September's BOM: My Name is/Me llamo Gabriela

My Name is Gabriela/

Me Llamo Gabriela
By Monica Brown
Illustrated by John Parra

To complement Violeta's post and Aurora's author interview later this month, we have chosen Monica Brown’s My Name is Gabriela/Me Llamo Gabriela as the LBBC’s recommendation for September’s Libro del Mes. Ms. Brown writes the lovely story of Gabriela Mistral’s life with poetic simplicity and full text in both English and Spanish.

Told in the first person, My Name is Gabriela describes Gabriela’s life – from her childhood dreams and personality to her adult accomplishments. Brown does a great job of writing the story in such a way that young children are able to relate to the young and imaginative Gabriela. This book is perfect for inspiring children to use their imaginations and encouraging them to learn to read and write. Brown writes,

"I liked to play school with the children of my village…Pedro would say that I was mean because I made him write his ABCs until he knew all the letters of the alphabet. But I told him that the alphabet is important. How else would he create words and tell his stories without it?"

It is an excellent tribute to the Chilean born poet who began teaching at the young age of 15 and subsequently traveled all over the world in an effort to improve schools. She was inspired by her travels and wrote many stories during this time. Gabriela Mistral is her nom de plume. She was actually born Lucila de María del Perpetuo Socorro Godoy Alcayaga – Whew! Mistral is a wonderful role model for young children because she was so passionate about learning and writing. She is noted for the many contributions she made to the education system of Latin America. Mistral finally received the recognition she so richly deserved in 1945 when she became the first Latin American writer to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature. A prolific writer, she published more than 30 collections of poetry during her lifetime. I would highly recommend this book as a great introduction to biographies for children. It is not too heavy for young ears, and is descriptive enough to keep their attention.

Me Llamo Gabriela is just one of several bilingual biographies for children that Brown has written. Others include My Name is Celia/Me Llamo Celia (winner of the Américas Award for Children's Literature and a Puré Belpré Honor Book for Illustration), My Name is Gabito: The Life of Gabriel García Márquez/Me Llamo Gabito: La Vida de Gabriel García Márquez (winner of a Puré Belpré honor medal), and the soon to be released, Pelé, King of Soccer. Check back with us over the coming months for reviews of these wonderful books.

If you would like to buy your own copy of My Name is Gabriela/Me Llamo Gabriela, 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.

If you would like to learn more about the author and her other works, please visit her beautiful web site here.

Hardback. For children ages 4-7

What Is Your Favorite?

One of the great things about the LBBC blog is that I can do whatever I want with it. I've mentioned that I enjoy the sharing of ideas, so I would like to dedicate one post a month that lists your suggested reading/listening. Do you have a soft spot for a bilingual book? Do your kids sing a certain song or listen to a particular CD over and over? Please share your favorites with us (bilingual, bicultural, or Spanish only please!) Leave us a comment and I will compile all your recommendations into one post within the next few weeks.

Example: "I would like to recommend Abuelo y Los Tres Osos by Jerry Tello. My kids love the illustrations and the storyline is hilarious. It is the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears with a Latin twist. ~ Gracie in TX"

Muchisimas Gracias for sharing with us!

The Frijolitos Book Series has Arrived!

Prior to having children, I used to spend every weekend in a bookstore. And the proof is here in my new house. Our library is filled with boxes of books patiently awaiting the construction of built-in bookshelves. However, since my journey into mamihood began, my genre tastes have shifted from a little bit of everything (nature, mystery, crafting, fiction…) to mostly children’s literature.

The arrival of a new book in the mail never fails to lift my spirits and fill me with excitement. And I’ll even admit right here that I am a bad critic because there are very few books that I have read that I haven’t liked. And, hey, I’ll even admit that with the birth of mis niños, it is like having the chance to relive my favorite part of childhood – the books!

But let me tell you, amigas, this week my excitement was fully justified, when I received my first order of books from Frijolitos Inc. Dedicated to creating educational toys that celebrate the traditions, folklore and culture of Latin America, their first two books do not disappoint. Filled with culturally relevant illustrations and themes, both books present the text in both English and Spanish.

