Posts
¡Feliz día de los niños! It is wonderful to watch as the celebration of "El día de los niños/El día de los libros" spreads across the country and grows each year, thanks to the efforts of Pat Mora and countless librarians, children's authors, teachers, parents, and community members. If you're looking for a special way to mark the day, be sure to watch the Colorin Colorado Día video interviews, featuring Pat Mora and Lulu Delacre (author of The Bossy Gallito!), also available in Spanish. For more video clips with Pat, Lulu, and others, visit our Meet the Author section.
Also, don't miss Pat Mora's Día updates to her website and blog, Bookjoy!
If you're looking for ways to get Spanish-speaking families more comfortable at the library, take a look at our Visit the Library section (also in Spanish).
You also may enjoy Colorin Colorado's newest booklist -- Poems for Everyone (also in Spanish). One of our favorite collections is Animal Poems of the Iguazú/Animalario del Iguazu by Francisco X. Alarcón. Inspired by a visit to the Iguazú National Park in South America, Alarcón celebrates its animals, skies, waterfalls, and more in these short and vibrant bilingual poems. Enjoy!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Celebrate Día with the Bossy Gallito
¡Feliz Día a todos!
Today our year of celebrating our children culminates with the actual holiday. I’m trying to keep it simple so here is…
THE GIVEAWAY
One of the best parts of the Latino Children’s Literature Conference was the Noche de Cuentos. An evening of storytelling and games for the children (as well as the parents,) it was hosted by a local elementary school. I reveled in the opportunity to take my children and expose them to some cultural folksongs and stories. The wonderful author and artista, Lulu Delacre, lead the children in traditional songs and games from Latin America. As an added bonus, she invited the very talented Lucía González to join her and recount the story of the Bossy Gallito, the classic Cuban folktale of a bossy rooster on his way to his uncle's wedding. The book was retold by Gonzalez and illustrated by Delacre. Gonzalez is such a gifted storyteller and quickly engaged all the children. Within minutes, each child was shouting one of the lines from the book - "I will not!" - on cue.
So to honor not only the holiday, but these amazing women as well, the LBBC is giving away a copy of The Bossy Gallito. It is a winner of the Pura Belpré Honor Medal and was selected for New York Times' Top 20 All Time Favorite Children’s Books by the "Great Children’s Read."
Please leave us a comment before midnight and I will announce the lucky winner mañana!
Today our year of celebrating our children culminates with the actual holiday. I’m trying to keep it simple so here is…
THE GIVEAWAYOne of the best parts of the Latino Children’s Literature Conference was the Noche de Cuentos. An evening of storytelling and games for the children (as well as the parents,) it was hosted by a local elementary school. I reveled in the opportunity to take my children and expose them to some cultural folksongs and stories. The wonderful author and artista, Lulu Delacre, lead the children in traditional songs and games from Latin America. As an added bonus, she invited the very talented Lucía González to join her and recount the story of the Bossy Gallito, the classic Cuban folktale of a bossy rooster on his way to his uncle's wedding. The book was retold by Gonzalez and illustrated by Delacre. Gonzalez is such a gifted storyteller and quickly engaged all the children. Within minutes, each child was shouting one of the lines from the book - "I will not!" - on cue.
So to honor not only the holiday, but these amazing women as well, the LBBC is giving away a copy of The Bossy Gallito. It is a winner of the Pura Belpré Honor Medal and was selected for New York Times' Top 20 All Time Favorite Children’s Books by the "Great Children’s Read."
Please leave us a comment before midnight and I will announce the lucky winner mañana!
UPDATE:The winner of yesterday's book is: J's Mom!
Congratulations! Please email me at [admin at latinbabyusa dot com] and I will mail off your copy of Paco y la planta de chile gigante.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Ways to Celebrate and our 3rd Giveaway
The morning will be coming very early today, so here are just a few ways that your familia can celebrate Día…
- Have your child make her own book. If she is still too young to write, have her draw the story on separate pieces of paper and have her dictate the storyline while you transcribe them onto the pages. Then staple, tie, or glue them together.
- Host a poetry reading. Great for older children! Send out invitations and have each guest bring some poetry in whatever form they prefer. Research with your own child the different poetry styles that are out there – haiku, abc poem, cinquain poetry type, limericks, free verse, etc – and choose one (or a few!) for each of you. Types of Poetry is a great resource to help you explore the forms that poetry may take. Make things extra creative by writing your poetry on non-traditional media. For example, write a nature poem on a leaf or piece of tree bark, write a recycling poem on a milk jug or sour cream lid.
- Make a mobile using letters or words and hang it in your child’s room. Have your child write the names of family members, emotions, his favorite book titles, or just his favorite words and then cut them out. Use contact paper to seal the individual letters/words/phrases. Punch a hole in the top and add yarn, tying the words at different lengths to a hanger/tree branch/paper plate and then hang it from the ceiling. For a twist, use double-sided tape to stick the words to the walls of your child’s room.
