Latin Baby Book Club

From North to South/ Del Norte al Sur

noreply@blogger.com (Rene Colato Lainez) — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 05:45:00 +0000

My bilingual book From North to South/ Del norte al sur, illustrated by Joe Cepeda, is back in print & now available in paperback edition. The book is available at http://www.leeandlow.com/

Thanks to all readers who had emailed me asking for the book. It is great to know that it has touched many lives.

Here are some emails.

"Like you, I am an elementary school teacher. Most of the students in my class are Latino and, of course, immigration and deportations are huge issues. I've been trying to purchase your book From North to South but have been unable to do so. It seems like it's not selling anywhere! Do you know how I can get 6 copies of that book?"

"From North to South is truly a deeply moving book and so important in our community. One of my grad students used it with families and their response was very heartfelt as one of the grandmothers was living the situation with her son who was deported. The grandmother is caring for her grandchild left behind."

"Thank you so much for writing From North to South. It's so important for children to understand why they are separated from their parents. The numbers are only increasing, unfortunately.

http://colorlines.com/archives/2012/12/us_deports_more_than_200k_parents.html

My fiance was recently removed to San Pedro Sula, Honduras. I bought your book and took it to him last time I was there. He wrote inside the book, and I mailed it to his children for their Christmas present. Recently, I was at an immigration conference (I work in the advocacy field) and spoke to an attorney who is working with several mothers who have been removed. I recommended the book and she bought a few and mailed them to Guatemala for the parents to write in for their children. Anyhow I thought you'd enjoy knowing that the book is making an impact in the lives of children."

BOOK TRAILER

BOOK REVIEW

Review by Ariadna Sánchez

From North to South is written by René Colato Laínez and tenderly illustrated by Joe Cepeda. Colato Laínez’s story portrays the struggle of hundreds of immigrant families who suffer because of their legal status in the United States. From North to South shows the challenges and effects of family separation while dreams and hopes are abruptly stopped by the border fence.

José and his parents live in San Diego, California. One day, José’s mom is arrested and deported to Tijuana, Mexico during a raid in the factory where she works. After weeks of being away from his mother, José and his father finally had the opportunity to go to Tijuana, Mexico to visit her mother at a shelter called Centro Madre Assunta.*

As soon as José sees his mother, he desperately runs into her mother’s arms. This event brings relief to the whole family and their broken hearts. José and his parents spend a very special weekend at Centro Madre Assunta. As a one big family, José and his mother spend some time with other children and women that are waiting to reunite with their loved ones on the other side of the border. They play games, plant seeds, eat, and rejoice for being part of this big family at Centro Madre Assunta. José’s dad is a legal permanent resident, so this means that José’s mom will soon be getting her legal status.

When it was time to say farewell to his mother, the sun also began to hide behind the mountain. As his mother read a story, José fell asleep on his mother lap. This very painful separation marks José’s family forever. Like a giant magnet, “the north” pulls José and his father back to San Diego while “the south” holds his mother back in Tijuana. Time and hope are her best allies to calm her broken heart.

Remember reading gives you wings!!!

*Centro Madre Assunta is a shelter located in Tijuana, Mexico. Centro Madre Assunta provides a refuge for women and children who have been deported or are trying to cross the border to meet again with their relatives in the United States. For more information about the shelter visit the following links:

http://www.piescansados.blogspot.com

http://www.wix.com/assunta_tj/assunta

Let's Play Fútbol and Football!

noreply@blogger.com (Rene Colato Lainez) — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 05:17:00 +0000

I am very happy to present the bilingual edition of my book ¡Juguemos al Fútbol y al Football! / Let's Play Fútbol and Football! As always, this book is also about my immigrant experience. When a group of friends invited me to play "futbol", I said "Okay, I can play." But when I saw the oval ball flying above my head, I realized that they were not playing my fútbol. They were playing football instead.

New: Bilingual Edition

Carlos is not sure that football can be played with an oval-shaped ball. Chris is not sure that it can be played with a round ball.

It may not be a good idea to play with a kid who is so different... He doesn’t even know how to play this game!

