the outcome would have been different since I adapted text and illustrations that were originally for print, into an iPad format. My mind was set on a parent reading the book, promoting reading and bonding with the child. But, now that they are published, I think I will revise and improve at least two of them in some areas. I am planning to do a version 2 with more interactivity. It will upgrade automatically through the iTunes store.

How long does it take from start to finish to create a digital storybook?

If I had begun and publish the stories as if it was a deadline job, I think it would had taken me eight to twelve months for the lengthy ones. When I began with the publishing itself, the options for coding and bundling the stories where scarce. I did them with specialized coders - which I am not. Six months after I began the final production of the books, the technology has improved greatly for digital publishing with Adobe digital publishing for designers. I think publishing will be relatively fast once you have your story and illustrations finished, which is the hardest part.

You currently have four bilingual, digital books available. Can you tell us a little bit about each one? Do you have a favorite, and if so, why?

As this was "the project of my life,” I have two that are very dear to me. Sea Colours and Mr. Martin and the Birds.

SeaColours/Los Colores del Mar -I began in the late 70s. This is a story with 3 threads featuring “Mr. Green fish”, “Ms. Jellyfish” and “Octonio” the octopus. Each of the stories have common elements and tell a story of three families of sea creatures and their personal lives and activities. There is a fourth choice that gives some information about color also in both languages. I had the help of Liliana Nunez-Aguirre, an excellent translator proficient in both languages for this story.

Sea Colours concentrates on the rhyme in both English and Spanish and in detailed illustrations that promote an intimate time for the kids reading by themselves or with their parents doing it for them. There are opportunities to find and discover hidden fishes, see the jellyfishes one on one, and get to know the heroes in each story. To begin, the user has to tap on the English/Spanish seal on the cover. Every page has both languages side by side, which can help bilingual kids or those that want to learn a new language. The illustrations were digitally created.

Mr.Martin and the Birds/El Senior Martin y Los Pájaros - I began this story in 1987. It is about an old man that befriends birds he visits every day on the park. He enjoys his daily visit feeding the birds that recognize him from far away. One day is approached by a crow trying to tell him something he does not understand. He finally realizes that the little crow was telling him to leave because the rain was coming. There is some animation of birds flying in and out of the screen but no sound. The illustration are hand drawn and adapted for iPad.

The smelly Cloud/La Nube Perfumada - I began this story in late 70s. This is a very simple, short little story about a steam from a pot on a kitchen stove. The steam flies up to the sky and has some little adventures. This one has some animation and is also bilingual.

Christmas Trouble/Navidad en Apuros- This one began as images only, and later my daughter wrote the text as I said before. It is a very simple story about the troubles Santa encounters delivering gifts at Christmas.

Where do you find inspiration for your stories?

Some ideas came while my daughter was growing as I said before, while others, like Sea Colors were essentially related to my interest in color. Mr. Martin was inspired by real life. In early 1970s, I saw a woman coming every day to feed the birds in the park in front of my building where I lived. When her car approached the corner of the street, the birds would fly in circles and follow her until she opened the door of the car and spread grain on the ground. And the Smelly Cloud was an answer to one of my daughter's questions, i.e., "Mom is the steam a cloud?"

Do you have anything else you'd like to share?

Thank you so much for this opportunity to talk about my stories. I hope your readers will enjoy the stories.

To learn more about Susti Graphics, or to purchase one of Maroe Susti's beautiful books, visit her site at SustiGraphics.com

Lector Mágico {GIVEAWAY}

2011-08-15T07:46:00.002-04:00

From the editors of Story Reader, comes Lector Mágico, an interactive reading program in Spanish for children ages 3 and older. Powered by replaceable AAA batteries, this Story Reader console comes with the Spanish-language Finding Nemo storybook. Children rurn the pages and listen to the Finding Nemo story. Children can follow along as their favorite stories are read aloud to them.

Other titles include 101 Dalmatas, Mi Barriguita No Retumba, La Bella y La Bestia, and Blanca Nieves y Los Siete Enanos. These stories and others may be found here in our online shop, or by visiting the Story Reader site.

NOTE: I'd like to emphasize that while a product like this can be very useful and a great supplement to your daily reading activities, it should not take the place of an actual parent sitting down with a child to read aloud.

THE GIVEAWAY

The Latin Baby Book Club is happy to offer a Lector Mágico set to one lucky reader.

To enter, simply leave a comment at the bottom of this post.

The deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Sunday, August 21st. The winner will be chosen using Random.org. and contacted via email - so be sure to leave a valid email address in your comment!

And to increase your chances of winning, consider the following:

1.) Blog about this giveaway and include the link to your post,

2.) Tweet the following: Enter to win a Lector Mágico from @LatinMami & the LBBC. http://bit.ly/oA2bKi #giveaway

3.) Follow us on Facebook,

4.) Follow us on Google Connect.

Don't forget to let us know by posting a separate comment for each entry!

¡Buena suerte!

Disclaimer: This product was purchased by the LBBC specifically for this giveaway. I have not been contacted by Story Reader in any way.

New Mini-Lessons and Handouts From Alma Flor Ada & F. Isabel Campoy

2011-08-11T07:38:00.000-04:00

[Dear friends]

Last month Isabel Campoy and I gave a number of presentations in Texas. We prepared several handouts for the participants. Teachers have found them so useful that we decided to post them in our websites for anyone who would like to download them.

Some of the topics may be familiar to you, but these are either brand new handouts or handouts very much enhanced.

The titles are:

1. Vocabulary Development through Poetry and Song

2. Authors in the Classroom

3. Creative Reading

4. Theater in the Classroom

5. Home School Interaction

Please feel free to download and share them. If you quote them simply acknowledge the source. We will very much welcome your feedback.

You will find them at:

http://almaflorada.com/transformative-education/mini-lessons/

Have a beautiful day.

All best,

Alma Flor

I See I Learn®... In Spanish!

2011-08-10T07:25:00.001-04:00

New Preschool Series by Stuart J. Murphy:

I See I Learn®

Last month a new preschool series was published using visual learning techniques to help children learn important skills necessary for school readiness and daily life. Four of the eight titles have been translated in Spanish, including Emma hace amigos, Freda organiza una merienda, ¡Bien hecho, Ajay!, and Percy juega con cuidado.

You may recognize Stuart J. Murphy from his (fabulous!) MathStart series. And now he turns his attention to helping younger children get ready for school. Each story is designed to help young children learn the life skills they need to successfully prepare for school. And each book focuses on a specific from one of four areas: Social, Emotional, Health & Safety, and Cognitive. At the back of each book is a section for parents, which includes questions for parents to go over with their children to reinforce learning and reading comprehension.

Take a look at the I See I Learn site for additional resources (scroll down for the Spanish ones). You can also print up a copy of See and Learn City for your children to enjoy.

If you would like to buy your own copies of the books in this series, 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.

Books In the Home Affect Academic Achievement

2011-08-08T07:48:00.001-04:00

Did you know that the number of books in your casa can improve your child's academic achievement? A study published last year in the Journal of Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, shows that the number of books in the house directly correlates to the number of years of schooling that a child in that home will complete. Samples were taken from 27 countries and found that children living in a home with as few as 25 books, completed on average two more years of schooling than those children with "bookless" homes.

And the more books you have, the better your child's chances of graduating from high school - and even college! The study also found that households with 500 books or more were "as great an advantage as having university-educated rather than unschooled parents, and twice the advantage of having a professional rather than an unskilled father."

Moral of the story? Make your local bookstore one of your weekly shopping destinations!

Read more about this fascinating study (and others like it) in this article by Laura Miller.

Benny

2011-08-05T07:55:00.003-04:00

Benny

por Sieb Posthuma

Benny no puede encontrar su hueso.

Ha olfateado por todas partes y…nada.

Efectivamente, ¡todos los olores han desaparecido!

Quizás una visita al Dr. Duncan y a su

Máquina Esnifadora le pueda ayudar.

And so this charming tale follows young, Benny, a puppy in search of his bone, only to lose his sense of smell. This joyfully illustrated and written story will captivate young children, who will worry when Benny goes to the doctor, and rejoice when he gets well. But don’t be surprised if your little one wants to snuggle in your lap afterwards, just as Benny does with him own mami.

This version of Benny is written completely in Spanish. It is published by Kane/Miller who specializes in translations of some of the best children’s literature from around the world.

If you would like to buy your own copy of Benny, 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.

Raising Children in a Literature-Rich Environment

2011-08-04T07:29:00.001-04:00

One of the ways to raise a reader is to immerse them in a literature-rich environment. Experts agree that babies raised in households with talkative family members have a larger vocabulary than those in a quiet home.

You can also create print-rich surroundings to helps develop their literacy skills. You can do this in a variety of ways:

• Fill your home with books. Keep simple and colorful board books for children available on lower shelves for easy access. And be sure to take time each day to snuggle up together for a good read-aloud.

• Place labels on objects around your home. Even before they can read, children will learn to associate certain words with particular items.

• Hang posters and alphabet cards on your walls. Our sister site, MommyMaestra.com, has an excellent giveaway going on right now for a beautiful Compassion poster from the Spanish Global Child Collection by Children Inspire Design. Just because it is printed wall art, doesn't mean it isn't beautiful.

• Keep simple, but educational, toys (like the Spanish alphabet blocks pictured above) in baskets on the floor for your child to play with at any time.