- Make a kite and write a story on it. The fly it high in the sky!
- Take your children’s favorite story and make puppets out of felt. Then have your kids put on a puppet show for family, friends and neighbors.
- Host a book lover’s sleep over. Invite friends to come over in their pajamas and bring their favorite bedtime story.
- Hand out tablets and pencils to your children and have them interview abuelos, tios, primos, neighbors and friends. Have them illustrate a page for each interview, then bind the pages together and have a party where you read the book aloud.
- Check out your local senior citizens’ center. You can do the same project above there, or simply take some books to the center to read to it’s residents.
- Make bookmarks! Pass out blank cardstock 2 to 3 inches wide and 7 to 8 inches long. Give your kids colored pencils, oil pastels, crayons, markers, chalk, watercolors, paint, whatever…. When they have created their masterpieces, use contact paper to seal it, punch a hole near the top and add yarn and beads as a final touch. (These bookmarks make super birthday and Christmas presents, too!)
These are just a few suggestions for celebrating this holiday. But remember, EVERY DAY is an opportunity for us to enjoy our children, encourage the love of learning, and promote bookjoy. So these activities can be done year round.
THE GIVEAWAY
Today’s giveaway is Paco y la planta de chile gigante. This Spanish-only version (sorry, I could only find a picture of the English title) takes the Jack and the beanstalk story and gives it a Latin twist. It is humorous in parts with a serious and sweet ending. The illustrations are beautiful. I don’t know the artwork is done in chalks, but it is soft… almost glowing.
You know the drill by now: leave us a comment before midnight and the winner will be announced tomorrow. Don’t by shy, if you’ve already left a comment this week, you can try again! The odds are in your favor, amigos!
UPDATE:
- Have your child make her own book. If she is still too young to write, have her draw the story on separate pieces of paper and have her dictate the storyline while you transcribe them onto the pages. Then staple, tie, or glue them together.
- Host a poetry reading. Great for older children! Send out invitations and have each guest bring some poetry in whatever form they prefer. Research with your own child the different poetry styles that are out there – haiku, abc poem, cinquain poetry type, limericks, free verse, etc – and choose one (or a few!) for each of you. Types of Poetry is a great resource to help you explore the forms that poetry may take. Make things extra creative by writing your poetry on non-traditional media. For example, write a nature poem on a leaf or piece of tree bark, write a recycling poem on a milk jug or sour cream lid.
- Make a mobile using letters or words and hang it in your child’s room. Have your child write the names of family members, emotions, his favorite book titles, or just his favorite words and then cut them out. Use contact paper to seal the individual letters/words/phrases. Punch a hole in the top and add yarn, tying the words at different lengths to a hanger/tree branch/paper plate and then hang it from the ceiling. For a twist, use double-sided tape to stick the words to the walls of your child’s room.
- Make a kite and write a story on it. The fly it high in the sky!
- Take your children’s favorite story and make puppets out of felt. Then have your kids put on a puppet show for family, friends and neighbors.
- Host a book lover’s sleep over. Invite friends to come over in their pajamas and bring their favorite bedtime story.
- Hand out tablets and pencils to your children and have them interview abuelos, tios, primos, neighbors and friends. Have them illustrate a page for each interview, then bind the pages together and have a party where you read the book aloud.
- Check out your local senior citizens’ center. You can do the same project above there, or simply take some books to the center to read to it’s residents.
- Make bookmarks! Pass out blank cardstock 2 to 3 inches wide and 7 to 8 inches long. Give your kids colored pencils, oil pastels, crayons, markers, chalk, watercolors, paint, whatever…. When they have created their masterpieces, use contact paper to seal it, punch a hole near the top and add yarn and beads as a final touch. (These bookmarks make super birthday and Christmas presents, too!)
These are just a few suggestions for celebrating this holiday. But remember, EVERY DAY is an opportunity for us to enjoy our children, encourage the love of learning, and promote bookjoy. So these activities can be done year round.
THE GIVEAWAY
Today’s giveaway is Paco y la planta de chile gigante. This Spanish-only version (sorry, I could only find a picture of the English title) takes the Jack and the beanstalk story and gives it a Latin twist. It is humorous in parts with a serious and sweet ending. The illustrations are beautiful. I don’t know the artwork is done in chalks, but it is soft… almost glowing.You know the drill by now: leave us a comment before midnight and the winner will be announced tomorrow. Don’t by shy, if you’ve already left a comment this week, you can try again! The odds are in your favor, amigos!
UPDATE:The winner of yesterday's book is: Maegan!
Congratulations! Please email me at [admin at latinbabyusa dot com] and I will mail off your copy of Playing Loteria.