Wait. It looks kind of fun... Let’s give it a try!

Enjoy and celebrate the encounter of two cultures through their favorite sports. ;-)

Spanish Edition

Carlos no cree que se pueda jugar al fútbol con una pelota ovalada. Chris no cree que se pueda jugar con una pelota redonda.

Quizás no es buena idea jugar con un niño tan diferente... ¡Ni siquiera sabe cómo se juega!

Un momento. Se ve como divertido... ¡Vamos a probar!

Disfruta y celebra el encuentro de dos culturas a través de sus deportes favoritos. ;-)

Book Trailer

saludos,

René Colato Laínez

When You Wander

noreply@blogger.com (Rene Colato Lainez) — Wed, 18 Dec 2013 06:51:00 +0000

Review by Ariadna Sánchez

When You Wander is written by the Newbery Honor winning Cuban-American author Margarita Engle. When You Wander is a story about a search and rescue dog. The marvelous illustrations by Mary Morgan complement this amazing adventure.

Dogs are more than just pets. Dogs are smart, loyal, friendly and helpful creatures. Search and rescue dogs bring hope to families when a relative is missing. When You Wander explains to young readers the extraordinary ability of a search and rescue dog. Margarita Engle’s story is a charming learning experience to be read by the whole family during the holidays. Engle’s words fill each page with delicate language that emphasizes the one of a kind skill of the magnificent search and rescue dogs.

When a little boy is walking by himself, he notices that he is lost. The moon appears in the sky. The bright stars are shining over his head. The boy is afraid, anxious, and worried. He is scared in the middle of nowhere. He holds tight to a tree. However, the young boy does not need to be afraid because the search and rescue dog is on his way. The dog sniffs zigzagging in the bushes, and he cuts through the warm air in the middle of the night. The search and rescue dog will jump, climb and run until he brings the young boy safe back to his home. Search and rescue dogs are special because they turn darkness into a bright and shiny light when a person is found.

This book is the perfect gift for the youngest members of your family. The entire family will love it. To learn more about search and rescue dogs visit The National Search Dog Alliance http://www.n-sda.org/ , The California Rescue Dog Association http://search-dogs.carda.org/ or The National Association for Search and Rescue http://www.nasar.org/.

Reading gives you wings. Read this book today!

Children in El Salvador are waiting for the 4th Poetry Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Rene Colato Lainez) — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 06:09:00 +0000

Talleres de Poesia is a group of writers and volunteers who organize an annual poetry festival in El Salvador. Our goal is bring 4 bi-lingual children's book authors to El Salvador where they offer poetry readings and writing workshops to approximately 800 children from all corners of the country. We also include 4 Salvadoran authors in the festival. It is a 3-day event held at the National Library in San Salvador. We work with 2 non-profit organizations in El Salvador that coordinate bringing the children to the library on buses from all over the countryside.

The authors are ready for the 4th Poetry Festival in El Salvador. It will take place at the National Library Francisco Gavidia in San Salvador this November 13-14.

And the authors are...

From Merida, Yucatan, Mexico, Margarita Robleda "Croack"

From El Salvador, Manlio Argueta, Mario Noel Rodríguez, Silvia Elena Regalado, Jorgelina Cerritos and Ricardo Lindo

From California, Francisco X. Alarcon, Rene Colato Lainez and Jorge Tetl Argueta

Children and teachers from different corners of El Salvador will have fun in this Poetry Festival.

A message from Talleres de Poesía

A special request to our family of Bilingual Children's Book Authors, Illustrators and Friends:

Talleres de Poesia will be celebrating the 4th Annual Children's Poetry Festival in El Salvador on November 13, 14 and 15. Participating authors have agreed to donate a number of their own titles to contribute to the library in El Salvador and Luna's Press is also donating 10 books. We would love the children of El Salvador to also be able to enjoy your wonderful books - to travel to your worlds through reading. If you could kindly donate 1 or 2 books within the next 2 weeks, we will gladly bring them over (if you wish to, please sign book to "Bilblioteca Nacional" or "For the Children of El Salvador").