The Story Behind the Story: Waiting for the Biblioburro

2011-08-03T01:57:00.003-04:00

By Monica Brown

Illustrated by John Parra

The Story Behind the Story

by Monica Brown

I love librarians. Like me, (and I’ll bet you too if you are reading this), librarians are book people. Book people find joy between the pages of a book, but their passion doesn’t stop there. True book people must share books with others. They believe that placing books in young hands and sharing stories with young minds is meaningful. Luis Soriano is a book person. Luis first came to my attention when I read the New York Times article, “Acclaimed Colombian Institution has 4,800 books and 10 legs” by Simon Romero. Fascinated, I did some research and came across Valentina Canavesio’s short film Biblioburro—The Donkey Library. The story filled me with joy and not a little pride in the resourcefulness and passion of the Latino culture that Luis and I share. Growing up, Luis Soriano did not have the benefit of extensive formal studies and unlimited financial resources. What he did have was vision—and two donkeys named Alfa and Beto. For years, Maestro Soriano has delivered books in rural Colombia to children who don’t have access to libraries. Some don’t even have teachers or schools. But Luis, who received his school degree at 16, and then became a teacher and librarian, has made it his life’s work to change that.

When I wrote Waiting for the Biblioburro, I didn’t want to presume to tell Luis’s story for him, so I created a fictional story inspired by his, from the perspective of a little girl whose life he changes. I contacted Mr. Romero, the writer, and Ms Canavesio, the filmmaker, and through them, reached Luis himself. I knew as I was writing this book that I wanted Luis’s blessing--I was lucky enough to get it, and to get to know Luis over the phone and through emails. I also wanted to make sure that his foundation shared in the profits from this work, which my publisher made happen. When I first spoke to Luis over the phone and across thousands of miles, I was felt that I was in the presence of greatness—he is great man with a great heart. Luis shared with me his wish to sow the seeds of creativity and to cultivate dreams in the minds of children.

After talking with Luis, I felt inspired to write an imaginative rendering of Luis’s legacy—a legacy not only of literacy, but of sharing one’s own stories with the world. My story is about a creative little girl named Ana who loves books and reading, but who doesn’t have access to a library, books, or even a teacher. It’s her story of waiting, discovery, and finding a voice.

I hope that Ana’s story, like Luis Soriano’s vision, will inspire us all to be literacy workers and activist librarians, teachers, parents, and friends. What would you do to bring books to children? Would you ride a donkey for miles, risking attack and robbery? Would you build a library with your own hands? Luis Soriano did. And we can too.

Visit Monica at http://www.monicabrown.net/

Watch the book trailer for Waiting for the Biblioburro

Literacy Begins at Birth

2011-08-02T07:39:00.002-04:00

photo by takomabibelot

We have talked repeatedly here on the LBBC about how important it is for parents to take their children's literacy development into their own hands. In fact, many parents don't realize that literacy begins at birth, and there are a lot of ways that they can begin to develop their child's literacy skills during their infant and toddler years. Here are three...

Read, read, read

Reading aloud to your baby is the single most effective thing you can do to help him or her develop a love of reading and writing. Not only does this special time help parents to bond with their child, but it also provides valuable stimulation to the child's brain, allowing them to learn about sentence structure, increase vocabulary, build listening skills, and introduces key concepts such as numbers, colors, shapes, emotions... the list is endless.

Visit the bilingual website, ReadToYourBaby.com, to learn more about the value of reading to your baby. They offer an informative site in both English and Spanish, with tips for what to read and even how to read to your child.

Listen to music

There's a reason that parents all over the world instinctively croon lullabies to their children. It's the same reason that children often learn the ABC song before they can recite the alphabet verbally. Music provides a natural and rhythmic way of learning. Elementary teachers already know this, which is why our children often come home from school singing short songs like "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and "London Bridge."

You can read all about the fascinating connection between music and literacy on the Literacy Connections website, and in this article in Psychology Today.

Keep them busy

There are so many seemingly unrelated activities that your child can do, which will help to develop their literacy skills. From helping mami to cook to drawing a picture, your child acquires and masters the various skills necessary to be able to read or write.

Tonya from Room to Grow has a fabulous post that lists 50 Literacy Activities for Babies. You might be surprised at some of the activities that have found their way onto that list, but you'll be delighted to have somewhere to go for inspiration, too!

August's Libro del Mes: Fiesta Femenina

2011-08-01T07:43:00.001-04:00

Fiesta Femenina

Celebrating Women in Mexico

retold by Mary-Joan Gerson

illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez

From the inside cover:

Deep in the lush Mexican forests, amidst the tall mountains and the rushing rivers, dwells a great goddess. Her broad torso bends to form the sky and her legs rise to become the valleys and the deserts. She is the earth, the land of Mexico, and if you listen closely, you will here her calling "tengo hambre, tengo hambre," for she is always hungry.

Gifted storyteller Mary-Joan Gerson draws from Mexico's rich cultural traditions, including the tales from the Mayan, Mixtec, and Yaqui peoples to create an authentic collection that reflects the many faces of Mexico's heroines. And Maya Christina Gonzalez's vibrant paintings brilliantly capture the spark behind the stories, and the noble dignity of these eight extraordinary women.

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Today, the Latin Baby Book Club celebrates its third anniversary! As in years past, we are looking forward to a month-long celebration with new book reviews, giveaways, and more.

We are more than pleased to start off this special month by sharing our Libro del Mes: Fiesta Femenina. This is such an incredible book, I can't believe we haven't had it on here before now. As you can tell from the description above, this book is dedicated to the diverse female figures of Mexican mythology and folklore.

Author Mary-Joan Gerson states, "Though this is my third book of adapted folklore, it is my most passionate. I think it combines two of my very strong interests: my profound connection to Mexican culture--which has deepened through many recent trips for specific festivals and events--and my psychological work on feminist issues."

This is a rich collection of Mexican folklore. The beautifully written stories in this book are complex and cleverly delivered. Be sure to read Gerson's introduction, which gives more of the history behind the stories. She also shares her sources for each story in a separate section at the back of the book, which was awarded The Aesop Prize for 2001 by the American Folklore Society.

Gonzalez's illustrations richly and vibrantly accentuate the story line. They are bold and colorful and reflective of the culture.

Fiesta Femenina is best geared for older children - especially girls. Parents and teachers will find this an excellent supplement to studies in the following areas: women, mythology, Mexican history, earth & nature, creative writing, traditions, and more.

To purchase your own copy of Fiesta Femenina, 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.

¡Salud, familia!

2011-07-20T00:47:00.002-04:00

¡Salud, familia! is Arte Público Press's publishing and outreach program that encompasses health and nutrition education. Our mission is to expand access to important health and nutrition information through lively and engaging bilingual children’s books. These books will be distributed to low-income Hispanic families with school-aged children residing in urban and rural areas by our partnering organizations. The program is funded by the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Marguerite Casey Foundation, The California Endowment, The Simmons Foundation, and W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

I Kick the Ball is a book about a boy who uses his imagination and healthy lifestyle sensibilities to be a skillful soccer player. The book’s message encourages children to exercise and eat the right foods.

Click below to download Arte Público Press’s coloring book of it's first book of the ¡Salud, familia! series entitled, I Kick the Ball/ Pateo el balón.

I Kick the Ball Health BW[1].pdf

The Park Our Town Built, El parque que

2011-07-16T21:46:00.001-04:00

The Park Our Town Built
El parque que nuestro pueblo construyó

written by Diane Gonzales Bertrand

illustrated by Tanja Bauerle

The Park Our Town Built is a bilingual picture book. In the story, people are working together to build a park for their community. Written in the same style as the well-known tale, The House That Jack Built, Bertrand uses the format to introduce Spanish words to the reader. Vocabulary is first presented in English, then in Spanish, and distinguished by a difference in color. This story is best suited for children learning Spanish, though bilingual speakers will enjoy the story line, too.

Bauerle does an incredible job filling the pages with active scenes full of detail and diversity. Her illustrations really help to reinforce the vocabulary and the story.

This book is best suited for children ages four and up. The vocabulary is not simple, so parents and teachers with students who are more advanced will appreciate this book.

July's Book of the Month: Under the Mambo Moon

2011-07-01T16:43:00.002-04:00

Under the Mambo Moon

by Julia Durango

illustrated by Fabricio VandenBroeck

The LBBC’s recommendation for July’s Libro del Mes, is Julia Durango’s Under the Mambo Moon.

My familia loves music - especially anything with a Latin rhythm. So I was overjoyed to find the new book, Under the Mambo Moon. Inside the pages of this unique story, readers can explore various types of Latin American music - from Colombia’s cumbia to the Dominican merengue to the candombé of Uruguay.

The story line itself is a little unusual. The first thought that came to my mind was that this book would be perfect for a play. Young Marisol is the narrator. She helps out her Papi at his music store where people come in to buy their favorite songs. Papi says, “You can read people’s souls by the music they listen to.” (Looking at my CD and record collection, I wonder what my soul is saying? I’ve got everything from Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66 to SpyroGyra to Yiddish-American Klezmer music. Oy.)

Interspersed throughout the book, are brief poems told by each customer who enters the store to buy the music of their homeland. João is a fan of bossa nova, while Professor Soto prefers Andean tunes that he has heard played on a zampoña player. Mr. and Mrs. Mayer are tango dancers, but young Gabriel loves the vallenatos of Colombia.