Congratulations! Please email me at [admin at latinbabyusa dot com] and I will mail off your copy of Playing Loteria.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Latino Children's Literature and Our 2nd Giveaway
This weekend I was extremely fortunate to be able to attend the 2nd Annual Latino Children’s Literature Conference in South Carolina. The theme was Connecting Cultures and Celebrating Cuentos. Over 200 teachers, librarians, college students, etc attended and I was actually quite surprised by the lack of Latinos. I talked with many (non-Latino) bilingual education teachers and librarians who said they were there because of the dramatic shifts in their community. They were looking for ways to better serve the Latino population in their areas. How awesome to hear positive attitudes towards Latinos for a change!
It was also wonderful to hear some great speakers and presentations. Friday began with an opening keynote by Maya Christina Gonzalez, illustrator of books such as My Diary from Here to There, A Room of My Own, and Iguanas in the Snow. Most recently, Gonzalez has also written two children’s books: My Colors, My World and I Know the River Loves Me. During her keynote she discussed how a people should not long to see their faces reflected in the world around them. She described moments from her childhood as well as her own identity struggle that now finds voice through her own artwork.
Born to a Mexican father and German mother, Gonzalez specifically pointed out how when she was growing up, there were no images or characters in the children’s literature that she could directly relate to because none reflected her culture. There were no little Latinas in the storybooks. Instead, they were mainly all little Anglo girls with blonde hair and living Anglo lives. And while she doesn’t necessarily think there is anything wrong with the stories, it was sad that there weren’t any with which she could connect.
I think this experience is actually true for many of us. Though Latinos come in all shapes, sizes, and colors (some of my uncles in Spain are as blonde and blue eyed as my gringo husband) the reality is that many – dare I say, most? - Latinos are equally beautiful brunettes with olive or darker skin. We strongly value our family ties, religion, and (okay, for me anyway) our cuisine. We need the stories that reflect our diversity as well as our beliefs and experiences. And now, as mamis, aren’t we so fortunate to be able to finally pass on Latino literature to our children that will help them learn about our culture? Isn’t it great that we can share with them characters that they can understand and with which they can empathize? At last we are now seeing books that describe our folklore, songs, games and traditions.
We certainly still have a long way to go, given that despite the fact that there are millions of Latinos in the United States, Latino children’s literature only makes up 1% of those published annually. But at last we have a start. More and more private, independent publishers are reaching out and actively searching for bilingual and bicultural books.
That said, let me announce that today’s giveaway will be a copy of Playing Loteria/El juego de la loteria signed by the author and LBBC contributor, René Colato Lainez. A beautiful story that celebrates the bond between a grandmother and her grandchild, the book uses the game as a tool for language learning. It even includes the rules so that you can learn the game, too. For a complete description of the book and to learn about the inspiration behind it, click here to read Aurora’s interview with René back in October.
To win this book, please leave a comment below before midnight EST and we will announce the winner tomorrow….
~Monica
UPDATE:
It was also wonderful to hear some great speakers and presentations. Friday began with an opening keynote by Maya Christina Gonzalez, illustrator of books such as My Diary from Here to There, A Room of My Own, and Iguanas in the Snow. Most recently, Gonzalez has also written two children’s books: My Colors, My World and I Know the River Loves Me. During her keynote she discussed how a people should not long to see their faces reflected in the world around them. She described moments from her childhood as well as her own identity struggle that now finds voice through her own artwork.
Born to a Mexican father and German mother, Gonzalez specifically pointed out how when she was growing up, there were no images or characters in the children’s literature that she could directly relate to because none reflected her culture. There were no little Latinas in the storybooks. Instead, they were mainly all little Anglo girls with blonde hair and living Anglo lives. And while she doesn’t necessarily think there is anything wrong with the stories, it was sad that there weren’t any with which she could connect.
I think this experience is actually true for many of us. Though Latinos come in all shapes, sizes, and colors (some of my uncles in Spain are as blonde and blue eyed as my gringo husband) the reality is that many – dare I say, most? - Latinos are equally beautiful brunettes with olive or darker skin. We strongly value our family ties, religion, and (okay, for me anyway) our cuisine. We need the stories that reflect our diversity as well as our beliefs and experiences. And now, as mamis, aren’t we so fortunate to be able to finally pass on Latino literature to our children that will help them learn about our culture? Isn’t it great that we can share with them characters that they can understand and with which they can empathize? At last we are now seeing books that describe our folklore, songs, games and traditions.
We certainly still have a long way to go, given that despite the fact that there are millions of Latinos in the United States, Latino children’s literature only makes up 1% of those published annually. But at last we have a start. More and more private, independent publishers are reaching out and actively searching for bilingual and bicultural books.