Please send to 90 bepler St. Daly City, CA 94014

www.talleresdepoesia.weebly.com

Please feel free to share this with all your children's book author & illustrator friends.

Thank you so much, Jorge Argueta

Señor Pancho Had a Rancho

noreply@blogger.com (Rene Colato Lainez) — Wed, 14 Aug 2013 05:07:00 +0000

I am very happy to present my tenth book in my writing career.

When I came to the United States, I discovered that not only people had problems learning a second language. Many farm animals had the same challenge too! El pollito said pío pío and the chick said peep peep.

I am sure that you know that Old MacDonald had a farm. Now, he has a new neighbor, el señor Pancho, and in his rancho he has many animales.

By René Colato Laínez

Illustrated by Elwood Smith

ISBN-13: 9780823426324
Publisher: Holiday House, Inc.
Publication date: 8/1/2013
Age range: 2 - 5 Years

"Old MacDonald Had a Farm" goes multicultural in this rollicking Spanish-English rendition.

The barnyard animals on Old MacDonald's and Señor Pancho's farms have a hard time communicating. MacDonald's rooster says cock-a-doodle-doo! While Señor Pancho's gallo says quiquirquí. The English-speaking chick says peep, peep, but el pollito says pio, pio. Then the cow says moo—and la vaca says mu! Maybe they're not so different after all! So all the animals come together for a barnyard fiesta, because dancing is a universal language.

Reviews

... [Readers] will enjoy learning the names of the animals in both English and Spanish and comparing the onomatopoeia in each language. Chock-full of bicultural fun on the farm. -Kirkus Reviews

This is an excellent choice for read-alouds, but it also includes a glossary and pronunciation guide, making it useful in one-on-one contexts for young readers looking to develop Spanish vocabulary. -School Library Journal

Señor Pancho Had a Racho but he also has an acticity sheet at Holiday House. You can get yours at http://www.holidayhouse.com/docs/HH_Senor_Ver2.pdf

Enjoy,

René Colato Laínez

My New Two Books!

noreply@blogger.com (Rene Colato Lainez) — Wed, 31 Jul 2013 05:06:00 +0000

Juguemos al Fútbol/ Let's Play Football

My picture book has a book trailer! The Spanish book is already available. The bilingual version is coming this Fall.

CHA CHA CHA CHA CHA

My new picture book is Señor Pancho Had a Rancho. This is a Latino version of the popular English children's song Old MacDonald Had a Farm.

The book will be available this Fall.

saludos,

René Colato Laínez

Bobbi Salinas: Her Books

noreply@blogger.com (Rene Colato Lainez) — Wed, 29 May 2013 05:35:00 +0000

Bobbi Salinas was an author and illustrator. I met her through her books in my classroom. My students loved her book "Los Tres Cochinitos, Nacho, Tito and Miguel." This is a great book about the three little pigs with the Latino style.

Several years later, I met her in person in the Latino Writers Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico and I told her about the fantastic impact of her books in the classroom.

This May, her dead body was found in Santa Fe, New Mexico. To read the news, visit
http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/article_9aebdf12-2fb9-5be6-b8b2-29dad198ac66.html

Bobbi Salinas, descanse en paz

Today, I want to present some of her books.

The Three Pigs: Nacho, Tito and Miguel

By Bobbi Salinas

Spanish version by Amapola Franzen and Marcos Guerrero

This retold, non-violent version of The Three Pigs takes place in the Southwest. Miguel, the

cleverest of the pigs, sees through the wolf's artificially sugared tricks, and ultimately

destroys the wolf's power to deceive others.

Este versión relatada en forma no violenta de Los Tres Cerdos toma lugar en el sudoeste de los EUA. Miguel, el mas astuto de los cerdos, se da cuenta de los trucos artificialmente endulzados del lobo y termina destruyendo su poder para engañar a los demas. Este cuento expone que aquellos en el poder a veces son menos fuertes y temibles de lo que quieren que creamos.

