A Literary Giveaway

Woohoo! So the LB Book Club's first contest and giveaway is now here. To celebrate our two month anniversary a week from tomorrow (October 4th) as well as our growing readership, we have a little book prize to giveaway. One lucky winner will be announced on (surprise!) October 4th. All you have to do is leave us a comment here describing one special way in which you are teaching your children Spanish. Do you have a particular game you like to play? Is there a family tradition you are passing down to your kids? Do you go on field trips to somewhere special? I'd like to say that extra points are given for originality, but to be honest, we are simply going to put everyone's name in una canasta and pull one out randomly. But, remember that everyone else will be reading and probably looking for fresh ideas to use at home, too.

And what, you ask, will the book prize be?

It is hard to choose because since starting the book club, books have been flowing into my house at a rather rapid rate. Next to my desk sits a pile of new books awaiting review. They are brand-spankin' new and quite a few have been sent to me from the publisher as a bonus to be given away on this blog. Some I am saving to use for el Libro del Mes or because they fit a certain month better than others.

The nice thing is that I have also received the galleys to some of these books, which are full-color samples that are stapled together and intended for review. Which is perfect for me, because I am able to use these with my kids to see how they rate and I don't have to worry about getting them dirty, or folded, etc.


At any rate, I believe our first giveaway will be a lovely new book just out by Raven Tree Press. If I Could/ Si Yo Pudiera is a lovely and imaginative book written by Nancy Sweetland. With full text in both English and Spanish, it follows the imagination of a little boy who wonders what it would be like to do things, if only he could. Inside he states,

I'd be a song that someone would sing,

or I'd be a bell that someone could ring...

or a cloud in the sky,

or a mountain so high-

if I could, I'd be everything!

Sería la canción que todos cantan

o la compana que alguien tañera,

una nube que en el cielo se levanta

o a lo lejos empinada una montaña...

Trataría. ¡Sería todo eso si pudiera!

The books is beautifully written with lush illustrations. I think the English text is poetic, but don't you think that the rhythm of the Spanish words makes it even more so? My son especially enjoyed this book. I love the flow of the language, the realistic illustrations, and the nature theme.

Best of luck a todos!

Tortillitas Para Mama

I have often found it ridiculous how just because we share one language, Latinos are often lumped together by (American) media as all being the same. I mean, I certainly wouldn’t classify the British, Americans, and Australians as all being exactly alike, would you? Despite the commonality of our language, we Latinos are a rich and diverse blend of customs, religions, and backgrounds. And I love exploring these differences with mis ninos. But it is still so wonderful to find the little pieces of heritage that we all share. And nursery rhymes are a part of these pieces. Just like "Baa Baa Black Sheep" is to the English speaking world, I think that "Los Pollitos Dicen" is found throughout most (if not all) Spanish speaking cultures. We all know this sweet and fuzzy little rhyme and many of us are passing it on to our children.

But there are others.

Looking through my daughter’s bookshelf last night, I found one of my favorites. Many of you may have already heard of it. Tortillitas Para Mama and Other Nursery Rhymes is selected and translated by several authors and illustrated by Barbara Cooney. There were a few rhymes that I was not familiar with when I first read the book, though I wish that I had been. Some are funny…

Soy chiquita, soy bonita.

Soy la perla de mamá.

Si me ensucio el vestido,

Garrotazos me dará.

(direct translation)
I am small, I am pretty.
I am my mother’s pearl.
If I soil my dress,
She will beat me,

(YIKES! I’m glad I didn’t know that one!)

And some are soft, and loving, such this little lullaby that I sang to my babies, just as my mother sang to me.

Duéremete, mi niña,

Duérmete, mi sol.

Duérmete pedazo

De mi corazon.

Go to sleep my child,

Go to sleep my sunshine.

Go to sleep little piece

of my heart.

And others are just silly, like "Sana, sana colita de rana..." that I think are probably universal.

But I was delighted to find one I had completely forgotten about. It was one of my childhood favorites, which my Nanita often recited….

Había una viejita.

Juntando su leñita.

Llegó una lloviznita,

Y corrió, corrió para su cuevita.

There was a little old lady,
Gathering wood.
It began to drizzle,
And she ran and ran to her humble home (cave.)

Of course, this little ditty was always accompanied by rounds of tickles and giggles.