That said, let me announce that today’s giveaway will be a copy of Playing Loteria/El juego de la loteria signed by the author and LBBC contributor, René Colato Lainez. A beautiful story that celebrates the bond between a grandmother and her grandchild, the book uses the game as a tool for language learning. It even includes the rules so that you can learn the game, too. For a complete description of the book and to learn about the inspiration behind it, click here to read Aurora’s interview with René back in October.To win this book, please leave a comment below before midnight EST and we will announce the winner tomorrow….
~Monica
UPDATE:The winner of yesterday's book is: Okibum!
Congratulations! Please email me at [admin at latinbabyusa dot com] and I will mail off your copy of Pescadito.
Monday, April 27, 2009
History of Día and our First Giveaway
Sitting down at the computer tonight, there is so much to write about that I am not too sure where to begin. However, since we will be celebrating Día de los Niños/Día de los Libros all week here at the LBBC, I will begin with that.
While at the Latino Children’s Literature conference this weekend (much more about that tomorrow,) I attended a session on Día whose emphasis was on connecting libraries and communities. The session was presented by two of the librarians – the animated and esteemed, Irania Patterson and her colleague Veronica Corral - associated with the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County(PLCMC), North Carolina, which was awarded the 2008 Mora Día award. The award honors those libraries who most effectively celebrate Día in the U.S.
During their presentation, Veronica gave a brief history of the day, which I share with you here. (I know that Roxana gave a bit of this information already, but a little repetition won’t hurt, no?)
Day of the Child is actually an international holiday that was formally adopted by the United General Assembly during the 1925 World Conference for the Well-being of Children held in Geneva, Switzerland. It was established in honor of children of all cultures and languages. Countries such as Japan, India, and Turkey (to name a few) all have a day dedicated to celebrating children, and do so in various ways that reflect the culture. Here in the States, we officially celebrate Día on April 30th thanks to author Pat Mora, who was aware of how the day was celebrated in Mexico, and conceived to combine the holiday with literacy for children. Thus, Día de los Niños/Día de los Libros was born in the United States in 1997.
The current outlook is that Día should be celebrated every day, culminating on April 30th with events and activities all around the country. Families, libraries, community centers, bookstores, museums, and more, all plan and initiate events to observe this holiday and to promote the idea of "bookjoy."
As founder of the American holiday, Mora’s states that the goals of Día are a daily commitment to: honor children and childhood, promote literacy, honor home languages and cultures, involve parents as valued members of the literacy team, and to promote library collection development that reflects our plurality.
If you’d like to check out the official web site for Día, click here. On it you will find tools to help you find out if there are any Día celebrations in your area, downloadable education programs, bibliographies, articles and much more.
Now, as promised, we will be giving away a book a day all this week. Today’s book is Pescadito by Sanne te Loo. It is the story of a young girl who saves un pescadito in the ocean and decides to take it home with her. But once she gets it there, she and her abuelita are in for a surprise as it turns out that el pescadito has an enormous appetite and begins to grow by leaps and bounds. What's una niña to do? You'll have to read it to find out! The illustrations are rendered with beautiful watercolors, perfect for the aquatic backdrop of the book. Certainly a delightful read for any Spanish-speaking family. I have seen the book in English at our local library, but this edition is in Spanish-only.
To win your copy of Pescadito, please leave us a comment before midnight and tell us if your familia celebrates Día, and of so, how? I will announce the winner tomorrow along with the next title we will giveaway. ¡Buenas suerte!
While at the Latino Children’s Literature conference this weekend (much more about that tomorrow,) I attended a session on Día whose emphasis was on connecting libraries and communities. The session was presented by two of the librarians – the animated and esteemed, Irania Patterson and her colleague Veronica Corral - associated with the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County(PLCMC), North Carolina, which was awarded the 2008 Mora Día award. The award honors those libraries who most effectively celebrate Día in the U.S.
During their presentation, Veronica gave a brief history of the day, which I share with you here. (I know that Roxana gave a bit of this information already, but a little repetition won’t hurt, no?)
Day of the Child is actually an international holiday that was formally adopted by the United General Assembly during the 1925 World Conference for the Well-being of Children held in Geneva, Switzerland. It was established in honor of children of all cultures and languages. Countries such as Japan, India, and Turkey (to name a few) all have a day dedicated to celebrating children, and do so in various ways that reflect the culture. Here in the States, we officially celebrate Día on April 30th thanks to author Pat Mora, who was aware of how the day was celebrated in Mexico, and conceived to combine the holiday with literacy for children. Thus, Día de los Niños/Día de los Libros was born in the United States in 1997.
The current outlook is that Día should be celebrated every day, culminating on April 30th with events and activities all around the country. Families, libraries, community centers, bookstores, museums, and more, all plan and initiate events to observe this holiday and to promote the idea of "bookjoy."
As founder of the American holiday, Mora’s states that the goals of Día are a daily commitment to: honor children and childhood, promote literacy, honor home languages and cultures, involve parents as valued members of the literacy team, and to promote library collection development that reflects our plurality.