Cinderella Latina

By Bobbi Salinas

Translated by Enrique Lamadrid

A bilingual, contemporary version of Cinderella by Charles Perrault, using Mexican-American culture to tell a new story.

Indo Hispanic Folk Art Traditions I

By Bobbi Salinas

A book of culturally-based, year-round activities with an emphasis on Christmas. Designed to promote awareness and understanding of this important holiday as it is celebrated in Indo-Hispanic communities. Contains recipes, craft projects and even ideas for creating and performing plays and costumes. Special deluxe edition printed in Spanish and English

Indo Hispanic Folk Art Traditions II /

Tradiciones Artesanales Indo-Hispanas II

By Bobbi Salinas

A book of culturally-based, year-round activities with an emphasis on the Day of the Dead. Designed to promote awareness and understanding of this important Indo-Hispanic holiday and of the folk art that has characterized its celebration from antiquity to the present. The Day of the Dead is a unique holiday that preserves and encourages folk art and folklore as no other holiday does. Recreated annually in the community, by the communit and for the community. Includes recipes, folk art projects, costumes, theatre and dance. This special deluxe edition is printed in Spanish and English.

Celebrate Día with Tito Puente!

noreply@blogger.com (Lydia Breiseth) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:12:00 +0000

¡Felíz Día! Today is El día de los niños/El día de los libros, founded by Pat Mora, and we have just the book to help you celebrate – Monica Brown’s Tito Puente: Mambo King/Tito Puente: Rey del Mambo.

Monica brings the King of the Mambo’s story to life with lyrical language that begs to be read aloud, following Tito from his young days banging on pots and pans (and making so much noise that his Harlem neighbors told his mother to sign him up for music lessons) to the days when he finally achieved his dream of leading his own orchestra, going on to become a Latin music legend.

The book is illustrated by Rafael López, with whom Monica collaborated on My Name Is Celia/Me llamo Celia. As in their previous work together, Tito’s kinetic, contagious energy and rhythm explode off of the page no matter where he is making music – at the church, aboard his Navy ship during World War II, or at The Palladium. What is so compelling about these illustrations is that Rafael does a beautiful job not only in capturing Tito’s talent and musicality but in the joy that Tito’s music brought to all who heard him play.

Related Resources

For some great materials that accompany the book, take a look at Monica’s website, which includes a book trailer, videos in which Monica and Rafael discuss the creative process behind Tito, and a clip of Tito playing on Sesame Street. To hear more from Monica and Rafael, check out our interviews with them on Colorín Colorado, also available in Spanish and on YouTube. And for other great Latin-themed books about music, check out our Hispanic Heritage: Music and Rhyme booklist.

Good Night, Captain Mama/Buenas noches, Capitán Mamá

noreply@blogger.com (Monica) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Good Night, Captain Mama/Buenas noches, Capitán Mamá

by Graciela Tiscareño-Sato

illustrated by Linda Lens

It is with great pleasure that the LBBC participates in the blog tour of the new book, Good Night, Captain Mama/Buenas noches, Capitán Mamá, an original and much needed book. It is the heart-warming story of a young boy whose mother is an Air Force pilot. One night before bed, he notices her wearing her green uniform and begins to question her about her job and what all the patches on her uniform symbolize. She lovingly explains each one in language for a little boy like him to understand, and uses the patches to help teach her son about serving in the U.S. Air Force. Included in the back is a template with blank patches so your child to create her own.

The illustrations throughout the book are beautifully done and perfectly complement the story line. The colors are soft and soothing, making this book a great choice for bedtime reading.

Good Night, Captain Mama is a tribute to Latinas in the military and their families. What a powerful and positive image for children to experience - and one that is sorely lacking in the media! This book is worthy of note specifically because it is the ONLY bilingual book featuring a Latina veteran that will be available for children. This is a significant book that is not just for empowering Latino children, but all children, who benefit from seeing diversity in all areas of life.

This book would be a great read for children learning about the military, Veteran's Day, the Air Force, family relationships, working parents, and so much more. This book is best suited for children ages 4 and older.

