Author and Illustrator Interview and a Giveaway: Elisa Kleven

My first-ever review for Latin Baby Book Club was of Elisa Kleven's Hooray, a Piñata because it was, and still is, a favorite in our house. This author and illustrator interview therefore holds a special place in my heart for that reason, as well as the story behind how I came to connect with Elisa in the hopes of interviewing her.

It is a simple, yet powerful story: I found her website and simply wrote her an email asking if I may interview her, and she responded almost immediately to say 'yes, she'd be honored.' I remember jumping up and down (just a little) as I read her response and I spent the rest of the day grinning.

I wanted to share the story with you because this is a great example for our children about how good things happen when you take a risk and ask for what you want. It also reminds them that people are kind and giving, which not surprisingly, are frequent themes in Elisa's books.

The Interview

While your own books, as well as those on which you’ve collaborated, may hold universal themes, many are set within the Latin-American culture. What inspires you most about the Latin-American community and how does it influence your creativity?

Forgive me if I'm generalizing but there is an overall love for children and family in Latin American culture that moves me. I am also inspired and uplifted by the colors of Latin American art and folk art, the soulful and spirited music, and the beautifully spicy food.

Your illustrations appeal to children of all ages so what made you decide to write stories primarily for those between the ages of 4 – 8?

I don't think it was a common decision -- I just retain a lot of the feelings I had at that age. I have, for instance, never outgrown my childhood tendency to find a refuge in imagination, to animate the world around me, to love and talk to animals, and to enjoy making things with my hands.

Dogs and carousels are recurring images in your illustrations and your books. Please tell us more about why these two things are meaningful to you.

I love dogs, so I often put them in my stories and pictures. Dogs (and cats) have been wonderful friends to me. And I find carousels, with their fantastical designs and colors, their whirling motion, and even their jingly tunes, as irresistible as I did as a child.

How do recommend parents foster creativity in their children?

I urge parents to read to their children every day, to make trips to the library, give books as gifts, and always have them available. Books feed children's spirits just like food feeds their bodies.

I also suggest that parents have art supplies available, and that they give children at least a corner of their own in which to create and to play. Children need time apart from school and scheduled activities in which to let their imaginations roam free.

Children also need to experience time in nature -- at the beach, under the stars, in the hills or even in neighborhood gardens, in order for them to get a sense of the mystery and magic at work on our planet.

What were your favorite children's books?

I loved Laura Ingall's Wilder's Little House series, Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little, The Secret Garden, Andersen's Fairy Tales, the picture books of Leo Politi, and a book called K'Tonton, who was a little Jewish Tom Thumb who was always falling into his mama's matzoh ball batter and doing other stuff like that.

Note: Many of the above books are offered in Spanish.

In Hooray, a Piñata, Clara dreams about flying. What do you dream about at night?

Flying! And sometimes I have random, boring dreams, too.


To Enter the Giveaway

For many people, the days of summer have already counted down to zero but for those who still have some left to enjoy why not sing and count out loud using the Diez Deditos songbook by José-Luis Orozco that was illustrated by Elisa Kleven?

To enter to win a copy of this songbook, simply leave a comment at the end of this post by midnight EST September 6th.

Featured Category: Biografías/Biographies

If you haven't checked out our on-line bookshop lately, you might be surprised at the number of new categories we've added. To make things easier for you, we've divided things up and we carry everything from ABeCedarios to English Classic Translations, Pura Belpre Award Winners to Poesía.

However, one of my favorites is the Biografías/Biographies category. A few of the titles listed have already been reviewed on the LBBC such as Diego, My Name is Gabriela, and My Papa Diego and Me. However, we have many more available in both English and Spanish, like those shown below. There are a few coming out this fall that I am really looking forward to reading and sharing with you.

In a recent post on our sister blog, Mi Cielito Lindo, I stressed the importance of exposing our children to positive role models at an early age. Especially in today's society where stereotypical images of Latinos run rampant, these positive stories can profoundly affect our niños. They need to see what they CAN do, not what the media tells them they can't.