If you’d like to check out the official web site for Día, click here. On it you will find tools to help you find out if there are any Día celebrations in your area, downloadable education programs, bibliographies, articles and much more.
Now, as promised, we will be giving away a book a day all this week. Today’s book is Pescadito by Sanne te Loo. It is the story of a young girl who saves un pescadito in the ocean and decides to take it home with her. But once she gets it there, she and her abuelita are in for a surprise as it turns out that el pescadito has an enormous appetite and begins to grow by leaps and bounds. What's una niña to do? You'll have to read it to find out! The illustrations are rendered with beautiful watercolors, perfect for the aquatic backdrop of the book. Certainly a delightful read for any Spanish-speaking family. I have seen the book in English at our local library, but this edition is in Spanish-only.To win your copy of Pescadito, please leave us a comment before midnight and tell us if your familia celebrates Día, and of so, how? I will announce the winner tomorrow along with the next title we will giveaway. ¡Buenas suerte!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
What an adventure with Fiesta Musical!
While "Spring cleaning" may hold the typical meaning in my house, it is also a time to breathe new life into how we enjoy the extended daylight by opening up the windows and doors and filling our home with sounds from around the world.
There is nothing better than watching little dancing feet move around the house in time with the beat!
Last month, Violeta shared how much her family enjoys LinaLuna and this month I want to tell you about a great album called Fiesta Musical: A Musical Adventure through Latin America for Children.
We are fortunate that our local library has a selection of children's books as well as CDs in Spanish. I was excited to find this album because I liked that the album exposes children to specific songs from many countries across Latin America. I was also curious to see how they would tie it all in together; hopeful that there would be an educational element to it as well as the music.
Fortunately, I was not disappointed. Before each song, there is an explanation about its history or relevance narrated by Emilio Delgado first in English, and then in Spanish.
The album offers a range of tempos as well as introducing the sounds of many instruments not usually found in North American music. Also, since these are not the saccharin-sweet melodies that you might find in more recent music geared towards children your child may find a new favorite song with each passing year. As your child gets older, you can interweave stories and additional tidbits about the song's origin and country as they learn about Latin America and its rich history.
Our favorite song on the album is "Happy Bomba" from Puerto Rico because it makes you want to get up and dance with outstretched arms in order to welcome whomever may join you in your alegría.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Oh No, Gotta Go!
"¡Tengo que ir al baaaañoooo! I have to go to the baaaaathroooooom!"
We were out driving, down the camino.
What I love best about this book, is that the rhymes and carefully placed Spanish words facilitate learning the language for non-Spanish speakers. And for those learning English, it's a fun way to learn the rhythm of the language.
What parent doesn't dread these words during a car ride? And who doesn't remember being the one squirming in the backseat, desperate for the car to stop, somewhere, anywhere!
Oh No, Gotta Go! is both an amusing and endearing story-in-verse of a little girl who realizes she needs a bathroom while riding in the car with her parents. In this book, Susan Middleton Elya weaves Spanish words and phrases into the verses very cleverly, inviting one to chime in. A glossary and pronunciation guide are included in the back of the book.
We were out driving, down the camino.
Papá and Mamá were dressed muy fino.
The backseat was mine, my favorite spot,
until I remembered the thing I forgot.
"Where is un baño?
¿Dónde está?
I really do need one," I told mi mamá.
What I love best about this book, is that the rhymes and carefully placed Spanish words facilitate learning the language for non-Spanish speakers. And for those learning English, it's a fun way to learn the rhythm of the language.
Recently, one of my 4th graders discovered this book in our classroom library. She quickly read it, then called a friend over and they read it out loud, falling apart in giggles! My students often remark about books and poems that "mix" Spanish and English on their pages. "Is that OK?" they often ask. This is where I extol the beauty of being bilingual, of being able to say things in more than one way, and of having the choice to combine both languages when one wants to say something just so.
Enjoy this book with your little ones, perhaps as a preventative lesson about "going" before going out. Or, just read it for fun. You'll find children will be able to "hold it" until the humorous ending.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
LBBC Updates
A few updates for everyone…
First off, the LBBC has officially taken over http://latinbabybookclub.com so for those of you who have us bookmarked, if you experience problems, you can now type in a simpler URL. We also have plans for bigger changes to the web site, but it will probably be later in the year before it is all done.
Second, the Latin Baby boutique (not the bookshop) has placed all its books on sale in honor of Día. So for the next two weeks, ALL books have been discounted. However, LBBC readers may also receive an additional 15% discount (good for all products) by typing in the code: BC20409101. You can find our boutique selection here.
Also, this weekend I will be attending the Latino Children’s Literature Conference in South Carolina. I’m really looking forward to it. Are any of you are attending? If so, leave me a note here or please find me! I’d love to speak with you.
Lastly, to celebrate Día we have a special treat for all of you and will be giving away a book a day all next week. So be sure to check back with us for your chance to win!
