Tag Archives: Bilingual

Elem. – Spanish is the Language of My Family

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Genhart, Michael. Spanish is the Language of My Family. Illustrated by John Parra. Neal Porter Books. 978-0-823-45004-6. 36 p. $18.99. Grades K-3. 

When Manolo’s school holds a Spanish-language spelling bee, he is the first in his class to sign up because Spanish is the language of his family. He already knows how to spell some Spanish words, but he turns to his Abuela for help preparing. They review the list of words together, and as she quizzes him, Abuela also shares stories about how school was a very different place when she attended as a little girl. She describes how students were not allowed to speak Spanish and how they were sent home, spanked, or had their mouths washed out with soap if teachers heard them speaking the language. Her stories inspire Manolo to study even harder, and on the day of the contest, his whole family is in the audience to cheer him on. He takes a deep breath and spells his first word correctly. More and more correct spellings follow, until only he and one classmate remain on the stage. His final word, “respeto” reminds him of the respect he has for his family’s language, and he spells the word correctly. Backmatter includes the letters and sounds of the Spanish alphabet. Also included is a note from the author that describes the inspiration for this story; information about the National Spanish Spelling Bee; a history of the prohibition of Spanish in schools during long periods of American history; and background information about El Dia de Los Ninos, or Children’s Day. This title was simultaneously published in Spanish as El espanol es la lengua de mi familia. 

THOUGHTS: This intergenerational story celebrates being bilingual as a strength and a source of family pride. Short sentences and vibrant acrylic illustrations will hold students’ attention, making this title a good choice for a read-aloud, particularly at the end of April when Children’s Day is celebrated. 

Picture Book

MG – Invisible

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Diaz Gonzalez, Christina. Invisible. Illustrated by Gabriela Epstein. Graphix, 2022.  978-1-338-19454-8. 202 p. $12.99. Grades 4-7.

Invisible is the story of a group of five students who are thrust together for a school community service project strictly because of the language (or the assumption of the language) they speak (Spanish). What the school administration doesn’t understand is that the students aren’t even united by language –their backgrounds and personalities are radically different. The project itself consists of menial tasks in the cafeteria supervised by a grouchy cafeteria manager… until the students discover a homeless family in need and step in to help. Unique to this story is its bilingual nature–paired speech bubbles continually translate from English to Spanish and back as the students and adults communicate with each other. A close observer will also notice a web of encounters between characters’ families in the illustrations even though they had no connection prior to their service project. Not only about a service project, the book also develops each character’s family, history, and challenges through individual out-of-school encounters with each family–there are many mirrors, doors, and windows for readers of this book.

THOUGHTS: Beyond a compelling story linked through a spiderweb of revelations and connections between students revealed primarily through the illustrations, the format of this book is truly unique in that the bilingual text is seamlessly integrated into the novel’s speech bubbles, opening a range of opportunities for readers to: read the text in their first language, read the text in a language they are learning with support, or simply enjoy the richness of two languages presented together. Gabriella Epstein’s illustrations have the same approachable style used in her BabySitter’s Club days, providing the book a ready audience who will reach for the book for the familiarity of the artwork in addition to the story. Highly recommended.  

Graphic Novel          Hannah J. Thomas, Central Bucks SD

Elem. – Pura’s Cuentos: How Pura Belpré Reshaped Libraries with Her Stories

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Pimentel, Annette Bay. Pura’s Cuentos: How Pura Belpré Reshaped Libraries with Her Stories. Abrams, 2021. 978-1-419-74941-4. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades PreK-2. 

Born in Puerto Rico, Pura Belpré grew up listening to her aubeula’s stories. When, as an adult, Puera left the island to move to New York City, she carried the stories of her aubeula and her homeland with her. In New York, Puera found a job at the 135th Street Library working with children. Belpré loved leading storytimes at the library, but rules said she could only tell stories from printed books. This meant the wonderful stories of her youth told to her by her abuela could not be shared because they were not written down. When she makes her case to her bosses, they agree that she can share her stories. Soon Puera is conducting outreach to the surrounding community, inviting all children to the library where she regularly leads bilingual storytimes, telling cuentos, some from print books, others not. Eventually Belpré wrote her stories down in book form and they were published, reaching an even wider population. Pimentel’s lyrical retelling of Puera Belpré’s story will introduce this important figure in librarianship to new audiences. The text is primarily in English, but Spanish words and phrases are incorporated at various points throughout the story. Magaly Morales’ vibrant digital illustrations capture Belpre’s energy when storytelling and interacting with children. 