Reading biographies of Latinos who have contributed to our society and left this world a better place is an excellent way to start. ¿Quién sabe? Maybe one day, children around the world will be reading about your kids!

Luna

A couple of months ago, a reader asked for more reviews of beginner Spanish books. I immediately knew which book I would review next: Luna, written by Antonio Rubio and illustrated by Óscar Villán.

It's a short book, and it is made up of precious few words. The first half reads as follows:

Luna Luna Luna, Luna Luna Sol.
Luna Luna Luna, Luna Caracol.
Luna Luna Luna, Luna Girasol.
Luna Luna Luna, Luna Luna Sol.

The publisher calls it a "pictograma poético," and the rhythm of the words is meant to "educar el ojo y endulzar el oído," explains Rubio. As a matter of fact, the text from the book quoted above does not come close to doing it justice, because really, you need to actually hold the book in your hands to appreciate its simple beauty. It is a sturdy board book, and each verse is spread out over two pages. Over each word--all of them are written in capital letters--is a bright picture of the word (the picture of the moon on the cover is the one used throughout the book). From the first time I read it, I was taken--the rhythm is so soothing, and I was surprised to find the inflection of my voice changing constantly, unexpectedly, naturally. It made it very, very fun to read to my children.

My boys were as charmed by the book as I was, and for good reason. The book is designed especially for children aged 0-3, and after just a couple of readings, my kids could "read" it by themselves, just by following the pictures. My kids liked to do this, but they especially loved having me read all the "lunas" while they "read" the last word of each verse. I think slightly older English-speakers learning Spanish might feel quite a sense of accomplishment upon reading the entire book in Spanish themselves, as well.

I was lucky enough to find this book at a library sale when my children were three, and we got a lot of mileage out of it before they outgrew it. I'm sorry I didn't know about it when they were smaller, especially because this is one of five books in a series called De la cuna a la luna. (Other titles in the series: Miau, Cinco, Cocodrilo and Pajarita de papel.) I couldn't quite justify getting those, but you can bet that if my boys had been any younger, I would have checked them out. No matter--I loved this book so much that I recently decided to console myself by ordering one of Rubio's books of poetry geared towards older children.

And maybe that will be my next review.

August's BOM: Handstand Kids Mexican Cookbook

Handstand Kids Mexican Cookbook
by Yvette Garfield
Illustrated by Kim DeRose
Recipes selected & developed by Cricket Azima

The LBBC’s recommendation for February’s Libro del Mes, is Yvette Garfield’s Handstand Kids Mexican Cookbook.

This is the first children’s bilingual cookbook that we have reviewed and we are completely enchanted by it. What better way to learn Spanish, than to center it around nuestra comida? The simple recipes in the book are not only delicious, but the fun activity of cooking together helps to reinforce family bonds and creates lasting memories.

The book itself is bright, colorful and thoughtfully arranged to engage the reader. My children were hooked at the beginning when the "Handstand Kids" introduce themselves with a brief description that even includes their birthday. And as we turned the pages, we were delighted that each recipe shows all the characters in various scenes related to cooking and eating. DeRose does an awesome job illustrating the book. Kids can easily connect with her animation-style artwork. She even does an incredible job of drawing the food details!

In addition, the beginning pages depict the utensils and ingredients used throughout the cookbook. Each item is accompanied by its name in both English and Spanish. This bilingual format is continued throughout the book as the Spanish words for ingredients are embedded in the instructions for each recipe.

The Handstand Kids company believes that food is a fun and hands-on way to learn about people and cultures around the world. I certainly agree! Recipes range from "Tacos Terríficos" to "Fiesta Corn", arroz con pollo to (of course) quesadillas. There is even a small section for desserts like Buñuelos and Wedding Cookies. ¡Que rico! All the recipes in the book are delicious. Most are simple enough for children ages 6 and up to make themselves, though a few require parental assistance. I also enjoyed the fact that each recipe includes an "alternative" section with ways to change up the recipe, encouraging its young readers to substitute their own favorite flavors. And mis niños enjoyed how each recipe also includes a quote by one of the Handstand Kids.