VandenBroeck cleverly uses color to help the reader distinguish between the main story line and the individual poems for each character. I appreciate the careful attention that he gave to depict each dance accurately with special attention to costumes and musical intruments.

The only thing that would make this book better would be an actual CD to accompany it and provide examples of each musical style. However, Putumayo has some great albums that would complement this book nicely.

I also like how at the back of the book, the author includes a brief history of the amazingly diverse Latin American music and dance. Durango talks about the influence of indigenous, European, and African cultures on the rhythms and even the musical instruments used to create the various styles of music. She also includes a short description of each music style mentioned in the story.

Under the Mambo Moon is written in English with some embedded Spanish text. This book is best suited for children ages 4 and up.

Parents and teachers: This book is an awesome resource if you are studying music, Latin America, culture, traditions, multiculturalism, the colonization of the Americas, etc.

If you would like to buy your own copy of Under the Mambo Moon, 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.

You may also purchase a copy directly from the Charlesbridge website: http://www.charlesbridge.com/.

Happy reading!

The Usborne First Thousand Words in Spanish (Internet-linked)

2011-06-25T22:41:00.001-04:00

First Thousand Words in Spanish: With Internet-Linked Pronunciation Guide

By Heather Amery

I am a giant fan of Usborne books. Not only are they always a joy to look at, but they are educational, too! This book has large pictures for looking and talking, surrounded by small, labeled pictures of 1000 of the most familiar things, to build up and practice Spanish vocabulary. This is backed up by an alphabetical word list with pronunciation guides.

This book is a valuable resource because the amusing scenes depicted within the pages encourage conversation. Parents and teachers both will love this book just as much as young readers. Teachers can use this dictionary in lesson plans dedicated to everyday life. Illustrated dictionaries help to reinforce and expand vocabulary and concepts that may sometimes be otherwise difficult to comprehend.

First Thousand Words in Spanish may be purchased in our online store. Both new and gently-used copies are available.

Laura Lacamara reading Floating on Mamá's Song

2011-06-15T02:21:00.000-04:00

Enjoy,

Read Latin Baby Book Club's interview with Yuyi Morales, illustrator of this amazing book.
http://www.latinbabybookclub.com/2010/09/floating-on-mamas-song-virtual-book.html

Follow Floating on Mamá's Song Virtual Book Tour,
http://www.lauralacamara.com/interviews.html

The LBBC's 2011 Summer Reading Book List

2011-06-12T23:26:00.001-04:00

Summer is officially here. Hooray for hot weather, sandía, paletas, and fireflies! Our family is super happy to be done with school. But studies show that children often forget important math and literacy skills during summer vacation. What is your familia doing to maintain your child's skills this summer?

Most libraries offer a great summer reading program. Or you can find them online. MommyMaestra listed several great ones a few weeks ago. The LBBC recommends the Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge because in addition to great prizes, it also offers resources in Spanish for bilingual families.

And to get you started (or to help you continue), the LBBC's 2011 Summer Reading Book List is now available for download. It features new and classic titles in English and Spanish for newborns to young adults.

Don't forget to print off our BILINGUAL Reading Logs! They are listed in our sidebar under "Free Downloads."

Happy Reading!!

The 2011 International Latino Book Awards

2011-06-09T18:39:00.001-04:00

A few weeks ago, the International Latino Book Awards were announced during Book Expo America in New York.

Join us in congratulating LBBC contributor, René Colato Laínez, who has three books listed in the Awards. Felicidades to all of this year's winners!

For a complete list of the winners in all categories, click here.

Best Educational Children’s Book – Spanish

First Place: Quiero Ser Chef by Mary R. Dunn - The Rosen Publishing Group

Second Place: Quiero Hacer Peliculas by Mary R. Dunn - The Rosen Publishing Group

Honorable Mention: Quiero Ser Piloto de Carreras by Katie Franks - The Rosen Publishing Group

Best Educational Children’s Book – Bilingual

First Place: Nos Vamos a La Gran Barrera de Australia by Georgette Baker - Cantemos

Second Place: Jaguars and Other Latin American Wild Cats by Zella Williams - The Rosen Publishing Group

Second Place: Coqui Frogs and Other Latin American Frogs by Zella Williams - The Rosen Publishing Group

Honorable Mention: Quetzals and Other Latin American Birds by Zella Williams - The Rosen Publishing Group

Best Children’s Picture Book – English

First Place: Me, Frida by Amy Novesky - Abrams Books For Young Readers

Second Place: The Tooth Fairy Meets El Ratón Pérez by René Colato Laínez - Tricycle Press

Third Place: My Shoes and I by René Colato Laínez - Boyds Mills Press

Honorable Mention: La Noche Buena by Antonio Sacre - Abrams Books For Young Readers

Best Children’s Picture Book – Spanish

First Place: Manual de Piratas by Monica Carretero - Cuento de Luz

Second Place: La Gallina Cocorina by Mar Pavon - Cuento de Luz

Honorable Mention: Kiki Koki, La Leyenda Encantada del Coquí by Ed Rodriguez - Idearworks

Best Children’s Picture Book – Bilingual

First Place: From North to South/Del Norte al Sur by René Colato Laínez - Children’s Book Press

First Place: Grandma’s Chocolate/El Chocolate de Abuelita by Mara Price - Arte Publico Press

Honorable Mention: Let Me Help!/¡Quiero Ayudar! by Alma Flor Ada - Children’s Book Press

Best Young Adult Fiction – English

First Place: When the Stars Go Blue by Barbara Caridad Ferrer - Thomas Dunne Books

Second Place: The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez - Alfred A. Knopf Publishing

Honorable Mention: Masters of the Sea: The Adventures of Jules Verne’s Mathias Sandorf by George J. Rios - iUniverse

Honorable Mention: Father Knows Best by Lynda Sandoval - Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

Best Young Adult Fiction – Spanish or Bilingual

First Place: Tigre, Tigre by Lynne Reid Banks - Editorial Bambu

Second Place: El Último Muerto by Fernando Lalana - Editorial Bambu

Honorable Mention: Kid Cyclone Fights the Devil and Other Stories/Kid Ciclon se enfrenta a El Diablo y otors cuentos by Xavier Garza - Arte Publico Press

Best Young Adult Nonfiction – English

First Place: East Side Dreams by Art Rodriguez - Dream House Press

Best Young Adult Nonfiction – Spanish or Bilingual

First Place: El Secreto para adolescentes by Paul Harrington - Atria Books

Second Place: A Bailar by Maria Villegas/Jennie Kent - Villegas Editores

Best Young Adult Sports/Recreation – Spanish or Bilingual

First Place: Mexico/México by José María Obregón - The Rosen Publishing Group

Second Place: Argentina by José María Obregón - The Rosen Publishing Group

Honorable Mention: A Bailar by Maria Villegas/Jennie Kent - Villegas Editores

Author/Illustrator Interview: Duncan Tonatiuh

2011-06-02T07:53:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I introduced you to our choice for June's Libro del Mes, Diego Rivera, His World and Ours. Today, I am happy to share with you a short interview with the author and illustrator, Duncan Tinotiuh. Duncan recently published his first two children's books: Diego Rivera and Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin. His illustrations of the AH1N1 in Mexico were selected to be a part of CONACULTA's catalog of Mexican illustrators for children and young adults. They also appeared in the BBC when the pandemic broke out.

Take a moment to get to know Duncan and the inspiration behind his books...

You've recently published your first two children's books. When did you realize you wanted to be an illustrator? A writer?

I’ve liked drawing and making up stories since I was a kid. I did it through elementary school, middle school and high school, whether it was making my own comic books, drawing cartoons of my classmates or painting on canvas. In college, I studied writing, illustration, and also photography.

For my senior thesis at Parsons I wrote and illustrated a short graphic novel about an undocumented indigenous Mexican worker. While doing that project I developed my current illustration style.

A professor that really liked my work introduced me to an editor at Abrams. That is how the door to write and illustrate children’s books opened.

I really love making picture books. It brings together two passions of mine. I’ve been passionate about making images and telling stories since I was kid.

What is the creation process like? Do you prefer a particular medium?

My process starts with an idea. With Dear Primo I had the idea of two cousins that send letters to each other. With Diego Rivera: His World and Ours it began with a question: What would Diego Rivera paint today?

The next step is giving that idea a form. I write a draft for the book. My first draft is usually pretty bad. But after several revisions it begins to take shape. Once I have a working draft I start to draw. I attempt to make books where the text and the images compliment and work off of each other.

The next step is making a dummy of the whole book. But if the dummy doesn’t feel ready yet I let it sit, sometimes for months. At some point I get a new insight, I think of the book or the idea in a new light and try to give it form again. Once I have a strong dummy I start to put the color and textures in.

In your books, your work is a dynamic combination of photographs and illustration. How did you develop your artistic style?

My artwork is very much inspired by Pre-Columbian art. I try to have a strong sense of geometry in my images. My characters are almost always drawn in profile like they are in Pre-Columbian codex and I borrow a lot of motifs from those codex.

I do not want to simply copy or mimic Pre-Columbian art though. Using Photoshop to collage into my images made my artwork feel more my own, it also made it feel more contemporary and relevant to our digital age.

Where do you find your inspiration for your books?

I am both a Mexican and American citizen. I feel a responsibility to address issues that concern both Mexico and the US.

I am fascinated by Mexican art and folklore. I find it very inspiring and in my books I try to showcase it and re-interpret it.