Picadillo the Armadillo/Picadillo el Armadillo is the first book in the series and follows the mischievous antics of Picadillo when he is found and taken in by an excited young girl named Lilia. He is accompanied by Albondiga, the Mariachi dog, who at first tries to keep Picadillo out of trouble, but finally winds up joining in on all the naughty fun. The ending is warm and sweet and teaches a good life lesson about not judging a book by its cover.

But my favorite book is the second one in the series, Tuguita Tere: A Home for My Books/Un Hogar Para Mis Libros. The book centers around (surprise!) Tuguita Tere as she celebrates her 5th birthday and eagerly applies for her very own library card. Tuguita is an imaginative bibliophile, always dreaming up adventures based on the books that she reads. I really like how the book references historical figures (ie, Frida and Sor Juana Inés to name a few) – this would be a great way to introduce your children to other historical children’s books, too.

The back of Tuguita’s book even includes a history of the piñata (Did you know it was originally an Italian game? I didn’t!) and a nice little section with tips about reading to your child. Both books even include lesson plans for teachers and parents in the back.

So if you’d like to pick up your very own copy of one (or both!) of these fun books, click here.

And don't forget to check out the Frijolitos web site for more information about their products and to learn about their other whimsical characters.


Hardback
For children ages 4-7

LBBC in the news

The launch of the Latin Baby Book Club has caused quite a stir. Actually, it is turning out to be a much bigger deal than I expected, so I am, of course, turning gray as I type this post, just from thinking about everything I still have left to do tonight. But I wanted to give thanks to those who have given a big boost to the LBBC.


A few of the bloggers who have picked up the story about the launch include Latina Lista (gracias, Marisa!), HispanicTips (thanks, Tomás!) and Celebrity Baby Blog (thanks, Kate!!)


And there are bunch of others who have created links to the LBBC in their personal blogs. Gracias to all of you - you are wonderful and we value your support!

Stay tuned, everyone, for upcoming reviews and suggested reading!

José-Luis Orozco's Music - Passing on la Cultura

Moving on to the category of music, I thought I would highlight someone who deserves special recognition for his lifetime of contributions. One of my favorite songwriters is José-Luis Orozco, of whom I am sure all of you have already heard - and, perhaps, you may even have a few of his books or CDs? I think his most popular book may be De Colores and Other Latin American Folk Songs for Children. All of his books are beautifully and richly illustrated, but the heart of each work centers around the lively finger rhymes and folksongs that Mr. Orozco has collected from all over Latin America and Spain.

Born in Mexico city, his wonder and love of music was developed at an early age, thanks to his abuelita. At only 8 years old, he joined the Mexico City Boy's Choir and traveled throughout Central and South America and across the sea to the Caribbean and Europe. His Master's degree is in Multicultural Education and his books are used by thousands of teachers across America. I can't even begin to list all of the awards that Sr. Orozco has received, but I can assure you they are all well deserved.

His works are a gift to children, who will be engaged by the rhythm of the words and music. And your niños will greatly benefit from the interaction with you. Each book comes with lyrics in both English and Spanish, as well as simple arrangements for piano and guitar.

Some of his other books and CDs include, Diez Deditos and Other Play Rhymes and Action Songs, Fiestas A Year of Latin American Songs and Celebrations, Navidad y Pancho Claus, and Arrullos: Lullabies in Spanish, but he has SO many more.

If you are interested in getting your copy of one of Sr. Orozco's works, we have several of his books/CDs available in the LBBC on-line shop both in the 'Music" and "Nursery Rhymes" sections.

If you'd like to visit José-Luis Orozco's official web site, click here. And don't forget to check out his show schedule to see if he will be performing anywhere near you!

Help Your Child Become a Reader

by Christianne Meneses Jacobs

Welcome to Latin Baby Book Club! It is an honored for me to participate in this blog. I have two voracious book loving daughters, Isabelle (6 ½) and Katherine (2 ½).
The month after I received my Master’s Degree in Education, I became pregnant with Isabelle. It was a very exciting and challenging time, but I decided this new baby was going to be my little experiment: What would happen to a child that grows up without television and lots of books in a print rich environment? Would the baby become a book lover and a reader? I was definitely eager to find out. Therefore, my husband and I started reading to Isabelle from the time I was four months pregnant. We decided at that time that I was going to speak and read in Spanish and he was going to do the same in English. And so it began Isabelle’s love affair with the written word.