~Monica
First off, the LBBC has officially taken over http://latinbabybookclub.com so for those of you who have us bookmarked, if you experience problems, you can now type in a simpler URL. We also have plans for bigger changes to the web site, but it will probably be later in the year before it is all done.
Second, the Latin Baby boutique (not the bookshop) has placed all its books on sale in honor of Día. So for the next two weeks, ALL books have been discounted. However, LBBC readers may also receive an additional 15% discount (good for all products) by typing in the code: BC20409101. You can find our boutique selection here.
Also, this weekend I will be attending the Latino Children’s Literature Conference in South Carolina. I’m really looking forward to it. Are any of you are attending? If so, leave me a note here or please find me! I’d love to speak with you.
Lastly, to celebrate Día we have a special treat for all of you and will be giving away a book a day all next week. So be sure to check back with us for your chance to win!
~Monica
Sunday, April 19, 2009
La nube
Una nubecita blanca y redonda como un sueño flotaba sobre el mar...So begins La nube by Joel Franz Rosell, which is currently my sons' favorite book, hands down. It is the simple tale of a white cloud that begins to turn gray and become heavy with rain. As the wind blows her over the beach, sunbathers and splashing children alike flee, searching for a place where the sun still shines. The cloud sighs and moves on to the city, where her presence sends people scrambling for their umbrellas and raincoats. And so on--wherever she goes, nobody is happy to see her and she keeps getting bigger, grayer, and sadder. Until, that is, she has turned into una colosal nubezota and she floats over drought-stricken plains. There, farmers and cattlemen run towards her with open arms, and she is so overcome that she starts to cry huge raindrops that make the river run once again.
See? Simple. There are so many things to love about this book, though. The main reason it is so much fun is because it uses pictograms--many of the words, such as nube, sol, and niños have been replaced by images throughout the book. In the back of the book is a Pequeño diccionario de imágenes, where you can look up the pictures and find the words that go along with them. This is one of the most interactive books we own. The early reader in my household loves reading the text and looking up the words in the back of the book. My other son just loves it when I take care of reading the text and have him "read" the pictures to me when I point to them. The illustrations are wonderful, vivid and colorful.
As a translator, I am constantly faced with different words that mean the same thing and I like to have different options up my sleeve. I must say I love the fact that some of the entries in the glossary provide several options. For example, if you look up the picture of the bus, you get ómnibus, autobús and colectivo. The entry for "children" includes a whopping eight different words: chicos, niños, botijas, chavos, cabros, changos, gurises and chiquillos. A few of those I'd never even heard of. We usually go with the option that sounds the most natural to us, but occasionally my kids will crack themselves up by mixing it up a little, and I find it wonderful that they're learning different ways to say things, words I wouldn't normally use.
The book is from a series called Cuentos de colores. We own two of the other books in the series and they're just as delightful. I fell in love with them and bought them a couple of years ago, but they didn't become favorites around here until my sons turned three.
As for the cloud? Having cried/rained herself out, she becomes small and white again and the wind blows her back out to sea.
Y una nubecita blanca y redonda como un sueño flota de nuevo sobre el mar...
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Skills Children Need to Be Readers By Third Grade
#1 Phonemic Awareness
By Christianne Meneses Jacobs
Your child will hear thousand of words before they see those words in print. Every word is a series of sounds that we put together to make a word. The concept of knowing the sounds in spoken words is called phonemic awareness.
Parents can start working with phonemic awareness when the child is a baby. Say the word cat. Say it again slowly. Stretch each sound so your child can hear it. C- A –T. Your child will be on his/her way to become a good reader when they can tell all those sounds apart. They need to hear that the sounds go together to make a word.
Then play another game by substituting the beginning sounds: cat, bat, fat, hat, rat, sat. All of these words sound the same, only the beginning sounds is different and that one letter makes a big difference when they see the words printed on a page.
Play with the sounds in all parts of a word: beginning, middle and end. For example, how are these words different? Job, joy and jog. Only the ending sound is different. Listen to rhyming words in songs, poems and rap music.
These exercises do not take a lot of time but make a huge difference in the success your child will have in school.
By Christianne Meneses Jacobs
Your child will hear thousand of words before they see those words in print. Every word is a series of sounds that we put together to make a word. The concept of knowing the sounds in spoken words is called phonemic awareness.
Parents can start working with phonemic awareness when the child is a baby. Say the word cat. Say it again slowly. Stretch each sound so your child can hear it. C- A –T. Your child will be on his/her way to become a good reader when they can tell all those sounds apart. They need to hear that the sounds go together to make a word.
Then play another game by substituting the beginning sounds: cat, bat, fat, hat, rat, sat. All of these words sound the same, only the beginning sounds is different and that one letter makes a big difference when they see the words printed on a page.