Which artists have influenced you the most? Which ones do you admire?

As a kid, I loved comic books and Japanese animation. As a teenager, I liked artists like Van Gogh and Egon Schiele. These last years I’ve really grown to love and appreciate indigenous and naïf art. I like ancient Mexican art specially. I like that the color and the design of the image is much more important than the realism of it.

I like Diego Rivera very much. He was also very inspired by Pre-Columbian art. He took elements from that art, like the geometry and monumentality of it, but he made it his own and relevant to his time.

In terms of writers, I like authors that are sophisticated and accessible at the same time. I like authors that are enjoyed and appreciated by PhDs and middle-schoolers alike. Among my favorite authors are Juan Rulfo, Junot Diaz, and Mark Twain.

Both books focus on contrasts - old vs. new, city vs. country - and present them in a way that shows the similarities as well as differences. What is your goal? What do you want the reader to get out of your story?

More than anything I want the reader to realize that we humans at our core are more alike then different. We may live in different places or may have grown up in a different time, but we all go through similar struggles and find happiness in similar things. Family and fun are important to all of us.

Do you have any new books coming out any time soon?

I am working on several dummies. And I will be doing a new picture book with Abrams, but there is no release date yet.

You can learn more about Duncan Tinotiuh by visiting his multilingual website, http://www.duncantonatiuh.com/

June's Libro del Mes: Diego Rivera, His World and Ours

2011-06-01T00:20:00.000-04:00

Diego Rivera, His World and Ours

written and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh

The LBBC’s recommendation for June’s Libro del Mes, is Duncan Tonatiuh’s Diego Rivera, His World and Ours.

I discovered Tonatiuh’s new books last month while reading through a museum’s book blog. The illustrations immediately caught my eye because of their distinctive style.

We have reviewed books about Diego Rivera before, but I love how this story is approached from a different perspective, inspiring the reader to think of how Diego’s art is relevant today. The first half of the book shares the story of Diego’s formal art education – his travel to Spain and France, the techniques and methods he experimented with – as well as what he ultimately chose as his subjects.

But it is the second half of this book that I found intriguing, because in it, Tonatiuh asks the question: “If he [Diego] were alive today, what would he paint?” He then goes on to ingeniously depict modern images along side some of Diego’s artwork (as drawn by Tonatiuh).

At the back of the book, the author added a glossary of words and references (i.e., Cubism, mural, Quetzalcoatl, etc.), as well as a note with a brief description of Diego’s life and Tonatiuh’s opinion of him. He includes a list of places both in the U.S. and outside, where Diego’s work can be found. And he also shares a bibliography and list of websites on the artist. But I think perhaps, my favorite section is the one labeled “Inspirations,” which lists the original works by Diego that inspired some of the illustrations in the book.

Diego Rivera is written in English with some embedded Spanish text. Tonatiuh's unique style combines photographs of textures and patterns with drawn images. We'll share an interview with him tomorrow about how he creates his illustrations and what inspires him, so check back.

Parents and teachers: This book is an awesome resource if you are studying art history or Mexican culture. It is also great for inspiring your child to create his or her own work of art. This book is best suited for children ages 4 and up.

If you would like to buy your own copy of Diego Rivera, His World and Ours, 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.

The Latino Holiday Book

2011-05-26T16:12:00.000-04:00

The Latino Holiday Book

by Valerie Menard

This book is not a new release, however, it is just as valuable a resource today as it was when it first came out in 2000. The Latino Holiday Book is more appropriate for older children and adults who are looking to explore their heritage more thoroughly.

Inside the pages of this book you will find the special holidays and traditions celebrated by Hispanic Americans. From Día de los Reyes to the Feast of San Juan Bautista to Día de los Muertos, Menard gives a detailed account of each celebration. She describes not only the origins and social history, but also how the holiday is celebrated today. Scattered thoughout the book are recipes, activities, and fun facts to accentuate the text. Menard also discusses in great length weddings, birthdays, and quinceañeras.

This book is a great resource for the Latino family home library. Parents can quickly reference its pages for ideas on celebrating any given holiday, or simply to find conversation starters!

In addition, Menard includes a directory of Latino Organizations in the United States (organized by state) in the back of the book, as well as a bibliography for additional reading.

To purchase your own copy of The Latino Holiday Gift Guide, click here. We have both new and gently used copies availabe in the store.

Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People

2011-05-19T00:51:00.002-04:00

By Monica Brown. Illustrated by Julie Paschkis.

• Pub. Date: March 2011
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co.

• Format: Hardcover , 32pp
• ISBN-13: 9780805091984

Once there was a little boy named Neftalí who loved wild things wildly and quiet things quietly. From the moment he could talk, he surrounded himself with words. Neftalí discovered the magic between the pages of books. When he was sixteen, he began publishing his poems as Pablo Neruda.

Pablo wrote poems about the things he loved—things made by his friends in the café, things found at the marketplace, and things he saw in nature. He wrote about the people of Chile and their stories of struggle. Because above all things and above all words, Pablo Neruda loved people.

Biblioburro: a true story from colombia

2011-05-16T17:59:00.000-04:00

Biblioburro: a true story from colombia

by Jeanette Winter

What a treasure this little book is! Biblioburro is based on the true story of Luis Soriano, a bibliophile and school teacher, whose desire to share the beauty of words with others takes him on a selfless mission throughout the isolated villages of northern Colombia. In 2000, Luis began carrying books to the people in remote areas of his country. His initial collection of 70 books has grown to over 4,800!

Winter tells the joyful story of how Luis began his work and some of his experiences as the mobile "librarian" who delivers books with the help of his burros, Alfa and Beto.

Winter's folk-like artwork is - as usual - a visual treat for children, and captures the tropical setting beautifully. My own children enjoyed drawing scenes and characters from this book after reading it.

You can read more about Luis's fascinating story in this 2008 New York Time's article. I think you might love him by the end. (And be sure to take a look at the slideshow!)

To purchase your own copy of Biblioburro, please click here. Or you can follow the link in our sidebar to the LBBC's online bookstore.

Bilingual Books to Celebrate Mother's Day

2011-05-08T00:21:00.002-04:00

Floating on Mama's Song

by Laura Lacamara

Mama Goose

by Alma Flor Ada

Tortillitas para Mamá and Other Nursery Rhymes

(Bilingual Edition in Spanish and English)

by Margot C. Griego, Betsy L. Bucks, Sharon S. Gilbert and Laurel H. Kimball

Quiero a mi Mama Porque (I Love my Mommy Because)

(Spanish and English Edition)

by Laurel Porter-Gaylord and Ashley Wolff

I'm Just Like My Mom/Me parezco tanto a mi mama

by Jorge Ramos and Akemi Gutierrez

¿Cómo es tu mamá? (Ojitos Pajaritos)
By Álvarez Rosanela

May's Libro del Mes: Salsa Stories by Lulu Delacre

2011-05-06T22:04:00.001-04:00

Salsa Stories

Illustrated by Lulu Delacre

The LBBC’s recommendation for January’s Libro del Mes, is Lulu Delacre’s Salsa Stories.

We’ve had several requests for reviews of more books geared towards older children. And while we plan to continue to share with you new picture books for younger kids, we are planning to add a section for those of you with older children. It has been a delight to watch the Latino children’s literature market expand over the last few years, but there continues to be a need for more Latino children’s books and authors.

We are pleased that our Libro del Mes reflects the diversity within the Latino culture.

Salsa Stories is a collection of stories held together by one main character, Carmen Teresa, who receives the gift of a journal one New Year’s Eve night. To help her fill the pages, family and friends from all over Latin America each share a story from their childhood. Each story centers around either a typical food dish or a holiday celebrated in their respective country: Holy Week in Guatemala; tortillas from Cuba; the Night of San Juan in Puerto Rico; alfajores in Buenos Aires; the procession for the Lord of Miracles in Peru; and so on.

And the best part of this book may be that Delacre has included a chapter in the back with recipes from the stories! Yum!

While this is not a children’s picture book, Delacre has included illustrations in the form of linocuts, a type of relief printing which is created using similar techniques and tools to those used in the woodcut process. This style gives the book a very folkloric feel and allows older children to enjoy the illustrations without feeling baby-ish.

Salsa Stories is written in English with embedded Spanish text. Delacre does, however, include a glossary in the back of the book.

Parents and teachers: this book is perfect if you are discussing diversity within the Latino culture. It provides seven stories, reflecting different stories from six Spanish-speaking regions: Peru, Puerto Rico, Buenos Aires, Cuba, Mexico, and Guatemala. Other topics include extended family, food and culture, holidays, Latin America, and more. This book is best suited for children ages 7 – 12.

Last year we were lucky to share with you our interview with Lulu Delacre - she is a talented and fascinating author and illustrator. You can also visit her website to learn more about the linocut process and for an additional student activity related to Salsa Stories.

If you would like to buy your own copy of Salsa Stories, 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.

A Día de los Niños Giveaway: Ladder to the Moon

2011-04-29T23:10:00.001-04:00

Feliz Día to everyone! How are you celebrating today?

In the spirit of the holiday and in dedication to celebrating the diversity of children everywhere, we are extremely proud to be able to offer a copy of Ladder to the Moon, a new book that is written by Maya Soetoro-Ng and illustrated by Yuyi Morales.