I read to Isabelle in the morning, during nursing, before taking a nap and at bedtime. My husband read to her in the morning and at bedtime. By the time she was three, I was frustrated by the lack of Spanish language literature for children. As a result, my husband and I created Iguana, the Spanish language magazine for children (www.IGUANAmagazine.com). Isabelle was our inspiration. At around the same time, we discovered that Isabelle had learned to read and write by herself. We were amazed that a three year old could read at kindergarten level.

Isabelle and her sister are surrounded by books, have bilingual labels around the house, have four magazine subscriptions (Highlights, HighFive, National Geographic for Kids and Ladybug) and of course, they love Iguana. Now that she is older, Isabelle watches one hour of television a week. Katherine is not interested in television yet. She prefers to look at the Sunday comics.

My husband and I are very pleased that our experiment continues to be a success. Isabelle has entered first grade reading at middle of second grade level. I am pleased to say that we are raising readers.

I tell you this story because I believe every child has the same potential as my girls. Every child is born to become a reader. We, as parents, can help them achieve that kind of success. Here are some ideas that you can start using at home:

1 Start sharing books with your children during infancy, as soon as they are born. They should have their own books and see their parents reading and writing.
2 Use different voices for the various characters in a book when you read to your children. Remember to read with expression.
3 Point to the words when reading. You help your child make the connection between the oral and the written language.
4 Read repetitive and predictable story lines to encourage confidence. Read books with rhyming words like The Cat in the Hat.
5 Put signs around the house (my famous bilingual labels).
6 Encourage your children to talk about the books they love.
7 Have educational toys like alphabet refrigerator magnets and make “word of the week”.
8 Pause to allow your children to make predictions about a story.
9 Make sure your children see you reading and enjoying a good book.
10 Most importantly, talk to your children. Vocabulary, language skills and knowledge about the world is acquired during conversations with parents.

I guarantee you that your children will be better prepared for kinder and be more successful in school if they are raised with books.

Good luck and have a great time!

Elefante tiene Hipo, or Hiccups for Elephant

Many of the books on Maria’s shelves are Spanish and bilingual editions of classics like Are you my Mother? and The Ugly Duckling. She also has various editions of Spanish picture dictionaries that help me as much as her.

You see, my Spanish is good. Excellent, in fact, by the standards of English-only speakers. But, I forget basic words – stage, branch, plum – because until my daughter was born 4 years ago, I did not use my Mother Tongue on a daily basis.

I live in Tennessee, far from my Spanish-speaking, Cuban-American family in Miami. My career as a newspaper reporter required excellent English, in writing and thinking.

So, to pass Spanish on to my daughter, it has taken a big digging down into marrow to retrieve words and phrases, stories and songs that I had long forgotten.

The Spanish and bilingual books I try to pick for Maria have simple translations and use common, everyday words. I want her to listen to the rhythm of the language, hear how the r is rolled, how ñ is different from ll.

The ones on our shelves I dread reading appear to have been translated for native speakers with doctorates. Sometimes, I have to stop, read the whole page and then give her the quickie translation, because if I read the page as written, we’d both be lost. And, then, she doesn’t want that book anymore. Not our goal.

We have been reading Elephante tiene Hipo since she was 2. The English version is called Hiccups for Elephant, by James Preller and Hans Wilhelm, and published by Hello, Reader.

Maria loves the book because it is funny and the animals are both cranky and helpful. Kind of like a pre-schooler. Elephant has the hiccups (hipo) and the noise is keeping the animals awake during siesta. Each of the animals gives Elephant a tip for getting rid of the hiccups.

Mono tells Elefante:

“Come esta banana, patas arriba…sin respirar.’’

Elefante lo intentó

¡CATAPLUM! al suelo se cayó.

I love the word cataplum. It is the Spanish sound for falling down, like “Bam.’’ Another great word from the book: alboroto, which means ruckus.

When I read it, I adopt a different voice for each of the four animals – Mono, León, Zebra, and Ratoncito. Elefante only hiccups.