Play with the sounds in all parts of a word: beginning, middle and end. For example, how are these words different? Job, joy and jog. Only the ending sound is different. Listen to rhyming words in songs, poems and rap music.
These exercises do not take a lot of time but make a huge difference in the success your child will have in school.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Listen to the Desert/Oye al desierto
Before creating SpanglishBaby, I knew nothing about El Día de los Niños/El Día de los Libros which will celebrate its 12th anniversary on April 30th. In case you're not aware, Día was created back in 1997 by author Pat Mora in an effort to "link all children to books, languages and cultures."
This is the way Pat Mora describes how the idea came about: "As a mom, I knew that children often ask, 'Why do we have Mother’s Day and Father’s Day and not Children’s Day?' As a reader, I wanted (and want) to foster “bookjoy.” Ah, ha, I thought. What if we link a celebration of children with literacy, an issue central to the well-being of children." And, Día was born.
In honor of this awesome celebration, I decided to check some of Pat Mora's books and was happy when I found "Listen to the Desert/Oye al Desierto" because it is a simple enough read for my 2 1/2 year old daughter to actually enjoy, understand and follow.
The bilingual book is an invitation to the animals and sounds of the desert. It's described as children's poetry and before we read it, I wasn't sure if my daughter would "get" a poem. But, its simple text - the same line repeated twice first in English and then in Spanish - allowed my daughter to easily follow the rhythm of the book. She caught on fairly quickly and now knows to repeat the line after I read it to her once. Her favorite line?
"El coyote canta, ahúúú, ahúúú, ahúúú.
El coyote canta, ahúúú, ahúúú, ahúúú."
She's been making that sound herself lately and she was delighted to find out that an actual animal sounds like that.
The book's illustrations are just the colors you would expect in the desert and since each page talks about just one specific animal or sound, I like that the images reflect that. In other words, a child's eye can quickly identify what is being described. Also, I was happy to see that the illustrations were created by Pat Mora's son, Francisco - a family affair.
Pat Mora has written a long, long list of books for children with titles such as: "Abuelos," "Marimba" and more recently "Book Fiesta," in celebration of Día. I can't wait to get my hands on this last one.
By the way, most cities around the country will have some kind of event to celebrate Día. All you have to do is go here to check what's happening in your area. We're lucky to have a few options in our neighborhood and I am excited to participate with my daughter!
Reader Recommends Te quiero: Cuatro cuentos para compartir
In February we gave away the book, Te quiero: Cuatro cuentos para compartir. Since we had not actually reviewed the book, we asked the winner to send in a little review for us. Ginny from Teaching Generations and Wanna Jugar with Migo was the lucky reader to receive this book and she has graciously sent in the following review. ¡Muchas gracias, Ginny!
I was so excited to recieve the book, Te quiero: Cuatro cuentos para compartir. It is a nice hardback book with four simple stories that are perfect for reading to a young child. They are all about how much the child is loved by his family. Each one is uniquely illustrated. It is like having four new books.
I used it in my Spanish classes by having them read a page and then they translated it. I like that there is only Spanish on the page so we can translate instead of just reading the translation. Then I assigned some of the older boys to read it to some younger children. We are just doing one story at a time.
I took the book with me to visit my grandchildren and my granddaughter read it with me and translated almost everything. Now in the next week I am going to see more grandchildren, the ones I teach Spanish to and the ones that are being raised bilingually. I will have fun sharing it with them.
There are always words they learn when we read books, like "haces bobadas" and "puercoespín". In fact I had just learned a new word, antojarse, when we listened to the song El colesterol. I had to look it up. Then less than a week later I found it in this book "Te traigo esta fresa dulce y muy roja por si acaso se te antoja." I don't know that I had ever heard the word before but here I found it again. When we look up a word and try to learn it, then we hear it again and again.
Thank you so much for the giveaway. Because of sites like this I am buying more books and using them to teach children.
Friday, April 10, 2009
LBBC's Book Drive Update
Hola, Everyone!
Just wanted to remind you all that this is the last weekend for shipping books for the LBBC's book drive benefitting Peruvian Hearts. Sunday is just a general guideline by which you should mail your books, you don't have to have them there by then. And if you can't mail them until Monday or Tuesday, no problem! So if you still have a stash of books that you are planning to send, go ahead and send them the cheapest way possible (media mail) and I'm sure they will accept them!
Overall, I am so very happy with the amount of participation from our readers. Thank you all so very, very much for your generosity! I was ecstatic when Danny Dodson, who is Anna's brother and Peruvian Hearts' Executive Director, sent me this email:
"Hey Monica,
I think we have probably received about 40 books so far from the drive, which is awesome! It's been fun getting the packages with "LBBC" on them. We even received the entire set of Harry Potter books in Spanish :)
Thank you so much again for all the support you have given Peruvian Hearts. The children will absolutely love getting all of these books!