This deeply moving story was inspired by the author's own mother, Ann Dunham (also mother to President Barack Obama), and takes the reader on a magical story ride to the moon and back. At the beginning of the book, little Sahaila, asks about the grandmother whom she has never met. That night as she waits patiently on her bed, a golden ladder - and her smiling grandmother - appear at her window. Grandma Annie then takes little Sahaila on a journey of growth and understanding.

There are some major themes touched upon in this book, like compassion and empathy, but Soetoro-Ng does it with beautiful imagery and masterful storytelling. Yuyi Morales' illustrations are exquisite and capture the ethereal quality of the book. A couple of weeks ago we posted a video of Yuyi talking about the making of this book.

Candlewick has released this sneak peek of the book, so that you can see for yourself how beautifully it is both written and illustrated. It is currently available in English only.

Families and teachers will love the opportunities this book creates to discuss the following themes: compassion, diversity, death, love, understanding, thinking of others, resilience, realtives/grandparents, family bonds, fantasy vs. reality, and many more.

THE GIVEAWAY

To win your own copy of Ladder to the Moon, simply leave a comment at the bottom of this post.

The deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Sunday, May 8th. The winner will be chosen using Random.org. and contacted via email - so be sure to leave a valid email address in your comment!

And to increase your chances of winning, consider the following:

1.) Blog about this giveaway and include the link to your post,

2.) Tweet the following: Enter to win a copy of Ladder to the Moon by Maya Soetoro-Ng http://bit.ly/m0ntkV #giveaway

3.) Follow us on Facebook,

4.) Follow us on Google Connect.

Don't forget to let us know by posting a separate comment for each entry!

¡Buena suerte!

Free Printables: Bilingual Reading Logs

2011-04-29T00:04:00.001-04:00

Summer is quickly approaching, and with it a drop in reading skills for many students across the country. Fortunately for all of us, Wednesday marked the official launch of the Scholastic Summer Reading program.

And because our Latino children need additional support and encouragement, the LBBC and MommyMaestra have put together two sets of reading logs - one in English and the other in Spanish - that we are happy to share with you. Each set comes with three different logs, depending on how you'd like to keep track of your child's reading accomplishments: by book, by number of pages, or by number of minutes read. All you have to do is save them to your computer and print away!

We encourage you to hang them somewhere your child can see them everyday. And once one log is complete, store it in a binder or folder so that you can look back over your child's accomplishment at the end of the summer. Of course, you can use these logs year round, not just during the hot summer months!

We've added a link to these free downloads in our sidebar for easy access. Why not print off a copy of our Día de los Niños Booklist to get you started?

Happy reading!

The LBBC's Día de los Niños, Día de los Libros Booklist

2011-04-27T23:36:00.002-04:00

An important part of Día is celebrating diversity. And to raise children who can think globally and get along with everyone, we need to be sure and expose them to different people and cultures early on. Within the Latino culture alone, we are a diverse group of people with many traditions, and even differences in languages. So here in honor of Día is our list of books that celebrate our multiculturalism. Or, if you prefer, you can download/print it here.

Enjoy!

Book Fiesta!: Celebrate Children's Day/Book Day;

Celebremos El dia de los ninos/El dia de los libros

by Pat Mora

illustrated by Rafael López

Jalapeño Bagels

by Natasha Wing

illustrated by Robert Casilla

Freaky Foods from Around the World / Platillos Sorprendentes de Todo el Mundo

by Ramona Moreno Winner

illustrated by Luis Borsan

An Illustrated Treasury of Latino Read-Aloud Stories: 40 of the Best-Loved Stories for Parents and Children to Share

From Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers

Grandma's Chocolate / El Chocolate De Abuelita

by Mara Price

illustrated by Lisa Fields

My Havana: Memories of a Cuban Boyhood

by Rosemary Wells, Secundino Fernandez

illustrated by Peter Ferguson

Shake It, Morena!: And Other Folklore from Puerto Rico

by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand

illustrated by Lulu Delacre

Napi funda un pueblo/Napi Makes a Village

by Antonio Ramirez

illustrated by Domi

A Gift of Gracias: The Legend of Altagracia

by Julia Alvarez

illustrated by Beatriz Vidal

Family Pictures, 15th Anniversary Edition / Cuadros de Familia

by Carmen Lomas Garza

My Shoes and I

by René Colato Laínez

illustrated by Fabricio Vanden Broeck

The Three Golden Oranges

by Alma Flor Ada

illustrated by Reg Cartwright

The Llama's Secret - A Peruvian Legend (Legends of the World)

By Palacios

illustrated by Charles Reasoner

El Zipitio (Spanish Language Edition)

by Jorge Argueta

illustrated by Gloria Calderón

Books for Older Children: The Red Umbrella

2011-04-27T08:22:00.000-04:00

Día is a holiday that celebrates diversity and multiculturalism. It's about children all over the world, from different backgrounds. And since some of you have been asking for books for older children, we begin by sharing this book trailer for The Red Umbrella, a book by Christina Diaz Gonzalez. Based on the real events of Operation Pedro Pan where over 14,000 Cuban children were sent to the U.S. in the two year period between 1960-1962, this novel depicts the pain of losing one’s homeland and showcases the generosity of the American spirit.

Take a look...

Guest Contributor: Mara Price - Memories of Celebrating Día

2011-04-26T10:18:00.002-04:00

My Memories of Celebrating Día as a Child

When I was growing up, we used to celebrate Children's Day in Mexico by going on hikes in the countryside, “un dia de campo.” I remember one day in particular we were going to look for a waterfall in Doña Petra Canyon. My grandmother was as excited as I was helping me get ready. I dressed in comfortable clothes and tennies. With my grandmother's help, I packed a lunch, some juice, and two pieces of fruit. The teacher had asked each of us to bring two different kinds of fruit, and he brought a can of condensed milk. I remember the brand: “La Lechera.”

Our teacher, my classmates and I left the school heading toward the Doña Petra Canyon in search of the waterfall. The temperature was pleasant. We walked and played along the pretty stream all morning but we never found the waterfall because that year it hadn't rained enough. When it was time to eat lunch, the teacher had a surprise for us. With the fruit we brought he helped us make a huge, delicious fruit salad which he sweetened by adding the condensed milk. It was a great day full of smiles, games and good flavors.

I hope that this year you will celebrate Children's Day with books, hikes in the country, and fruit salad!

Mara's Appearance Schedule:
April 26 - 4:00 pm
Reading/Signing in celebration of *Día de los niños */*Día de los libros ** 2011*
Lemon Grove Public Library
8073 Broadway,
Lemon Grove, CA 9194

April 28 - 6:00 pm
Reading/Signing in celebration of *Día de los niños */*Día de los libros **2011*
Spring Valley Library
836 Kempton Street
Spring Valley CA 91977

April 30 - 3:30- 5:00 pm on Saturday

Author Signing
LA Times Festival of Books
East West Discovery Press
Booth #574
Children's Area
Los Angeles, CA

May 5 – 10:30 am
Reading/Signing in celebration of *Día de los niños */*Día de los libros ** 2011*
YSL, Mission Valley Branch Library
2123 Fenton Parkway
San Diego, CA 92108

May 6 – 10:30 am
Reading/Signing in celebration of *Día de los niños */*Día de los libros ** 2011*
Beckwourth Branch Library
721 San Pasqual St.
San Diego, CA 92113

May 7 10:00 am- 4:00 pm
Author Signing
Spend the Saturday before Mother’s Day at San Diego Botanic Garden’s famous Chocolate Festival.
San Diego, CA

For more information about Mara or her books, please visit her website at http://www.maraprice.com/

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Mara Price is a Latina author and illustrator of children’s books. Mara authored the bilingual picture book, Grandma's Chocolate/El chocolate de Abuelita, published by Arte Público Press/Piñata Books. She enjoys designing characters and bringing them to life in order to entertain children while reminding them of their heritage. Mara Price has been selected by LatinoStories.com & for the 2011 Top Ten New Latino Authors to Watch (and Read).

Día Resources Available For You

2011-04-24T23:02:00.002-04:00

“Many Children, Many Cultures, Many Books”

The 2011 Día poster was designed by artist, author, and illustrator, Maya Christina Gonzalez. Copies of this poster and matching bookmarks are available from the American Library Association's (ALA) online store. All proceeds go towards funding the advocacy, awareness, and accreditation programs for library professionals worldwide.

And don't forget to send a free Día-themed e-card to all your friends!

Also, I've already mentioned the free printables from the California State Library, but you might also be interested in this "Día Tool Kit" from Random House Publishers. It includes some simple activities, bookmarks, ideas for planning your own Día celebration, and a booklist.

Celebrate Latino Cuentos Today!

2011-04-22T08:51:00.000-04:00

Does your Latino children’s literature knowledge quotient need a boost? Are you hard-pressed to find tried and true strategies for incorporating Latino children’s books into your classroom or library program? Are you curious about the place of Latino children’s books in this digital world? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions or find yourself to be a Latino children’s literature aficionado, then the new book Celebrating Cuentos: Promoting Latino Children’s Literature and Literacy in Classrooms and Libraries (Libraries Unlimited, 2011) was written just for YOU!

Bringing together leading scholars in the fields of education and library studies along with teachers, librarians, Latino authors, and Latino illustrators from across the United States, this professional book covers a variety of topics that I hope librarians, teachers, and scholars will find beneficial in their work with Latino children and their families.