THOUGHTS: This engaging biography shines a spotlight on an important figure in librarianship. Belpre was a trailblazer who strove to make public libraries more inclusive and welcoming to all. This title would pair well with Belpre’s story Pérez y Martina, which is referenced several times in Puera’s Cuentos.

921 Biography          Elizabeth Henry, Lampeter-Strasburg SD

Elem. – Bright Star

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Morales, Yuyi. Bright Star. Holiday House, 2021. Unpaged. 978-0-823-44328-4. $18.99. Grades K-1.

Morales weaves English and Spanish text together to create a heartwarming tale of a young fawn and her mother. As narrator, the doe speaks to her child as they explore the Southwestern desert landscape. She tells her cosita (little thing) that she is a bright star and that she loves her. After hearing a loud sound, the fawn becomes frightened and the mother cautions her to be alert and find a safe space. In soothing tones, the deer comforts her anxious daughter and reminds her that she will never be alone and will always be protected. The illustrations are done in a variety of media, including embroidery, and reveal a few causes of her fear-a snake, a leopard, a cloud of dust, and a wall. In the author’s note, Morales explains that she began this book in 2019 after observing migrants being detained after attempting to cross the border and how the environment was being destroyed by the wall’s construction. Morales’ drawings are a showcase of the flora and fauna of the area, such as a hummingbird, a scorpion, and saguaro cacti, which in one spread are cut down into pieces. The author connects the disruption of the lives of the plants and animals to the disrupted lives of migrants and inhabitants of the region. This is shown in the final pages by the images of children wearing shirts with animal designs and surrounded by desert plants.  This story conveys a message of reassurance and hope during anxious times.

THOUGHTS: Morales’ art is beautiful, and the renderings of the animals, especially the fawn, are charming. Young children will enjoy looking at the creatures and will find comfort in this story. It also could be useful in ecology units. A strong purchase for elementary libraries.

Picture Book          Denise Medwick, Retired PSLA Member

Elem. – We Laugh Alike/Juntos Nos Reimos

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Bernier-Grand, Carmen. We Laugh Alike/Juntos Nos Reimos. Illustrated by Alyssa Bermudez. Charlesbridge, 2021. 978-1-623-54096-8 p. 32. $17.99. Grades K-3. 

Three kids are playing at the park when three new kids arrive to play too. These new friends are unable to communicate in English, but they sure know how to have fun! We Laugh Alike/ Juntos no reimos by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand is a bilingual picture book that solidifies human connection through the eyes of young children. Even though one group of students speak English and the other speaks Spanish, the children can express their feelings and communicate through play. By watching each other, both groups learn that they are more alike than different. The children discover new words, adventure, and make new friends. The story is clever with English and Spanish dialogue, and the illustrations by Alyssa Bermudez are colorful and vibrant. 

THOUGHTS: Carmen T. Bernier-Grand is a three-time Pura Belpre Honor award winner and an author of numerous children’s books. The story is interesting because the English and Spanish dialogue do not precisely match word for word. Instead, the children express their thoughts in each of their native languages within their context. The attractive illustrations draw the readers into the story, and I believe ELL (English Language Learners) students would enjoy this picture book about friendship and acceptance very much. 

Picture Book          Marie Mengel, Reading SD

Elem. – Lila Lou’s Little Library

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Bergstresser, Nikki. Lila Lou’s Little Library. Cardinal Rule Press, 2021. 978-1-735-34511-6. 25 p. $16.95. Grades K – 2.

Lila Lou loves to read! Her house is overflowing with books, which causes her mother to lose her in the house due to all of Lila Lou’s books. Lila Lou has an idea, to use a stump outside of her house to create a Little Free Library. This allows Lila Lou to share her books with others, as well as for her to get some new ones. At the beginning of the book, there are tips to help the reader for before, during, and after reading. At the end of the book, there are hints on how to make a family library. There is also a glossary for the Spanish words that are found throughout the book.

THOUGHTS: This is an adorable book to read aloud with students!