Maria always cracks up at the end, and remember, we’ve been reading it for two years.

Life "On the Pampas" Captures el Corazón

An excerpt from Mi Cielito Lindo...

"Not too long ago, a friend gave me a copy of "On the Pampas" by María Cristina Brusca. Instantly, it became my daughter's favorite and I must have read it five dozen times by now - at least once a day, sometimes twice. Normally, I would get tired of a new "favorite" after a few nights in a row and try to suggest a new one that we haven't read, but this sweet classic has definitely caught my heart.
I don't know of any little girls (or boys, for that matter) that don't like a good story about horses and life on the ranch. I certainly devoured books on this topic when I was a child. And since their infancy, I have seen this burgeoning love and affection for all things equine consume my children.
But for me, "Pampas" has sky-rocketed to the top of our favorite book list because it not only tells a great story about a girl's summer vacation on the family ranch - it tells about una niña's summer adventure on an Argentine estancia. So much of this story brings back childhood memories of times when I visited my father's familia in Spain and enjoyed the innocence, joy and passion of la vida española. I wish that every child could be able to experience the adventure of living in the country and discover the passion for living that the Hispanic culture embodies.
You will not regret the purchase after you read this wonderful book with your child. Both of mine are totally enthralled from beginning to end. And the illustrations are excellent, as well. I had a hard time picking one out from the book, so I wound up using my two favorites (not in sequential order.)
It is also an excellent tool for teaching your children about the differences and similarities of another culture. After reading the book, take a moment to show your children where Argentina is and, if they are old enough, have them write a report about the country. Or how about having them create a shadow box of one of the scenes in the book?"

This is a hard to find book. Fortunately, we have a few used copies (mostly ex-library) in our LBBC Amazon store here.

For children ages 4 - 7

Poems for Mamis and Bebes: Gabriela Mistral’s Poemas de las Madres/ The Mothers’ Poems

Hola! I'm encantada to be a contributor to the LBBC! Over the last couple of weeks, I've gone back and forth a dozen times on what to blog about here- there's so much to read and write it's hard to know where to start. But, after all my brainstorming, what I kept coming back to was my first literary love- poetry. In my posts, I hope to introduce you to some fantastic bilingual poetry that I hope you'll share with your family.

To start us off, I bring you the first bilingual poetry collection that really spoke to me as a new mami- Gabriela Mistral's Poemas de las Madres/ The Mothers' Poems (translated by Christiane Jacox Kyle). It grabbed me with this poem:

La dulzura

Por el nino dormido que llevo, mi paso se

ha vuelto sigiloso. Y e religioso todo mi

corazon, desde que lleva el misterio.

Mi voz es suave, como una sordina de

amor, y es que temo despertarlo.

Con mis ojos busco ahora en los rostros

el dolor de las entranas, para que los demas

miren y comprendan la causa de mi mejilla

empalidecida.

Hurgo con miedo de ternura en las

hierbas donde anidan codornices. Yo voy

por el campo silenciosa, cautelosamente:

Creo que los arboles y cosas tienen hijo

dormidos, sobre los que velan inclinados.

Sweetness

Because of the sleeping child I carry, my

step has become secretive. And my whole

heart is holy since it began carrying this

mystery.

My voice is soft, like a mute love song,

and it's because I'm afraid of awakening

him.

Now my eyes search faces for the sorrow

deep inside, so that the others may look and

understand the reason for my pale cheeks.

With fear born out of tenderness, I search

through the grasses where the quail make

their nests. And I go through the field

silently, cautiously: I believe trees and all

things have sleeping children whom they

hover over, keeping watch.

In the introduction, Mistral writes about the incident that inspired the collection, when she saw a pregnant village woman be insulted by a man walking by. She writes she went away thinking,

"One of us ought to speak of the sacredness of this painful and divine condition. If the purpose of art is to make everything beautiful with an immense mercy, why haven't we purified, for the eyes of the impure, this? And I wrote these poems with an almost religious intention."

Efectivamente, these are poems that you need to read with your heart broken open by baby love; poems that can't help but describe that singular wonderstruck state of motherhood.