Book Tour Schedule 4/22-4/26

Mon 4/22 Condor Musings http://condormusings.wordpress.com
Tues 4/23 Latino Book Examiner http://www.examiner.com/latino-books-in-national/mayra-calvani
Wed 4/24 OC Gente http://ocgente.com
Thurs 4/25 Latin Baby Book Club http://www.latinbabybookclub.com/ AND Mama XXI http://mamaxxi.com
Fri 4/26 Latina Lista http://latinalista.com AND New Latina http://newlatina.com

Twitter Party

Fri 4/26 1PM Eastern/10AM Pacific
#captmama

We will be discussing bilingual children's books, and the controversy surrounding Graciela's decision to include the Spanish language in this book depicting a military service member in uniform. Hope you'll join us.

Book Description
Good Night Captain Mama written by Graciela Tiscareño-Sato, illustrated by Linda Lens
Publisher: Gracefully Global Group, LLC.
Good Night Captain Mama is a bilingual picture book of approximately 850 words, created for children between the ages of three and eight. The main character is a young boy in pajamas. As he passes by his mother's bedroom, he sees her in her olive-green Air Force-issued flight suit. The child is curious about the colorful patches on the uniform and asks questions as he pulls each one off. His mother's answers teach him, and young children everywhere, why women serve in uniform too.
Sales of this book benefit Veteran Women Igniting the Spirit of Entrepreneurship (V-WISE), a training program operated by the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University, whose mission is to educate and mentor veteran women through entrepreneurship to pursue self-employment as a post-service career.

Website: http://www.captainmama.com/
Pre-Order this book Now: http://www.captainmama.com/index.php?page=prizes-for-preorders

Condor Book Tour
This post is an official stop during the Good Night Captain Mama Condor Book Tour. Support diversity in literature by "Liking" Condor Book Tours on Facebook.

This is a Pre-Order tour, anyone who buys the book now is saving between $5-$7 from the price when it is officially released, in the summer. Pre-ordering helps the small, independently and Latina run publishing company to print in the USA, distribute in an environmentally cleaner fashion and get enough momentum going for the book release.

The #L4LL Día Blog Hop

noreply@blogger.com (Monica) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 02:24:00 +0000

Have you been following the #L4LL Día Blog Hop that was put together by Latinas for Latino Literature? It is such an AMAZING event that has resulted in 20 Latino authors and/or illustrators guest posting on the blogs of 20 Latina bloggers. Each day a different blog is hosting a different author/illustrator. You do NOT want to miss ANY of the beautiful and uplifting articles that these talented writers have written just for the blog hop to promote Latino children's literacy.

Here is the schedule, just in case you've missed any of them...

The #L4LL Día Blog Hop Schedule

April 10th - Pat Mora on Latinas4LatinoLit.org

11th - Alma Flor Ada on AllofMeNow.com
12th - Margarita Engle on TheWiseLatinaClub.com
13th - F. Isabel Campoy on AutismWonderland.com
14th - Joe Cepeda on MommyMaestra.com
15th - Lulu Delacre on ModernMami.com
16th - Jorge Argueta on SweetLifeBake.com
17th - René Colato-Laínez on Latinaish.com
18th - Amy Costales on MamisTimeOut.com
19th - Monica Brown on NewLatina.net
20th - Christina Rodriguez on GrowingUpBlackxican.com
21st - James Luna on DeSuMama.com
22nd - Brian Amador on MomsLA.com
23rd - Mara Price on MamaLatinaTips.com
24th - Jeff Zorilla on MulticulturalFamilia.com
25th - John Parra on MamiTalks.com
26th - Duncan Tonatiuh on SpanglishBaby.com
27th - René Saldaña on LivingMiVidaLoca.com
28th - Eric Gonzalez on UnknownMami.com
29th - Irania Patterson on TheDomesticBuzz.com

Latinas4LatinoLit.org is our new sister site. Actually, I am just one of the co-founders. You may remember me writing about it back in January. Though it has only been three months since that initial post, so many things have happened and our movement to promote Latino authors and illustrators while encouraging Latino literacy among adults and children alike has snowballed. Just in the last two and a half weeks, we've officially launched our site, announced & launched the blog hop, and announced our next Twitter party with the Pulitzer Prize winning author and activist, Junot Díaz. Needless to say, April has been busy.