It is always a warm and yummy surprise to find books that bring back good memories of childhood, don't you think? Especially when you have your own children so that you can pass on these little family "traditions." Do any of you remember one of these rhymes from your own childhood? Would you share with us one of your favorites?

This bilingual book has both the original Spanish version as well as an English translation. And I think that las mamás y los papás would enjoy it just as much as los niños. To purchase your own copy, click here.

Making a "My Book"

by Christianne Meneses Jacobs

The majority of young children like to talk and have many stories to tell. Although they can’t write, they can dictate stories that you can write down in this little book.

Materials

Paper
Paper punch
Scissors
Yarn, staples
Glue
Pencil, crayons

Instructions

Fold five or six pages in half. Punch holes close to the edge and thread yarn through the holes.

Write your child’s name on the front cover of the book. Make sure that your child knows that you are both making a book about him/her.

Give your child ideas about what to write:
My family
My home
My neighborhood
My favorite toys
My favorite books
My friends

Allow your child to talk, dictate and draw on each page. Write down what your child tells you and offer praise. This project will help your child to make the connection between the spoken and written languages, and develop a love for books.

Have fun and encourage your child to read the book to the family.

The Tree is Older Than You Are- A Mami's Poetry in Motion

A few nights ago, at bedtime, I found myself with a voice I couldn't raise above a whisper.  I'd been fighting a cold and talking too much throughout the day... but still, the bedtime routine had to go on.  My nena was sitting by a stack of book in her big girl bed while my chiquitina was watching me and waiting from her crib.  So, I improvised.  I grabbed The Tree is Older Than Your Are: A Bilingual Gathering of Poems & Stories from Mexico, ed. by Naomi Shihab Nye-- a poetry book we hadn't yet cracked-- off the shelf, and started (sort of ) reading it: I whispered the poems and, in the middle of the room, pantomimed them.

Picture it.  During the long and beautiful "La plaza," I made my hands dance over the girls like clouds, I mimicked rain fall, balloons, and firecrackers to accompany these stanzas:

La nube se detiene

al verse reflejada

en el agua estancada

de la plaza.

Bulle la plaza

esas aguas tranquilas

hierven de ninos y bunuelos,

de globos y cornetas,

los cuetes suben al cielo

devolviendole los truenos

y una lluvia de luz

amenaza el avion

que absurdamente vuela

el 15 de septiembre

cuando todos deben estar en tierra.

Al dia siguiente

la plaza es la misma de siempre:

las palomas se reponen del susto

de las luces y los cuetes

sobre el aguila del kiosco

o en la cabeza del heroe.

And though maybe at first my girls' smiles were those of "mami's finally gone crazy!" they really did get into the poetry in motion.  And the days since, even with my voice back, they want a repeat performance.

Naomi Shihab Nye collected these poems to "represent a small but important bit of the spectacular richness which is Mexican literature."  The book includes a great variety of poets (Octavio Paz, Jose Juan Tablada, Rosario Castellanos, and other talented if lesser-known poets of all ages), English translations beside the original Spanish, and amazing art... all while remaining kid-friendly.

What reading the collection this way made me realize was how much kids love literature that can come to live off the page, and how this literatura is so vibrant it lends itself perfectly to this kind of tribute and preservation.

Monica Brown - My Name is Gabito: The Life of Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Monica Brown

Inspired by her Peruvian-American heritage and passion to share Latino/a stories with children, Monica Brown, Ph.D. is the author of award-winning bilingual books for children including My Name Is Celia: The Life of Celia Cruz/Me llamo Celia: La vida de Celia Cruz, which was awarded the Américas Award for Children's Literature and a Pura Belpré Honor. Her second picture book, My Name Is Gabriela: The Life of Gabriela Mistral/Me llamo Gabriela: La vida de Gabriela Mistral shares the story of the first Latina to win a Nobel Prize. (This book is also this month's Latin Baby Book Club pick!)

I love Monica's books because she features famous people from Latin America in her children's books. We can share these stories with our children, and grandchildren... in my case, with my niece :) The illustrations are beautiful, full of color, bringing every page to life.

Monica answered some questions about her new book:

1. Can you describe your latest book?
My two Fall books are My Name is Gabito: The Life of Gabriel Garcia Marquez/ Me Llamo Gabito: La Vida de Gabriel Garcia Marquez, a children's biography of one of our greatest living authors and the second is Butterflies on Carmen Street, a book that explores immigration among peoples and in nature.