Picture Book          Mary Hyson, Lehigh Valley Regional Charter Academy

Elem. – Nikki Tesla and the Ferret-Proof Death Ray; Gabi’s Fabulous Functions; The Good Egg; Sal and Gabi Break the Universe; ¡Vamos!; Because

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Keating Jess. Nikki Tesla and the Ferret-Proof Death Ray. Scholastic, 2019. 978-1-338-29521-4. 277 p. $16.99. Grades 3-7.

When a book opens with the accidental firing of a death ray, you know you are in for a fun ride, and Jess Keating does not disappoint. Young Nikki Tesla is a mechanical whiz and scientific genius. But mom has warned her before about blowing up the house (technically it was more vaporizing), and this time there are consequences. Nikki’s mom wants her to attend a school for geniuses, where Nikki can experiment to her heart’s content and meet other prodigies her age. This is where Nikki balks. She has a bad track record with making friends; she has been home-schooled to avoid the bullying and teasing. Nikki reluctantly agrees, but is sure she is going to be sent home when the orientation activity requires her to work as a team with the other six students at the school, Al Einstein, Mary Shelley, Leo DaVinci, Charlie Darwin, Mo Mozart, and Grace O’Malley. Soon after surviving orientation, Nikki learns the true purpose of the elite group is to save the world, and their skills are immediately tested when Nikki’s Death Ray is stolen from the school’s arsenal. The seven youngsters take off on a globe trotting whirlwind, attempting to catch up to a diabolical madman who may be hitting too close to home for Nikki. This series opener hits the ground running and never lets up. While not all the characters are fleshed out yet, Nikki is well crafted. Her inability to trust her new friends, along with her damaged self esteem, almost cost the group their mission, but in the end Nikki relies on the group to save the day and the world.

THOUGHTS: An edge-of-your-seat series opener that ends with a shocker cliff-hanger. Readers will be begging for the next book.

Action Adventure          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

Karanja, Caroline. Gabi’s Fabulous Functions. Capstone, 2019. 978-1-515-82743-6. Unpaged. $27.72. Grades 1-5. 

Gabi and her friend Adi are busy in the kitchen making Gabi’s father a special meal for his birthday. As they follow the recipe, the two girls notice the similarities between following a recipe and functions in coding. The girls input berries, yogurt, and granola, and the output is a parfait. The two even create a input/output machine to “create” the different dishes for dad, who happily gobbles up the “output.” The simplistic story is successful as a way to explain the challenging concept of functions in terms most students will understand. As an added bonus, it features female coders of Hispanic and African American ethnicities. 

THOUGHTS: Consider purchasing where coding is taught, or students have an interest in coding. 

005.1 Computers          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

John, Jory. The Good Egg. Harper, 2019. 978-0-062-86600-4. Unpaged. $17.99. Grades K-3.

Jory John follows his delightful book The Bad Seed with The Good Egg. Egg has always been good, as far back as when he was living in the store with his 11 siblings. But Egg was frustrated with the bad things his siblings did, and was one frazzled egg trying to fix their messes. Soon he felt like he was cracking up. So, Good Egg leaves home to get away from the pressure of having to be so good. He learns to think about what he wants and needs, and eventually decides to return home to his siblings. Given the popularity of The Bad Seed, this book will have an immediate following. Children will enjoy Pete Oswald’s illustrations, and the cautionary tale of trying to be too perfect will make for interesting discussion. 

THOUGHTS: This will be a must have where The Bad Seed was popular. 

Picture Book          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

Hernandez, Carlos. Sal and Gabi Break the Universe. Rick Riordan Presents, 2019. 978-1-368-02282-8. 382 p. $16.99. Grades 3-6.

Sal is having a hard time adjusting to his new Miami school for the arts. He is in the principal’s office for the third time in three days when he meets Gabi, a whirling dervish of a girl who, as student council president and editor of the school paper, knows everything about everybody. So she makes it her new mission to know Sal, and there is a lot to know about Sal. A type-1 diabetic with a passion for sleight of hand, Sal also has the unique ability to reach into other universes, even somehow conjuring his dead mother to cook Cuban food for him. Sal needs to learn how to control his ability before he permanently disturbs the Universe. Gabi is dealing with a seriously ill infant brother. Can the two precocious kids navigate friendship and family without breaking the universe? This book covers much territory, from diabetes, to magic to bullying, but ultimately, the story is about family, in all its many forms. Sal grieves his lost mother, and learns how to navigate his new family with his American Stepmom. Gabi’s family includes her multiple, unique dads (even a robot dad), as well as her baby brother. And Sal learns not all families are the safe haven they should be, and then friends become family. Filled with Cuban culture, mouth-watering food and loud, exuberant characters, this book invites every reader to become a member of the family and enjoy the cosmic ride with Sal and Gabi. 