The company does a great job with the packaging as well. The Mexican Cookbook Kit comes inside a tortilla bag and includes a child-sized oven mitt. Readers can go on-line to HandstandKids.com and purchase the matching apron, chef hat, and award-winning kitchen mat, too. And if you just can’t get enough, the company also carries Chinese and Italian Cookbook Kits.

Parents and teachers will love this book. It is a great addition to any bilingual family’s library, and certainly one that will be used often. If you would like to buy your own copy of The Mexican Cookbook Kit, please click here. Or you can follow the link in our sidebar to the LBBC’s on-line store. We have both new and gently used copies available.

The Tooth Fairy Meets El Ratón Pérez

Illustrated by Tom Lintern

* Publisher: Tricycle Press
* ISBN-10: 1582462968
*ISBN-13: 978-1582462967

What will happen when two legends battle for one lost tooth?

I grew up in El Salvador and El Ratón Pérez collected all my teeth. In return, I received wonderful presents. One time, El Ratón Pérez left me a ticket for El Teleferico. El Teleferico is a very popular attraction park in San Salvador, like Disneyland.

When I came to the USA, I discovered that a Tooth Fairy was in charge of collecting the teeth here. I wondered, what happened to El Ratón Pérez?

Years later, I wrote this wonderful book. I cannot wait for the publication date on March 2010. Look for it on line or at your favorite bookstore.

saludos,

René Colato Laínez

From the Publisher:

In the United States, the Tooth Fairy visits children and leaves a coin in exchange for a tooth. In Spain and Latin America, the charming and adventurous mouse El Ratón Pérez collects children’s teeth.

And what happens when they both arrive to claim the tooth of Miguelito, a Mexican-American boy? Look out!

This fantastical tale introduces a legendary Latino character to an American audience and provides a fresh, multicultural take on the familiar childhood experience of losing one’s tooth.

August's Giveaway Winners!

Thanks to everyone for participating in this week’s giveaways! We look forward to another year full of book reviews, interviews, book giveaways and more.

All the winners were chosen using a widget by Random.org. I’ve included the results for all to see. Winners may send their shipping information to admin [at] latinbabyusa [dot] com.
Without further delay, here are the winners:



The winner of the Abrazo tee by MotherTongues is SUSANA! Congratulations, please email me a mailing address and the size (M-XL) that you prefer.

The winner of the Apolo books by Kane/Miller is the MEDINA FAMILY! Congratulations, please email me a mailing address and off they’ll go. We hope you enjoy these delightful books!

The winners of the Let’s Play in Spanish learning sets are:
Sal y Pimienta set - OKIBUM
Rímas y Más Rímas set - HAYDEE
Congratulations to you both! Please email me a mailing address and we’ll get them on their way.

The winner of the new titles by Raven Tree Press is the TATI! Felicidades! Drop me an email with a mailing address and I’ll get them sent off this week.

And finally, the winner of the Latin Baby gift certificate is MICHELLE! Congratulations! For this one, I’ll just need an email so that I can send you the voucher information.

Once again, gracias to all our readers for your support this past year. We look forward to serving you again and please don’t hesitate to email us with suggestions, comments, etc.

¡Un ABRAZO a todos!

FINAL GIVEAWAY: Latin Baby Gift Certificate

Our final giveaway is a $50 gift certificate to our parent company, Latin Baby.

Since we first opened our store in 2005, Latin Baby has grown to become the largest on-line baby boutique for Hispanic American families. We work hard to find products that celebrate the blend of Latino spirit with American tradition. We are proud to offer you brand names like, Los Pollitos Dicen, as well as handmade products by Latina artists and work-from-home moms like, Claudia Marchán’s Stitchado.

Mamás appreciate our line of infant and toddler tees, bibs, layettes, diaper bags, baby quilts, and bilingual books. Abuelitos love our embroidered shirts for adults. Families and friends enjoy our Latino-themed baby shower products, as well as our gift basket sets.