The book begins by examining the place of Latino children’s literature in today’s classrooms and libraries and then continues with a brief look at Latino children and U.S. public education followed by a discussion of the importance of high-quality Latino children’s books in the ethnic identity development of Latino children. I follow with a discussion of the history of Latino children’s literature, Latino children’s book awards, and how to develop collections of quality books representing a variety of genres.

The remainder of the book provides examples of how early childhood educators, teachers, school librarians, and public librarians have creatively used Latino children’s cuentos to connect the cultures of Latino and non-Latino children. Interviews with award-winning Latina authors and illustrators are sprinkled throughout the text and the book concludes with a grande bibliography of recommended Latino children’s and young adult books in English and Spanish as well as a comprehensive list of professional literature for teachers and librarians about serving the literacy needs of Latino children.

I hope that you find something within each chapter and throughout the book that will inspire you to choose the best in Latino literature to help children connect cultures and celebrate cuentos! I am very dedicated to helping educators and librarians find the right book for the right reader that can be given at the right time. Now is the right time to ensure that all children discover the beauty of the Latino cultures through high-quality, culturally-accurate books. To help guarantee that quality children’s books are published, a portion of my author proceeds will be donated to the non-profit, multicultural publisher Children's Book Press. The remainder of the proceeds will support the National Latino Children’s Literature Conference, which prepares librarians and educators to serve the informational and literacy needs of the fastest-growing minority in the United States. That’s right – all of my royalties are being donated to help spread the love of Latino children’s literature.

If you’d like to get a jumpstart on the book or take a peek inside, Colorín Colorado has reprinted the chapter on Día that I co-authored with Irania Patterson, Latina children’s author, storyteller, and Bilingual Specialist extraordinaire. You can read it here: http://www.colorincolorado.org/article/41458.

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Dr. Jamie Naidoo, an Endowed Assistant Professor at the University of Alabama School of Library and Information Studies and co-founder of the National Latino Children’s Literature Conference, teaches and researches in the areas of early childhood literacy, multicultural and international children’s literature, and diversity in librarianship. A former children’s librarian and school library media specialist, he currently specializes in public library services and programs to diverse populations of children and intercultural perspectives in children’s and young adult literature. Jamie has served on various book award committees including the Américas, Pura Belpré, and Caldecott committees.

How to Make Your Own Book {Tutorial}

2011-04-21T07:47:00.002-04:00

The following tutorial is contributed by Lisa Renata of Sarbor a Cajeta. Click on the pictures for a closer look....

Reading is a daily thing in our home, as is recycling and creating. So when I was asked if I could put a tutorial together on how to create your own bilingual book, I was ecstatic. I then gathered the materials (and kids) needed to start our project. This is what we came up with.

Nothing fancy. It is made by children after all, but isn't that what makes it that much more special? The older the child gets the more intricate the work, details, and writing will be.

Make Your Book:

Creating a book is a lot easier than it looks. It is also a perfect and a fun way for your little one to practice reading in both languages (or one).

What you'll need:

• an empty cereal box

• 5 sheets of white printer paper

• sewing machine and thread (other options available)

• markers, crayons, colored pencils

• stamps and ink

First cut out the larger part of your cereal box. This will be your book cover.

Then use it as a template to size and crop your 5 sheets of white paper. You want the white paper to be slightly smaller than the cover.

Fold your cover and paper (at the same time) in half. Then if you have a clip available, clip one of the ends together. This will help hold all the sheets and cover in place while you sew a line across the center. Use the fold line as your guide.

If you don't have a sewing machine other options to bind your book can be, stapling the center together or whole punch about four holes on the edge of the fold and then run ribbon or yarn through the holes. Make sure to knot the ends.

Write Your Story:

Now it is time to write your story. What to write? Well, that will depend on the age of your child and what their interests are at the time. In our case, my five-year-old son is really into animals right now. So we decided to make a book about animals.

First, I wrote out the title and by-line page.

Because he is still learning to read in both English and Spanish I decided to do the writing for him. I wrote simple three word sentences. I chose black ink for the words in Spanish and blue ink for those in English.

Then he drew a picture that went along with each sentence.

For my three-year-old daughter I wrote one word per page, both in English and in Spanish (also using different colors per language) and drew the pictures for her. All she had to do was color them in.

Once the inside of the book was completed, we then decorated the cover with stamps. How much supervision you need with each child will also depend on the age. I allowed my son free range on how he wanted his front cover decorated, but my daughter on the other hand, needed my help.

Again, the older your child is the more detailed his/her book will be and the less involved you will be in the book-making process (in fact, if your child can sew, you can let him/her bind the book). If your child does not know what to write about, give him/her some topic ideas. The important thing is to encourage creativity in both their writing and art.

Book cover finished? Then you are done!

Have fun together reading your child's creation over and over again!

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Lisa Renata is a US-born Latina who experienced Mexican culture first-hand when she lived there as a child. A book lover, a mama raising her two kids bilingual, and a crafter- with a camera always in her hands. You can often find her interpreting and testing for the local school district ESOL program, working on her blog Sabor a Cajeta, or making new items for her Etsy shop SaborCajeta.

The First Salvadoran Children's Poetry Festival/Reading is Marvelous

2011-04-20T07:37:00.001-04:00

The First Salvadoran Children's Poetry Festival/Reading is Marvelous, took place last November, 2010. It was organized by Talleres de Poesia, a literary organization based in San Francisco CA. The festival lasted for three days and brought writers from San Francisco and Mexico to participate in this historic event for children, young adults, and teachers. For three days El Salvador's Main Library hosted readings and poetry workshops.

As part of this ongoing effort to continue to raise funds for the 2nd Annual Festival, Talleres de Poesia has organized a tour presenting Manlio Argueta, one of El Salvador's finest writers. Mr. Argueta is the author of several books including the classic novel, One Day of Life. His children's books include, El Cipitio and The Magic Dog of the Volcanoes. He is also the director of the National Library of El Slavador, Francisco Gavidia, where the children's poetry festivals are celebrated.

Mr Argueta will be on tour in the San Francisco Bay Area from May 7-14, in case any of you live in the area and want to help us. Please write or call Jorge Argueta for more information.

Author Interview: Meg Medina

2011-04-19T07:35:00.001-04:00

photo by Gabrielle Pedraja

Don't forget that April is National Poetry Month! And today we are happy to share with you another interview of a poet and author. As you learned in yesterday's post, Meg Medina has written her first picture book for children. (Don't forget to enter to win a copy of Tía Isa Wants a Car!) And the poetic style of the book is especially attractive to young children.

We are very grateful to Ms. Medina for taking the time to share with us a bit of her own story and the motivation behind her latest book...

Would you tell us about the inspiration behind Tía Isa Wants a Car?

The inspiration for the book was my aunt – Ysaira Metauten, who bought our first family car. My family came from Cuba in the early 1960s. Like many immigrant families, we relied on the public transportation system for years, for everything from visiting family to buying groceries. I remember so clearly when the real tía Isa bought that old Buick Wildcat home to us. It was old and dented, and it had an awful habit of stalling at the worst times. To be honest, she was a terrible driver, too. But what did it matter? What I remember most is how exciting it was to be able to go wherever we wanted, without thinking about bus schedules and transfer slips. It was such an important step in our moving forward in this country. A car is hope, discovery, and independence. That’s what this book celebrates.

Tía Isa Wants a Car is your first picture book. Why did you decide to write a story for this age group?

Interestingly, it wasn’t a conscious decision. I am not an artist, so I had always operated under the misconception that only artists wrote and illustrated picture books. That’s not true, of course. In fact, it’s usually the publishing house that puts together an author and an illustrator on a project. In any case, I had just finished writing the manuscript for my second novel and I was exhausted. I desperately needed a rest, and so I turned to poetry. For me, picture books are a form of poetry. They tell a big story within a strict economy of words. I began to play with sounds and images, just thinking about strong girls and how they get that way. (That’s one of my favorite themes.) Suddenly, Tía Isa came to mind and the first line appeared: Tía Isa wants a car.

When did you first realize you wanted to become a writer and what was your first published story?

In some ways, I always knew I was meant to write – even as early as elementary school. However, it took a long while to have the courage to try to pursue it as a career, which is a shame. My first published story was in the mid 1990s in a literary journal. It was for adults, but still about children. First Kiss in Green Hair was based on my real first kiss, which happened one day while I was playing with my friend. I was wearing a pair of green girls’ stockings on my head, pretending it was long hair.

You have also written a highly praised book for young adults entitled, Milagros: Girl From Away. For our readers with older children, can you share what this story is about?

Milagros: Girl From Away is a coming of age story about a 12-year-old girl who loses everything -- her country, her parents, her friends – and has to find her way in the world alone. It’s written in magical realism, so it features a mythical Caribbean setting, pirates, magical stingrays, and healers who know the mysteries of herbs, the human heart, and the sea. It was such a rewarding novel to write because it captures what I most want to tell girls – maybe even what I want to tell all bi-cultural kids -- which is that they have to see themselves with their own eyes in this world. They have to take pieces of all the wonderful things in their families’ past and present and make something new and unique for themselves.

In your opinion, what books are must-reads for Latino families?

There is so much incredible literature out there for children of Latino heritage. A good place to start a search is the Pura Bulpré award, which is the ALSC’s award that recognizes an outstanding piece of chldren’s literature that affirms and celebrates the Latino experience. You can find the list very easily, and it represents a treasure chest of wonderful stories from all over Latin America.