But I want to encourage all of you to follow the blog hop and read these incredible articles. You'll be motivated to run out and buy some Latino children's literature just so you can sit with your child to read it together.

Un abrazo fuerte,

~Monica

Book of the Month: My Diary from Here to There

noreply@blogger.com (Monica) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 02:28:00 +0000

My Diary from Here to There
by Amada Irma Pérez
illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez

With immigration reform such a hot topic nationally, I wanted to share this book with you. If you haven't read it, you should. It has personalized the issue for my children in a way, that I'm not sure I could have done just by explaining what is being discussed on the news.

My Diary from Here to There is acutally based on the author's own true story. Pérez chronicles her own childhood experience of leaving her home in Ciudad Juárez after her father loses his job. To support the family, he decides to move them to California. But as he leaves to find work, Amada and her brothers and mother must stay with relatives. The book gives us an intimate look at Amada's thoughts and emotions, as she writes passages in her diary. It is immediately apparent that she enjoys a close and tender relationship with her father, who she thinks about daily, anxiously awaiting his letters while he is gone looking for work.

Gonzalez's illustrations are vibrant and active. You can see and feel the wind whipping Amada's hair back as they get in their car and drive away from home. And when she curls up under her blankets to write in her diary by flashlight, you can feel her soft socks and the warmth coming from her sleeping brother.

The book includes full text in both English and Spanish. It is best suited for children ages 4 and older.

I am really glad to see more and more Latino children's authors, sharing their own immigrations stories in books for children.What a valuable lesson they provide, helping to humanize an otherwise cold topic.

Parents and teachers, this is a great book to read when studying immigration, family relationships, leaving home, family responsibility, and more.

To purchase your own copy of My Diary from Here to There, you can find new and gently used copies here in our online bookshop.

Benjamin Alire Sáenz Wins PEN/Faulkner Award

noreply@blogger.com (Monica) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 03:04:00 +0000

Photo by Larry D. Moore CC BY-SA 3.0

Felicidades to Latino author, Benjamin Alire Sáenz, the first Latino to ever win the PEN/Faulkner Award! Sáenz won the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction for his collection of short fiction Everything Begins and Ends at the Kentucky Club, published by Cinco Puntos Press.

Sáenz also won this year's Pura Belpré Author Award for his Young Adult novel, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe.The native New Mexican poet has written numerous books, including four young adult novels and four children's books...

Young-Adult Novels-

Sammy and Juliana in Hollywood. Cinco Puntos Press. 2004.
He Forgot to Say Goodbye. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing. 2008-06-17.
Last Night I Sang to the Monster, Cinco Puntos Press 2009
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2012

Children's Books-

A Gift from Papa Diego. Bt Bound. 1999.
Grandma Fina and Her Wonderful Umbrellas. Illustrator Geronimo Garcia. Cinco Puntos Press. 2001.
A Perfect Season for Dreaming, Cinco Puntos Press 2008.
The Dog Who Loved Tortillas, Cinco Puntos Press 2009

Read more about Sáenz on LatinaLista.com.

Pelito: The Move, La mudanza

noreply@blogger.com (Monica) — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 03:35:00 +0000

Pelito: The Move, La mudanza
by Abraham Urias

There is a new Latino author on the market. Abraham Urias has not only written a new bilingual book for children, but he also illustrated it. Pelito: The Move, La mudanza is a fun book centered around the character, Pelito, his family, and friends. In this first book, Pelito's family is moving out of their grandparents' house and into their own home. For Pelito, the move is one big adventure. He is excited and quickly makes new friends in his new neighborhood.

I love how the story line reminds me of the days when we were young, playing outside, and loving our neighbors like family. Pelito and his friends find pleasure in simple pasttimes like riding bikes, singing silly songs to each other, playing at the beach, or just enjoying backyard barbeques.