2 . What do you enjoy about being a children's author?
Everything! I love writing for children and working with children. They are honest and joyful and lovely little spirits. I've gotten to meet children across the country and it has been my pleasure. Another aspect of writing for children that I love has been the opportunity to work with Latino/a artists. Picture books are the union of text and art and it has been very gratifying.

3. How can parents encourage their children to celebrate and embrace their Latino roots?
I'll start by advising them to share our stories--our amazing history and our contributions to the world of art, music, literature and beyond. I've written three picture book biographies, and I write the books I want my own daughters, ages 8 and 10, to read!

Purchase your copy online at www.lacasaazulbookstore.com

El Capitán Cheech - An Enjoyable Journey into Spanish

When we first started the LBBC, we set up a little poll asking what kind of books/music you were looking for. One or two of you said that you were looking for books in Spanish. One of my son’s new favorites is Cheech Marin’s El Capitán Cheech. I’m fairly sure that this book is available in English as well, but we have the Spanish edition. I read it to my son before bedtime. He’s two years old, and I know he doesn’t understand most of it, but he is GLUED to each page. The storyline itself is hilarious and centers around Cheech, the school bus driver who is easily swayed by his young passengers into driving the school bus in a boat race. I remember laughing out loud the first time we read it.

This little excerpt from the first page should give you a taste of the whole book…

"Buenos dias! Me llamo Cheech y soy el chofer de tu autobús escolar.
Soy un chofer muy, muy, muy pero MUY bueno.
SIEMPRE llego a la escuela a tiempo y siempre tomo los MEJORES atajos."

I don’t know about you, but the way the text is written, I can just hear Cheech Marin’s voice in my head - which adds tremendously to my enjoyment of the book.

It is illustrated by Orlando L. Ramírez. The colors are vibrant and the characters are expressive. There is a lot of attention to detail, and every time we read it, I spot something new. Even the font is creatively designed and placed.

El Capitán Cheech is the sequel to Cheech y Su Autobús Escolar (Cheech the School Bus Driver,) which I have not read yet, but since I have so enjoyed this one, I believe I will go ahead an add both to our on-line bookshop. If you’d like to purchase either one, click here.

Technically, I think this book is probably geared for children ages 4 to 9, but my two year old loves it. Even if your young children don’t understand all of it, I think it is really important for training their ears to the sounds of a different language. Why not amuse yourself while you’re at it?

Rice and Beans, a colorful story

It is stereotypical to paint all Latina abuelitas as little, old ladies with white buns, big bosoms and a killer bean recipe My daughter’s Cuban abuelita has never so much as opened a can of frijoles and she would likely rather go bald than ever be canosa (grey).

That said, there is comfort in reading about traditional Latina abuelitas, they with their ability to feed armies in minutes and envelope you in thick, warm arms. My own grandmother, who actually liked showing off her ample bosom, was like that.

"Rosa María lived in a tiny house with a tiny yard, but she had a big heart, a big family, and more than anything else, she loved to cook big meals for them,'' says the first line of Mice and Beans by Pam Muñoz Ryan and illustrator Joe Cepeda.

The book was a gift to me when Maria was still the size of a soda can with frog feet inside my body. We’ve been reading it regularly since she was around 3, though the book is recommended for ages 4 to 7.

What she loves most are the sneaky mice who swipe the mouse traps and take things from Rosa María’s house, leading her to believe she’s just being forgetful. Rosa María, you see, has a lot on her mind. She’s planning granddaughter Catalina’s 7^th birthday party. In the end, la abuelita discovers the band of mice actually helped her pull off the party and created a raucous party of their own with all the stolen goods. I won’t ruin it for you with details.

The book has some repeated lines, which Maria loves. She makes sure I give her the floor when it’s time to say the lines each time. Illustrator Cepeda’s images are funny, rich and bright. Rosa María’s house is pink. Her walls are orange and blue and green and yellow. She wears big earrings and red glasses. The angles are cool, often making you feel like you’re watching from the mouse’s perspective.

I love that while the book is in English, it captures the flavor of Latin heritage. (A Spanish version is available.) Sprinkled throughout are words like casita (little house), fíjate (imagine that) and pastelería (bakery). Every child descended from Spanish DNA should know the word pastelería.

And, while I prefer to read books strictly in Spanish to Maria, she sometimes rejects the Spanish books in favor of the English. So books like Mice and Beans are an excellent compromise. I get to share colorful and culturally relevant stories and she gets to learn pastelería and other delicious Spanish words.