But, since we all have favorites, here are some of mine. For middle school and high school, I recommend Julia Alvarez’s Before We Were Free and Margarita Engle, The Surrender Tree. I have always adored Sandra Cisneros’ The House on Mango Street, too. For elementary school readers, I am partial, of course, to the work of Pam Muñoz. For early readers, I’d try Carmen Agra Deedy’s, Martina the Beautiful Cockroach, based on an old Cuban folktale, and Los Gatos Black by Yuyi Morales. And of course, I recommend Tía Isa Wants a Car!

Do you have any new books coming out soon that we can look forward to reading?

Well, Tía Isa Wants a Car will be published in a Spanish language edition in 2012, which is absolutely thrilling for me. That means my mother will be able to read my work in her own language. The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind is my upcoming young adult novel that will be out in Spring 2012. That’s for older readers, but it uses magical realism – this time to explore the very real issue of migration in our community. I am also working on Finding Yaqui Delgado, which will be published by Candlewick Press in 2013; it will take a look at girls, identity, and bullying. And you know, I’m always tinkering with picture book ideas, so you never know when one will gel.

Book Preview: Tía Isa Wants a Car {GIVEAWAY}

2011-04-18T07:47:00.001-04:00

Tía Isa Wants A Car

by Meg Medina

illustrated by Claudio Muñoz

Tía Isa wants a car. But money is tight. Even so, she confides in her niece, who secretly works small jobs around the neighborhood to help her Tía. And one day, they have enough.

Tía Isa Wants A Car is an inspirational read for young girls that shows how, with a little hard work and determination, anyone can take charge of their own life and make their dreams come true.

Meg Medina is an accomplished storyteller and uses vivid imagery to develop her characters and enrich the story line. Readers will enjoy her dialogue and easy style.

Tía Isa is written with full text in English with a few Spanish words embedded in the text. A Spanish language edition of the book is scheduled to be released in 2012.

Claudio Muñoz’s illustrations bring to life the lovable characters in this book. His soft watercolor palette complements the sweet and lyrical story line. And it captures the time period perfectly.

Tomorrow, we’ll share an interview with the author, but for now, here is a trailer that she made for the book:

THE GIVEAWAY

To win your own copy of Tía Isa Wants A Car, simply leave a comment at the bottom of this post letting us know what you would like to see more of on the LBBC.

The deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Sunday, April 17th. The winner will be chosen using Random.org. and contacted via email - so be sure to leave a valid email address in your comment!

And to increase your chances of winning, consider the following:

1.) Blog about this giveaway and include the link to your post,

2.) Tweet the following: Celebrate #Día & enter to win a copy of Tía Isa Wants a Car by Meg Medina http://bit.ly/hQlbN8 #contest #giveaway

3.) Follow us on Facebook,

4.) Follow us on Google Connect.

Don't forget to let us know by posting a separate comment for each entry!

¡Buena suerte!

Or, if you would prefer to buy your own copy Tía Isa Wants a Car, please click here. Or you can follow the link in our sidebar to the LBBC’s on-line store. Copies are available for pre-order.

A New Release and Free Printable from Yuyi Morales

2011-04-15T00:41:00.002-04:00

Yuyi Morales is a talented author and illustrator of numerous award-winning books. Last year, we interviewed her about her book, Floating on Mama's Song, written by Laura Lacámara. Yuyi is a three-time Pura Belpré Award winner.

Her most recent release is Ladder to the Moon, written by Maya Soetoro-Ng, sister of President Obama. Here's a description of the book:

Little Suhaila wishes she could have known her grandma, who would wrap her arms around the whole world if she could, Mama says. And one night, Suhaila gets her wish when a golden ladder appears at her window, and Grandma Annie invites the girl to come along with her on a magical journey. In a rich and deeply personal narrative, Maya Soetoro-Ng draws inspiration from her mother s love for family, her empathy for others, and her ethic of service to imagine this remarkable meeting. Evoking fantasy and folklore, the story touches on events that have affected people across the world in our time and reaffirms our common humanity. Yuyi Morales s breathtaking artwork illuminates the dreamlike tale, reminding us that loved ones lost are always with us, and that sometimes we need only look at the moon and remember.

Don't miss this video of Yuyi talking about Ladder to the Moon:

And in honor of Día and our theme, "Making Literacy Fun for Children," we are especially delighted and thankful that Yuyi has offered to share an activity featuring one of the popular characters from two of her other books, Just a Minute!: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book, and Just In Case: A Trickster Tale and Spanish Alphabet Book. Your children will love making this animated book of Señor Calavera!

DOWNLOAD THE ACTIVITY SHEET HERE

Con mucho cariño!

Reader Recommendation: Un pez es un pez by Leo Lionni

2011-04-14T07:46:00.003-04:00

When it comes to books, at home we have an extensive library and the Spanish book part of the library is growing! I love how many new books I find now in Spanish and not only in Spanish but in English/Spanish together or in Spanglish. I'm the one in charge of reading in Spanish to the kids, in fact, I usually never read in English to them.

So today I wanted to share my thoughts on one of my favorite books to read to my kids: "Un Pez es un Pez" (A Fish is a Fish) by Leo Lionni. This book has been in my library since I can remember! And it's always been in Spanish - though it comes in English as well, of course. The same book I read to my children is the same one I used to have as a child.

It's not until now that I am reviewing this book that I found out that the author is the illustrator, as well, and that he was a very well-known graphic artist that wrote and illustrated many other books after becoming a grandfather, so interesting! His books are timeless I think, they have a way to survive time including the illustrations, they don't look outdated at all.

The book talks about how a little tadpole and a baby fish become friends, but they separate when the tadpole grows into a frog and leaves the water. Then the frog comes back and tells the grown-up fish all about the other world out of the water and the fish imagines the world in a very unique way, he then wants to get out of the water as well but realizes he can't, and his friend comes in and helps him get back.

The illustrations here are key, they are very graphic and easy to understand for the little ones. I love how the story touches friendship and uniqueness at the same time that it teaches a little bit of how frogs and fishes might grow together and separate afterwards (basic info about the animals!) I also love how it touches on the different points of view that people may have of life that you would never expect because we are all different. I know it sounds complicated but it's not, all this information is given to us in a very simple and classy way.

I always end up talking with my son after we are done. We talk about why the fish thought this or that, and what would happen if he lived out of the water, for example. When a book is still in our conversation after we read it, that means it's great!

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Dariela is a graphic designer and mom living in Southern California with her husband and 2 kids. When she is not reading in Spanish to the kids, she is either writing in her blog, MamiTalks.com, or designing with her sister at DariDesignStudio.com

Does your family have a favorite book? Why not share it with us? To submit a book review, contact us.

Guest Contributor: Amy Costales- Reading with a Child/ Leer con un Niño

2011-04-13T00:23:00.001-04:00

For more information visit her site www.amycostales.com

Promote reading

~Make sure the child sees you reading books, magazines and newspapers ~Teach the child to read the newspaper (you can look for the comics, the weather, or an article together) ~Read with the child every day ~Keep books in the car, the bathroom, the family room, the bedrooms and the kitchen ~Go to the library regularly for books, magazines, books on tape or C.D, music ~Tell stories before bed, at the table, in the car, and on walks ~Give books as presents ~Take the time to express to the child that you enjoy books, newspapers or magazines ~Talk about reading the way you talk about going to the park… like it’s something special ~Read a variety of books (myths, legends, nursery rhymes, rhyming stories, fiction, non-fiction, funny, serious) ~Set limits on television and video games and stick to them ~Make a book with the child (about a dog, family photos, why the child is special, a vacation, a relative) ~Buy new or used books ~Use books as a soothing time in the middle of the day ~Never use reading as a punishment ~Join or form a book club ~Be positive

Before you read
~Read the title
~Ask the child what he/she thinks the book is about
~Ask the child if it reminds him/her of another book
~Look at illustrations
~Talk about them
~Ask the child what he/she thinks the book is about based on the illustrations
~Ask the child if he/she recognizes the artist
~Read about the author and illustrator
~See if there is a connection between the author and what he/she writes about
~Look at the table of contents if there is one
~Ask the child what chapter seems interesting

While you read
~Ask questions
~What do you think is going to happen next?
~What do you think that word means?
~Show your interest by making comments:
I wonder what’s going to happen!
Wow! Look at that illustration
I love the colors in this book!
~Show your interest by showing emotion:
Laugh if it is funny
Cry if it is sad
~Share your thoughts and feelings
~Put emotion in your voice
~Let the child ask questions, touch the book, turn pages, stop you, make comments

After you read
~Talk about how you feel
That book is so funny!
I love that book!
I don’t like that book so much
This book reminds me of….

~Ask the child questions
Did that book remind you of any other books?
Did you like the story?
What is your favorite illustration?
Do you want to read another book by this author?
Should we look for more books like this?

~Let the child talk about how he/she feels
I love that picture!
That book is silly!