Gabriela Mistral's Poemas de las Madres are the first things I ever read to each of my kids, rocking them in my arms in the nursery's half-light, breathing each word into their hair. I read them each poem en espanol, then in English, showing them, if their eyes were open, the breathtaking artwork by Chilean painter Sara Adlerstein Gonzalez that accompany the text. Some nights, I read only one poem, over and over again, like a prayer; other nights, I'd read half the collection. Exhausted as I was those moments, I couldn't help but feel it was a blessing to start them off with such beautiful poetry. Even still, re-reading this collection a few years after first finding it, I'm powerfully reminded of that mystic element that surrounds motherhood, particularly of how it's expressed in our cultura.

Though poetry can have an intimidating reputation, these poems will feel like wisdom from a trusted comadre. If you're an expecting or new mami, read them to yourself, to your baby; give them to your own mami, too. Just as I did, I trust you'll enjoy reveling in this poesia while you hold your nenes close.

August's Book of the Month

The Three Golden Oranges

By Alma Flor Ada
Illustrated by Reg Cartwright

LBBC’s recommendation for the August Libro del Mes, is Alma Flor Ada’s The Three Golden Oranges. Ada’s adaptation of the classic Spanish fairytale is spectacular with changes to the original story line that create a tale that flows simply and beautifully.

The story of three brothers who wish to marry and set out to find the woman of their dreams, they first visit the wise old woman who lives in a cave on the edge of a cliff. Spinning her wool, the old woman tells them how to find the brides that they are seeking. Naturally, two of the brothers (Santiago and Tomás) do not heed the old woman’s advice and promptly get into trouble, but the third, Matías, follows the directions as best he can and is eventually rewarded with the apparition of the kind and joyful, Blancaflor. The two quickly return to the castle to rescue both Matías’ brothers (trapped in the castle dungeon) and Blancaflor’s mother and sisters - who, along with Blancaflor, had been cruelly transformed into an orange tree with –tada! – three golden oranges!

Unlike most fairytale endings in which the handsome prince is rescuing the princess with his extraordinary strength, agility and dashing good looks, Three Golden Oranges emphasizes the value of honesty, selflessness, honor, and dedication. When asked what type of wife he wants, Matías asks for one who is "kind, joyful and someone I could love very much" as opposed to his brothers who desire wealth and beauty. And in a novel turn of events, it is the sweet Blancaflor who chooses Matías to be her husband, rather than the other way around! Yay! Altogether what a great message…and one that I hope to impart to my own son and daughter.

Set in rural Spain, the illustrations are fantastic. Reg Cartwright does a great job depicting the Spanish characters in both their attire and features (aquiline noses are just so Mediterranean – I should know!) And his colorful, rounded artwork vividly reflects the Spanish countryside and small towns with a folk art style.

If you would like to buy your own copy of The Three Golden Oranges, 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.

For an additional activity, download a coloring page from the book here. 

Happy reading!

"I'm Just Like My Mom/I'm Just Like My Dad" by Jorge Ramos

I'm Just Like My Mom/I'mJust Like My Dad

Written by Jorge Ramos
Illustrated by Akemi Gutierrez
HarperCollins Children's Books
$16.99
Ages 3-6

Hola y bienvenidos!
It’s an honor to be a contributor of the Latin Baby Book Club blog. My articles will feature interviews with authors, and I’ll give you the inside scoop on the new children’s books and also highlight some oldies but goodies.

The first book I want to share with you is "I'm Just Like My Mom/I'm Just Like My Dad" by Jorge Ramos. If you're like me, you grew up watching Jorge Ramos on the evening news. Or you may have read one of his 8 books about politics, travels, immigration and journalism. This time Jorge writes a very special book, inspired by his son.

Ramos explores the many ways in which all children are just like their parents—in English and Spanish! From Mom’s green eyes and loud sneeze to Dad’s long legs and love for reading, "I'm Just Like My Mom/I'm Just Like My Dad" highlights all of the traits we share with our parents. Readers will be delighted to find this title is really a combination of two books when they flip the picture book around. One side describes a son’s perspective, the other the daughter’s making this the perfect pick for boys and girls alike.