In addition to offering you quality baby products, Latin Baby also works very hard at providing resources for Latina moms, such as the Latin Baby Book Club, to help them raise healthy, bilingual-bicultural families. First-time mamis can check out our idea page for throwing a Latin baby shower or our Resources for Hispanic Mothers page. And mamás with children of any age can check out our sister blog, Mi Cielito Lindo, for a variety of information related to motherhood.

We are most proud of our customer service reputation, and customers can attest to the fact that even if we don’t carry the item you seek, we will try to help you find it.

TO ENTER:

TODAY is the LAST DAY to enter to win any of the giveaway items from this week!

You have until midnight tonight (EST) to enter. Simply leave us a comment at the end of each post (the one that describes the item that interests you). You may leave a comment everyday.

To increase your chances of winning, you can blog or tweet about our giveaway. Just be sure to let us know you did!

We’ll announce our winners this weekend.

Giveaway: New Titles from Raven Tree Press

Our fourth giveaway is a package of two wonderful books published by Raven Tree Press.

Beautiful Moon/Bella luna, written by Dawn Jeffers, is the story of how a little girl’s fantasy becomes reality when she wishes for a day that never ends. With the disappearance of la luna, the girl gets to see how the world would be affected without a time to rest – a beneficial lesson for children that sometimes what we wish for is not really what we want.

A Walk with Grandpa/Un paseo con abuelo is written by Sharon K. Solomon and illustrated by Pamela Barcita. This charming story follows a young girl on a walk with her abuelo and the word game that they play. "Eres mi verano," says abuelo. "Eres mi invierno," responds the granddaughter. A beautiful tribute to the close relationship between a grandparent and grandchild, the book also does a great job of teaching opposite ideas to the reader.

Raven Tree Press is an independent publisher that offers picture books in bilingual, English Only and Spanish Only formats. To check out Raven Tree’s wonderful web site, click here.

TO ENTER:
We will be listing our giveaways everyday this week. To enter to win, simply leave us a comment at the end of each post (the one that describes the item that interests you). You can leave a comment everyday.

To increase your chances of winning, you can blog or tweet about our giveaway. Just be sure to let us know you did!

We’ll announce our winners this weekend.

Giveaway: Spanish Learning Sets by Let's Play in Spanish

TWO lucky readers will be the winners of today’s giveaways! Our third giveaway has been generously donated by Susy Dorn, owner of Let’s Play in Spanish. We have two different Spanish learning sets:

Sal y Pimienta
The Sal y Pimienta set includes an illustrated sing-along book complete with the works in large font and the English translation right along side of the Spanish lyrics. Both the book and the music CD have 20 short, easy-to-learn songs in Spanish composed by Susy Dorn. This CD expands on ¡Cantemos En Español! with songs, such as names of bugs, good habits, school supplies, the hours of the day, emotions, the magic words of "Please" and "Thank you," and many more. Spanish preschools use these Spanish expressions and phrases in class, so these melodies are a great reinforcement at home. Of course, it's great for all ages!

Rímas y Más Rímas
The beautifully illustrated sing-along book comes with the works in large font and the English translation right along side of the Spanish lyrics. Both the book and the Rimas y Más Rimas Ratón Ramón music CD have 20 short easy-to-learn songs in Spanish and is all about rhyming. Learn about La Araña en la Cabaña, Un Gusano en mi Mano, and La Foca Loca, to name a few.
Every unique song is catchy and fun. Each song is a miniature story where children can learn Spanish phrases by rhyming. One fun song is about a spider who lives in a cabin in the mountains and doesn't eat flies. Instead, this spider eats lasagna (Araña come lasaña). This educational Spanish CD for children is great for kindergarten kids that are practicing rhyming in school, but it's also good for all ages.

If you’d like to learn more about Let’s Play in Spanish, check out Dana’s review here.

TO ENTER:

We will be listing our giveaways everyday this week. To enter to win, simply leave us a comment at the end of each post (the one that describes the item that interests you). You can leave a comment everyday.

To increase your chances of winning, you can blog or tweet about our giveaway. Just be sure to let us know you did!

We’ll announce our winners this weekend.