The comic-like illustrations are fun and engaging. The book comes with full text in both English and Spanish. I did catch a few English grammar errors, but they are minor and do not detract from the story line. I hope, though, that the author checks future issues a little more carefully!

However, I think this series will take off and be enjoyed by children everywhere. The illustrations are engaging and fully of joy. In fact, all of the characters are smiling throughout the book. Abraham is a great storyteller and has done a good job of creating a lovable character.

To purchase your copy of Pelito, check out Amazon.com.

Constuir una carretera {GIVEAWAY}

noreply@blogger.com (Monica) — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 05:15:00 +0000

We've talked before about how there are very few bilingual and Spanish board books available to the general market. So we like to keep out eyes and ears open for new ones and when we find one, we get happy.

The latest board book from Candlewick Press is Construir una carretera, a book for little truck lovers. Originally written in English by Sally Sutton, we weren't able to find out who the translator is, but suffice it to say that this Spanish version of the book is translated very well.

This fun little board book describes the process of building a road from start to finish. The illustrations are colorful and full of action, complementing the text perfectly. Each double page focuses on a different aspect of building the road - and most of them feature big trucks and tractors, such as dump trucks and bulldozers.

The words follow the same three-line pattern, and young children will benefit from the repetition.

(Sample passage)

Cargas la terra. La tierra cargas.
Excavas, recoges, y apilas.
Dentro del camión la descargas.

¡Cataplum! ¡Plis, plas!

Volteas las piedras. Las piedras volteas.
Levantas, deslizas y lanzas.
Los cimientos de la carretera preparas.

¡Plin, plan! ¡Pim, pam!

This book is great for toddler and preschoolers who are building their vocabulary and learning pre-literacy skills. And it is sturdy enough for curious little fingers who sometimes drop things.

This title will be released this coming Tuesday, but you can pre-order it on Amazon.com.

THE GIVEAWAY

Candlewick Press has generously offered a copy of Construir una carretera for two (2) LBBC readers.

To enter, simply leave a comment below.

The deadline to enter is 11:59 EST, Thursday, February 14th. The winner will be chosen using Random.org. and contacted via email - so be sure to leave a valid email address in your comment! (If I have no way to contact you, I'll have to choose someone else!)

And to increase your chances of winning, you can:

1) Like the LBBC on Facebook.

2) Follow us on Twitter (@LatinMami) tweet the following: Enter to win a copy of Construit una carretera, new Spanish board book from LatinMami and @Candlewick #giveaway

Don't forget to let me know by posting a separate comment for each entry!

By entering this giveaway, you agree to the Official Sweepstakes Rules. No purchase required. Void where prohibited.

¡Buena suerte!

Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post, though the giveaway is offered courtesy of Candlewick Press. I did, however, receive a sample of the book for the purposes of this review.

This giveaway is now closed.

Let's Play Football/ Juguemos al Fútbol

noreply@blogger.com (Rene Colato Lainez) — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 04:58:00 +0000

Hola Blogueros, I am very happy to present my new bilingual picture book Let's Play Football/ Juguemos al Fútbol. As always, this book is also about my immigrant experience. When a group of friends invited me to play "futbol", I said "Okay, I can play." But when I saw the oval ball flying above my head, I realized that they were not playing my fútbol. They were playing football instead. The book will be available this March and there will be a Bilingual Edition and a Spanish Edition.

I will be signing the first copies at CABE (California Association for Bilingual Education) at Long Beach, CA on February 15th from 2:00-3:00 pm. Look for me at the Santillana U.S.A. booth.

Carlos is not sure that football can be played with an oval-shaped ball. Chris is not sure that it can be played with a round ball.

It may not be a good idea to play with a kid who is so different... He doesn’t even know how to play this game!

Wait. It looks kind of fun... Let’s give it a try!

Enjoy and celebrate the encounter of two cultures through their favorite sports. ;-)

Carlos no cree que se pueda jugar al fútbol con una pelota ovalada. Chris no cree que se pueda jugar con una pelota redonda.