~Develop the concept of plot
~Talk about change that may have occurred in the story
~Talk about conflict and resolution that may have occurred in the story
~Retell the story in the dark at bedtime
~Retell the story with puppets
~Retell the story and change an event

Building a Culture of Literacy in Your Community

2011-04-12T00:17:00.000-04:00

El día de los niños/el día de los Libros: Building a Culture of Literacy in Your Community
by Jeanette Larson

    •    Pub. Date: May 2011
    •    Publisher: ALA Editions
    •    Format: Paperback , 138pp
    •    ISBN-13: 9780838935996
    •    ISBN: 0838935990

A celebration of children, families, and reading held annually since 1996, Children's Day/Book Day, known as Día, emphasizes the importance of literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds. In anticipation of Día's fifteenth anniversary, the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) presents a collection of the best of its Día programming ideas, offering • A wealth of ready-to-use programs, easily adaptable for a variety of cultures • Cultural competency training tips to encourage outreach to minority populations • Interviews with library directors about the best ways to heighten awareness of cultural and literacy issues Complemented by numerous bilingual book suggestions, this resource is perfect for collection development, early literacy storytimes, and year-round program planning.

Celebrate National D.E.A.R. Day

2011-04-11T07:37:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow, April 12th, is National Drop Everything And Read Day. The purpose is to remind and encourage families to make reading together on a daily basis a family priority. And with the education of Latinos in this country being in such a critical state, this is one simple way that parents can develop their children's literacy skills.

Participation is easy! All you need is a book. And your family. And 30 minutes of time.

So why not head to your local library today or tomorrow and pick up a few new stories - or maybe some of your favorites?

Here are a few of our favorite cuddle-and-read books:

Three Friends/Tres Amigos: A Counting Book/Un Cuento Para Contar

by María Cristina Brusca and Tona Wilson

Under the Lemon Moon

by Edith Hope Fine

My Colors, My World/Mis colores, mi mundo

by Maya Christina Gonzalez

Abuelo y los tres osos

by Jerry Tello

Sol a Sol: Original and Selected Bilingual Poems

by Lori Marie Carlson

Tales Our Abuelitas Told: A Hispanic Folktale Collection

By Alma Flor Ada, F. Isabel Campoy

Guest Contributor: Author and Illustrator, Laura Lacámara

2011-04-08T07:42:00.002-04:00

I am so delighted to end this week with a guest post by the talented author and illustrator, Laura Lacámara. You may know her from one (or both!) of her books: Floating on Mama's Song and The Runaway PIggy.

HOW MY HAIR SUFFERED IN THE TRANSLATION FROM

CUBAN LATINA TO SUBURBAN AMERICAN

by Laura Lacámara

My dark brown Cuban head of hair made its way to blonde suburban southern California in the late 1960s.

I was starting third grade, and I had by then acquired a reasonable mastery of the spoken English language -- especially considering I had been thrown into it cold just two years prior. That burning shame I had felt every time I had been pulled out of my first grade class and sent to the dreaded trailer to learn English as a Second Language had by then cooled and been all but forgotten.

Now all I wanted was to blend in, to be like everyone else. But, one obstacle stood squarely in my path: the color of my hair.

I became obsessed. “Mamá,” I would cry to her every day after school. “My hair’s so dark. I wish I had light hair like the other girls in my class.”

Now don’t get me wrong, my mother had done a lot up to that point to keep our family’s culture alive. Not only did she encourage my brother and I to speak Spanish at home, she also made a point of teaching us to read and write in Spanish. Thanks to my mother, I grew up being bilingual and biliterate.

And growing up, Mamá always cooked traditional Cuban dishes -- she taught me to cook some of them, too! (OK, she cooked with lard, but everyone did back then.)

So, I know she was just trying to be supportive. Maybe she struggled with her own inner shame. Maybe she felt isolated and helpless in our small suburban apartment, away from her country and her people. Maybe she also wished she could just blend in. Or, maybe I just wore her down, until she was willing to do whatever it took to make me happy (and to stop my whining!). Whatever the reason, Mamá finally cracked under the pressure.

“I will lighten your hair,” she announced. “Just a little bit.”

I was thrilled! Now the kids at school would like me and want to be my friend. At last, here was my ticket to becoming “normal.”

My mother sat me down and colored my hair using a permanent-dye that (she promised!) would turn my hair a light shade of brown. But, she must have accidentally left the dye in too long…

When I unwrapped the towel and looked in the mirror, I saw a redhead staring back at me. My hair was the color of the oranges in the groves that surrounded our sprawling apartment complex.

I was shocked and horrified -- especially when the realization hit me that I would have to face the kids at school the next day!

Naturally, all my classmates stared at me and asked questions. I came up with a lame story about swimming in an over-chlorinated pool. Some kids seemed to buy the story about the chlorine, but I was mortified nonetheless.

So, from one day to the next, I went from feeling different and just wanting to blend in, to being shockingly different and drawing total attention to myself! It was traumatic. On the “shame meter,” the sting of the ESL trailer experience registered as a mosquito bite, while the hair-dying fiasco was more like being stung by a swarm of wasps!

But, in time, my initial shock wore off, and, before long, my mother found a solution to restoring my well-being.

She dyed my hair once again, this time to match my original color. My dark brown Cuban head of hair was back. And, though I had to let go of the dream of ever becoming a popular blonde suburban girl, I was greatly relieved to be myself again.

In an interesting twist of fate, my own daughter came home from school one day last week crying, “Mama, I wish my hair was brown. I’m the only blonde girl in the class.”

My adopted daughter, who is Caucasian with blonde hair and blue eyes, attends a first grade Dual Language class in a Los Angeles Unified school, where about 85 percent of the children are Latino.

I told my daughter that I had experienced the feeling of being the “different” one in my class, too. “It’s OK, mija,” I assured her, trying to seize the opportunity that my own mother unwittingly let slip through her fingers, “You have beautiful hair, and you are perfect just the way you are.”

Laura Lacámara is the award-winning author of Floating on Mama’s Song / Flotando en la canción de mamá, which was chosen as a Junior Library Guild Selection for Fall 2010 and is a Tejas Star Book Award Finalist for 2011 - 2012.

The story, Floating on Mama’s Song, was inspired by Laura’s mother, who had been an opera singer in Cuba. The book was illustrated by Yuyi Morales and published by HarperCollins.

To learn more about Laura Lacámara, visit her website: LauraLacamara.com

Throw Your Own Día de los Niños Party!

2011-04-07T08:55:00.000-04:00

Are you wondering how your familia can celebrate Día de los Niños this year? Why not host your own private Día party? It doesn't have to be a lot of work. Just have your child make their own invitations and invite a few of their close friends. Maybe you can have each child bring a copy of their absolute favorite book and let them all take turns reading it. If the book is too long, let them give an official "Book Review" for all their friends. If the children are too young to read yet, let the parents take turns or assign a more experienced reader.

Or how about simply doing a Book Swap Party? If your house is overflowing with books like mine is, then invite your friends to bring over any books that have been gently used and that they might like to trade.

One of the websites I have found and really love is the California State Library's Día de los Niños / Día de los Libros (Day of the Child / Day of the Book) website.

This completely bilingual website includes full text in both Spanish and English. In addition to a history of the holiday, it includes a "Tool Kit" with documents that are helpful for planning your own Día celebration. You can also download many of their beautiful graphics in the form of logos, bookmarks, posters, and book labels. Some of these graphics would be excellent for making your own invitations, bookmarks, buttons, etc. Then you can give them out as party favors!

How are you celebrating Día de los Niños, Día de los Libros?

The International Children’s Digital Library

2011-04-06T00:04:00.000-04:00

This article is reprinted with permission from our sister-site, MommyMaestra.com

Since I discovered this site, I have been so excited to share it with everyone! The International Children’s Digital Library (ICDL Foundation) is rich with a diverse collection of multicultural children’s literature. In this mobile society, ICDL believes that it is every child’s (and family’s) right to have access to books of their native culture “regardless of where they live.” They quote on their website, a 2005 paper published by UNESCO, which states that "Denial to access to information in one's mother tongue is equivalent to a denial of a human right." (YES!!)

Why is it that so many feel that to acknowledge one culture is to deny another? Why can we not embrace both the richness of our heritage AND the beauty of our present society? Why is it wrong to excel at more than one language? Surely this is something to be celebrated rather than punished. Well, apparently the wonderful staff at ICDL feel the same way.

So to provide children around the world with the opportunity to connect with their mother tongue, ICDL is working to create an extraordinary collection of literature from around the world. Currently, the collection has grown to include 4431 books in 54 languages.

They describe their mission as being “to support the world's children in becoming effective members of the global community - who exhibit tolerance and respect for diverse cultures, languages and ideas -- by making the best in children's literature available online free of charge. The Foundation pursues its vision by building a digital library of outstanding children's books from around the world and supporting communities of children and adults in exploring and using this literature through innovative technology designed in close partnership with children for children.”

Bravo!

So, let’s get you started! This website is a pleasure to explore, full of hidden treasures that will thrill any child or parent. You may begin using their Simple Search interface and simply click on a button to refine your search. You can search by age, language, country, fiction/non-fiction, length, characters, picture vs. chapter books, author, award winning, or collection. They also have special exhibitions that focus on themes and have accompanying activities. (Check out “Strong Women and Girls Make the World Go Round.”)

Now, like I said, the site has books available in almost ANY language, but for our purposes, here is the link to their books in Spanish for children ages three to five. There are 77 books currently available, like El caballito de palo. What a fantastic source of multicultural children’s literature this has turned out to be!

I would strongly recommend the International Children’s Digital Library for ALL families (obviously) for its diversity of children’s books from around the world. How fortunate for all of us to have such a dynamic tool at our fingertips!

Con mucho cariño…