Buen provecho.

Readers' Recommendations

As promised, I am posting our readers’ recommendations for bilingual books and music. Thanks to all of you who contributed!

"As a Spanish teacher (I teach ages 1-5), I really find useful the whole series of bilingual books by me + mi publishing, by Gladys Rosa-Mendoza and Mark Wesley. The books are brightly illustrated, engaging, and uses whole (but simple) sentences, just right for children learning Spanish as a second language. They also cover a wide range of relevant topics.
For bilingual music CD, I'll admit to being bias, but I love my own CD which I use during often during my Spanish learning playgroup. "
~We Are Little Amigos
www.wearelittleamigos.com
http://www.wearelittleamigos.blogspot.com/

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"My kids love the Professor Pocket cds and what's so nice is that they don't grate on my nerves like some children cds. ;)"
~Karen
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"We have several favorites. For sleeping in the car or at home, we love, love, LOVE the Cuban Lullaby CD. I bought after reading your very own Carrie's reviews on her blog. For fun songs and rhymes in the car we enjoy Living Language's Baby's First Words in Spanish CD. It's great because it had like 50 tracks and they are a good variety of traditional nursery rhymes and songs. We had tried some others and I just couldn't stand the voices, this one we adore. Finally for books,Oso Pardo & Buenas Noche Luna are regulars at our house. Oh and i almost forgot about my daughter's obsession with Little Einsteins. She's a bit young for it but she gets maybe one episode a week (we limit TV right now) but I want to look into some of the smaller companies and their products like the one mentioned below. I look forward to reading what others post."
~Carla
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"Oh, there are so many books and CDs that we love around here. I'll recommend one of our somewhat obscure favorites: Latin American Children Game Songs (I'm a sucker for the Smithsonian Folkways Recordings). It was recorded in Puerto Rico and Mexico and was originally released in 1968. The songs are all sung a cappella, most of them by children. It's a very simple, sweet recording, and in a couple of spots you can even hear a car honking in the distance.After one too many screechy recordings of "Mambrú" made me want to take a baseball bat to our stereo, I found the version on this album to be surprisingly melancholy and sweet...
Definitely listen before you buy, I love this CD and my boys ask for it constantly, but my husband finds it very annoying."
~Keen

Dichos de mi Madre - a Treat for Mothers

Since we will be celebrating Grandparent’s Day this month, I’m hoping to post several reviews of books about our abuelitos/abuelitas and our relationships with them. Along these lines, I think that many mamis out there are wondering what in the world to get their mothers. And since this blog is to cover bilingual books for children and their mamás, I'd like to suggest a lovely little book by Victoria Killeen called Dichos de mi Madre, which would make a delightful gift.

Written completely in Spanish, the book is a collection of "sayings" or "dichos" that often are quoted to us by our mamás or our abuelitas. Some of the verses have English equivalents, such as "A caballo regalado no se le miran los dientes" which translates to "Never look a gift horse in the mouth" and "El amor es ciego" which means "Love is blind."

But some are uniquely original to Latin America such as "Gallo que no canta algo tiene en la garganta" which is one I distinctly remember my great-grandmother saying. It means "a rooster that doesn’t sing has something in his throat" – HA! And even better, "Échate en la cama y verás quién te ama" meaning "Throw yourself on the bed and you’ll see who loves you" gasp – MAMÁ!
I also like "Hombre casado, ni frito ni asado," which means "don’t bother with a married man, not even if he’s fried nor grilled."

There are SO MANY dichos in this book it is hard to pick out so few. I have to say that Victoria did a great job collecting them all. She is to be commended for all the effort that I am sure it took to remember and write them all down. She dedicates the book to her mother and is donating all the proceeds to charity in honor of her beloved mother.

Born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia, Victoria completed her studies here in the States, and graduated with degrees in interior design and art history. After getting married, she moved to Atlanta where she and her husband became very involved in the arts community. They are founding members of the High Museum and Victoria has been on the board for many years. Thanks to her husband’s job, she has had the opportunity to travel to almost 100 countries which has made Victoria very aware of in the importance of culture and traditions and the pride that people take in theirs. She wrote Dichos as a way to celebrate both our Latino culture and our mothers who have taught them to us.

To purchase your copy of Dichos de mi Madre, click here.