Questions for Jorge Ramos:

1. What was the inspiration behind "I'm Just Like My Mom/I'm Just Like My Dad"?
My son Nicolas was the inspiration. I had promised him to write a book about him and this is it. I knew that he was going to be the most difficult critic. But he already read it and gave his approval. He did find himself in the book and many members of the family.
But the idea for this book came about after the death of my father 13 years ago. Back then I had an interview with the Chilean writer Isabel Allende. And she gave my the best advice I have ever received. She told me that the people we really love never die because we repeat them in our movements and attitudes, and we carry them in our faces, in our body and in our behavior. After a while, I started noticing that I did many of the things that my father used to do, from drinking chocolate milk at night to the very strange practice of trying to catch flies with our bare hands. Now, almost every month I discover in me things, conducts and attitudes that defined my father. Therefore, I'm never alone.
When my son asks," Who do I look like?" I have a book for him.



2. This is your first book for children; what do you enjoy most when writing it?

The wonderful thing about writing fiction is that I was able to bring together my father -who died 13 years ago- and my son -who was born 10 years ago. Obviously they never met each other but in the book the share many things. It was magical. My other eight books had to do with politics, travels, immigration and journalism. But this last one was special. If there is paradise, it is in a place in which I can include all the people I love. And I found it in fiction.
3. How can parents encourage their children to celebrate and embrace their Latino roots?
It was very important to publish this book in English and Spanish. Actually, it's a bilingual book that can be read in four different ways: from left to right is for boys and from right to left is for girls. Like it or not, many parts of the United States are already bilingual. Bilingual is better. This is the only country that I know in which there are people who think that to speak one language is better than two or three.
This country gave the opportunities that my country of origin, Mexico, couldn't give. And I am very very grateful. But I don't want to lose my Latino roots. We speak Spanish at home, we visit Mexico at least once a year, we communicate constantly with my family and my children are very proud of their heritage. Not only that, by being bilingual they'll have more opportunities in the future than children who only speak English.

4. What books are on your nightstand now?
I just finished The Angel's Game, Carlos Ruiz Zafon's latest book. Marvelous. His previous, The Shadow of the Wind, was also fantastic. He must be the best Spanish-language author nowadays. I tend to read two or three books at a time. In Praise of Slowness gave me a lot of perspective about how we use our time. Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food has changed the way I eat. And Pico Iyer's book on the Dalai Lama is a pure joy; one of the best writer's talking about an unlikely and wise protagonist like the Dalai Lama.

5. Tell me about the book club you created in 2002.
People used to say that Latinos didn't read and that, if they do, they do not read in Spanish. Well, they were wrong. And we proved that in the first Book Clun on Spanish-language television that we created at Univision in 2002. It was called Wake Up Reading. And I'm glad to report that we woke up millions of people. Now, it would come as no surprise that many Spanish-language books sell much better that their English-language counterparts. Why? simple. The United States is the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world, with the exception of Mexico.
6. You have interviewed some of the most influential leaders and writers in the world… is there anyone from history that you would interview if she/he were alive today?
Gandhi has always been a fascinating person for me, as well as those who changed history. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Miguel Hidalgo and Benito Juarez would make a fantastic group for my Sunday morning political program.

7. I know you play soccer with your children, does all your family cheer for the same soccer club?
It's our Saturday routine. The only difference is that, a few years ago, Nicolas would come to the field to see me. Now, I go to the field to see him play. It's just fair, isn't it?



About Jorge Ramos:
Jorge Ramos has been the anchorman for Noticiero Univision since 1986. He has received many prestigious honors including eight Emmy Awards and a spot on Time magazine's list of "25 Most Influential Hispanics." Ramos is the author of eight books for adults. This is his first children's book.


About La Casa Azul Bookstore:
La Casa Azúl Bookstore is a place of knowledge, art, creativity and culture. Our mission is to provide the community with contemporary bilingual literature, featuring works by Latino authors. La Casa Azul Bookstore offers an opportunity to share the richness of the Latino experience in writing, art and culture. Sign up for our list serve to receive our newsletter with updates on events, book club meetings, and book news.

Aurora Anaya-Cerda
La Casa Azul Bookstore
East Harlem, New York

Website: www.lacasaazulbookstore.com
MySpace www.myspace.com/lacasaazulbookstore