Apolo Series Giveaway

Our second giveaway includes two wonderful books published by Kane/Miller Book Publishers. Apolo and Contando con Apolo are awesome Spanish translations of books originally published in Germany and written/illustrated by Caroline Grégoire. Apolo covers simple concepts, such as front (de frente), middle (en el medio), back (por detrás), left (izquierda), and right (derecha), with adorable illustrations for reinforcement. Contando con Apolo not only introduces numbers but colors, too. Here’s an excerpt from Contando…

"Apolo tiene una cola preciosa,
que parece un poquito una salchicha
pequeña. La menea cuando está feliz."

In addition, the books do a great job of introducing math concepts to preschoolers. Both you and your child will fall in love with Apolo through Grégoire’s charming depiction of the canine and the hilarious story lines.

Kane/Miller was created around 25 years ago by brother/sister team, Madeline Kane and Sandy Miller. Inspired by the profound effect of great foreign films, Kane/Miller looks for books that accentuate the commonality between children of different cultures, while celebrating the differences at the same time.

When it comes to translations, Kane/Miller states:
"Translating children’s books is like translating poetry. You have very few words to convey very complicated thoughts and images. We never, ever, ever do literal translations. We receive rough translations, either from the original publisher or we do them in house, and then we write, edit and rewrite until we have the idea and the story and the characters, but in English [or Spanish], in an English [or Spanish] way of thinking and conveying."

Check out Kane/Miller’s wonderful web site here. Be sure to click on their Libros del Mundo link for a complete list of their Spanish translations.

TO ENTER:

We will be listing our giveaways everyday this week. To enter to win, simply leave us a comment at the end of each post (the one that describes the item that interests you). You can leave a comment everyday.

To increase your chances of winning, you can blog or tweet about our giveaway. Just be sure to let us know you did!

We’ll announce our winners this weekend.

¡Buena suerte, Amigos!

Mother Tongues: Cultivating Cultural Connections

To kick off the week, we’re proud to offer you an “Abrazo” T-shirt by MotherTongues as our first giveaway. One lucky winner will be chosen at the end of the week to receive this beautiful T-shirt. Made with fair labor, the shirts are 100% organic cotton. It is available in sizes Medium through Extra Large – the giveaway winner may choose his/her size.

As MotherTongues eloquently describes it:
“More than an embrace that ritualizes one's greeting, un abrazo is an intimate experience. This [Latino] custom describes a powerful way of expressing unity and acceptance through emotions such as joy, pleasure, sorrow and sympathy. Un abrazo invites belonging, fellowship, and compassion as strangers become friends.”

Created by Michelle Hamman, this small T-shirt company strives to “cultivate connection amongst persons, across cultures, and with nature by defining and printing meaningful words from diverse cultures on T-shirts and other apparel.” The LBBC is proud to partner with a company that recognizes how peace calls forth justice, reconciliation requires respect, and that nurturing people and the environment demands a loving commitment.

In addition, MotherTongues donates $1 of every T-shirt, tote bag or apron sold to the Center for Women In Transition. This amazing organization helps women and children deal with significant life challenges. Read more at APlaceForWomen.org. And to visit MotherTongues' website and see their complete line of cultural tees, click here.

TO ENTER:

We will be listing our giveaways everyday this week. To enter to win, simply leave us a comment at the end of each post (the one that describes the item that interests you). You may leave a comment everyday.

To increase your chances of winning, you can blog or tweet about our giveaway. Just be sure to let us know you did!

We’ll announce our winners this weekend.

¡Buena suerte a todos!

The LBBC Celebrates its First Anniversary!

WOW! It is so hard to believe that today marks the LBBC’s 1st anniversary!

When I started to blog last year, I had no idea how much support we would get. Nor did I guess we would grow and get involved in so many projects and make so many amigos along the way.

Thank you a todos for your interest and enthusiasm.

And in return, we have decided to celebrate all week! Starting on Monday, the LBBC will be giving away some fabulous prizes, so be sure to check in with us EVERY DAY THIS WEEK!

Let’s kick of the new year properly – with a good PACHANGA!

~Monica