Talk soon,
Danny"
What a great way to start off the month of Día de los Libros/Día de los Niños! And to celebrate and show our appreciation, at the end of this month we will be giving away a book a day during the last week of April. So be sure to keep us bookmarked!
If you are just joining us for the first time and want to learn more about Peruvian Hearts and our book drive, or if you need the shipping address, click here.
Just wanted to remind you all that this is the last weekend for shipping books for the LBBC's book drive benefitting Peruvian Hearts. Sunday is just a general guideline by which you should mail your books, you don't have to have them there by then. And if you can't mail them until Monday or Tuesday, no problem! So if you still have a stash of books that you are planning to send, go ahead and send them the cheapest way possible (media mail) and I'm sure they will accept them!
Overall, I am so very happy with the amount of participation from our readers. Thank you all so very, very much for your generosity! I was ecstatic when Danny Dodson, who is Anna's brother and Peruvian Hearts' Executive Director, sent me this email:
"Hey Monica,
I think we have probably received about 40 books so far from the drive, which is awesome! It's been fun getting the packages with "LBBC" on them. We even received the entire set of Harry Potter books in Spanish :)
Thank you so much again for all the support you have given Peruvian Hearts. The children will absolutely love getting all of these books!
Talk soon,
Danny"
What a great way to start off the month of Día de los Libros/Día de los Niños! And to celebrate and show our appreciation, at the end of this month we will be giving away a book a day during the last week of April. So be sure to keep us bookmarked!
If you are just joining us for the first time and want to learn more about Peruvian Hearts and our book drive, or if you need the shipping address, click here.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Naming a Baby
René Colato Laínez
There are so many Latino names but what is the perfect one for the new baby? Family roots take an important part in naming a baby. Usually the mother, father, or a relative's name is the chosen one. According to the Social Security Office, these are the top ten Latino baby names in the last five years. Take a look, maybe you can find the ideal name for your baby.
niños
1. José
2. Ángel
3. Juan
4. Diego
5. Carlos
6. Jesús
7. Xavier
8. Antonio
9. Miguel
10. Alejandro
niñas
1. María
2. Sofía
3. Isabel
4. Adriana
5. Daniela
6 .Valeria
7. Ángela
8. Mariana
9. Juliana
10. Liliana
There are so many Latino names but what is the perfect one for the new baby? Family roots take an important part in naming a baby. Usually the mother, father, or a relative's name is the chosen one. According to the Social Security Office, these are the top ten Latino baby names in the last five years. Take a look, maybe you can find the ideal name for your baby.
niños
1. José
2. Ángel
3. Juan
4. Diego
5. Carlos
6. Jesús
7. Xavier
8. Antonio
9. Miguel
10. Alejandro
niñas
1. María
2. Sofía
3. Isabel
4. Adriana
5. Daniela
6 .Valeria
7. Ángela
8. Mariana
9. Juliana
10. Liliana
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
April's BOM: Samantha Vamos's Before You Were Here, Mi Amor
Before You Were Here, Mi Amor
by Samantha R. Vamos
Illustrated by Santiago Cohen
The LBBC’s recommendation for February’s Libro del Mes, is Samantha R. Vamos’s Before You Were Here, Mi Amor.
A new book is now available on the market by a new author. Written from the first person perspective, Before You Were Here, Mi Amor is a sweet and loving story that any mamá could have written to her child and describes how each member of the family prepares for the arrival of the new baby. The phrase "before you were here," is repeated throughout and provides a bridge for introducing family members and simple concepts in Spanish such as colors, shapes, numbers, animals and food. The book is very well written and does a great job of weaving in the Spanish words so that it does not seem awkward and, in fact, together with the illustrations, makes it very easy to understand the meaning of the word without having to consult a dictionary (though there is a glossary in the back for your convenience.)
Before You Were Here is my favorite type of bilingual and bicultural book. Written in English, it contains Spanish words embedded in the text on every page. No less than 70 Spanish words are introduced to the reader in a wonderful format that incorporates them seamlessly into the narrative. An excellent book for English dominant families that are trying to introduce Spanish to their children and probably an easier way to learn the language than through the memorization technique necessary with most First Spanish Dictionaries.
One of my favorite passages:
Before you were here, I felt your tiny pies flutter
and kick as you moved around inside me.
Tu abuelo felt you kick and said,
"Mi nieto will play fútbol."
Tu abuela felt you kick and said,
"Mi nieta will dance flamenco."
Santiago Cohen’s illustrations are warm and colorful. More importantly, they help to define the story making it easy for children (and adults) to understand new words or phrases.
This is the first children's book for Samantha Vamos, and I am eagerly looking forward to her next one, The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred, due out next year. Vamos also has a vibrant web site that includes activities for children. You can check it out here.
If you would like to buy your own copy of Before You Were Here, Mi Amor, 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.
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