THOUGHTS:  A must have for middle grade collections. This breathless journey through the multiverses will have readers clamoring for the next book in the series.  

Science Fiction          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

Gonzalez, Raúl. ¡Vamos! Let’s Go to the Market. Versify, 2019. 978-1-328-55726-1. Unpaged. $14.99. Grades 1-3.

Little Lobo and his dog, Bernabé, have a lot to do today, and we are going to ¡Vamos! with them, learning Spanish as we go. This cheery story immerses readers in Spanish vocabulary as we weave our way through the busy mercado. The pages are saturated in terra cotta hued colors. Speech balloons contribute narration largely in English, while the illustrations and insets seamlessly provide Spanish vocabulary in context. Captions within the busy pictures supply additional Spanish terminology. While the plot is  minimal, children could spend hours examining the exuberant illustrations, soaking up Latino culture as well as language. However, the author does not inform the reader as to what country the story takes place. A bare bones glossary is provided at the end of the story, (without pronunciations) but does not contain all the Spanish words used in the book. Readers are urged to look up additional words in a Spanish/English dictionary.

THOUGHTS:  A clever, entertaining way to introduce Spanish language and Hispanic culture to young readers. The illustrations have a Where’s Waldo quality that will engage readers, and those interested in learning some Spanish will enjoy poring over the book again and again.

463 Spanish Language          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

Willems, Mo. Because. Hyperion, 2019. 978-1-368-01901-9. Unpaged. $17.99. Grades K-3. 

Because is a very unusual offering from the author of such perennial favorites as Elephant and Piggy and Pigeon books. Because shows readers the power of a moment, and, like the familiar cliche of a butterfly flapping its wings, how it can change a life. In this case, because a composer inspired another musician to compose, a young girl eventually is taken to the symphony and is enthralled by the world of music and beauty opened to her. Quiet illustration by Amber Ren accompany Willem’s sparse but powerful text, guiding us through the chain of events (and a little luck, too, Willems points out) leading to the heartwarming conclusion of the story. The musically inclined reader will delight in the book’s endpapers, which reproduce portions of the two musical scores which bookend the story. The book makes a lovely read-aloud, but it also begs to be used as a creative prompt with students of any age.

THOUGHTS: A thoughtful story that will surely set young imaginations soaring. Be sure to share it with classroom teachers as well as youngsters. 

Picture Book          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

This is a beautiful book about those unexpected events that change our lives. It follows the build up to a night at the symphony, introducing the reader to everyone who makes such the night possible, from the composer who wrote the music to the event planners, musicians, train conductors, and ushers. Each person is as important as the next, and they all come together to make this one event happen. Because all this happens, one little girl is forever changed.

THOUGHTS: This book gave me chills. I love all the people who made the event happen and how beautifully everything is portrayed. There’s also an online video about the inspiration and creative process behind the book. And be sure to look in the end pages to learn more.

Picture Book          Emily Woodward, The Baldwin School

My Tata’s Rememdies…a bilingual picture book

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tatasremedies

Rivera-Ashford, Roni Capin.  My Tata’s Remedies (Los Remedios de mi tata).  El Paso, TX:  Cinco Puntos Press, 2015.  978-1-935955-89-4.  Unpaged.  $8.95.  Gr. 3-6.

Aaron’s grandfather heals and helps people with his many plants and herbs.  Throughout the story, Aaron watches and helps his grandfather treat his patients.  This bilingual picture book includes a glossary with a list of medicinal herbs and remedies.

Picture Book/Bilingual     Anastasia Hanneken, School Lane Charter School

This would be a great addition to any library with a Spanish speaking population.  We have several students at my school who speak very little English, and would enjoy this bilingual story.  This book also shows the love and bond between grandparents and grandchildren.