Quizás no es buena idea jugar con un niño tan diferente... ¡Ni siquiera sabe cómo se juega!

Un momento. Se ve como divertido... ¡Vamos a probar!

Disfruta y celebra el encuentro de dos culturas a través de sus deportes favoritos. ;-)

saludos,

René Colato Laínez

The 2013 Pura Belpré Award Winners

noreply@blogger.com (Monica) — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 15:29:00 +0000

Congratulations to this year's Pura Belpré Award winners and honor book. Below is a list of the winners in case you'd like to look for them in your local library or book store.

But I am very disappointed to see such a short list compared to that of years past. Is it because fewer books were submitted/nominated, or because fewer books were published in the last year?

2013 Author Award Winner

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

by Benjamin Alire Sáenz

2013 Illustrator Award Winner

Martín de Porres: The Rose in the Desert

illustrated by David Diaz

written by Gary D. Schmidt

2013 Author Honor Books

The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano

by Sonia Manzano

Tamalitos: Un poema para cocinar/A Cooking Poem

noreply@blogger.com (Rene Colato Lainez) — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 05:58:00 +0000

Written by Jorge Argueta

Illustrated by Domi

*A Junior Library Guild Selection

In his new cooking poem for young children, Jorge Argueta encourages more creativity and fun in the kitchen as he describes how to make tamalitos from corn masa and cheese, wrapped in cornhusks.

The book opens with an homage to corn — white, yellow, blue, purple, red and black — in Maya mythology the first men and women are even said to be made of corn. It has been an important food for people in Central America for centuries, and one of the most delicious things you can make using corn masa and husks are tamalitos, or little tamales.

In simple, poetic language, Argueta shows young cooks how to mix and knead the dough before dropping a spoonful into a cornhusk, wrapping it up and then steaming the little package. He once again makes cooking a full sensory experience, beating on a pot like a drum, dancing the corn dance, delighting in the smell of corn… And at the end, he suggests inviting the whole family to come and enjoy the delicious tamalitos “made of corn with love.”

Domi’s vivid paintings, featuring a sister and her little brother making tamalitos together, are a perfect accompaniment to the colorful text.

The author, Jorge Argueta, holding his Cooking Poem Series

Guacamole: Un poema para cocinar / A Cooking Poem

Guacamole originated in Mexico with the Aztecs and has long been popular in North America, especially in recent years due to the many health benefits of avocados. This version of the recipe is easy to make, calling for just avocados, limes, cilantro and salt. A little girl chef dons her apron, singing and dancing around the kitchen as she shows us what to do. Argueta’s gift in seeing beauty, magic and fun in everything around him makes this book a treasure — avocados are like green precious stones, salt falls like rain, cilantro looks like a little tree and the spoon that scoops the avocado from its skin is like an excavating tractor.

Arroz con leche/Rice Pudding: Un poema para cocinar/A Cooking Poem

Award-winning author Jorge Argueta treats young readers to a bilingual recipe/poem for the classic Latin American version of rice pudding with cinnamon. From sprinkling the rice into the pot to adding a waterfall of white milk followed by cinnamon sticks, salt stars, and sugar snow, Argueta’s recipe is both easy to follow and poetic. Lively illustrations by highly acclaimed Brazilian artist Fernando Vilela feature an enthusiastic young cook who finds no end of joy in making and then slurping up the rice pudding with his family. In Argueta’s world, cooking not only satisfies hunger with delicious food but also provides an opportunity for all the senses — and the imagination — to experience joy and fulfillment. This book is wonderful family fun for those who already love rice pudding as well as for those tasting it for the first time.

Sopa de frijoles/Bean Soup

For people who have left their homeland for a new country, comfort foods from home take on a huge emotional importance. This delightful poem teaches readers young and old how to make a heartwarming, tummy-filling black bean soup, from gathering the beans, onions, and garlic to taking little pebbles out of the beans to letting them simmer till the luscious smell indicates it’s time for supper. Jorge Argueta’s vivid poetic voice and Rafael Yockteng’s vibrant illustrations make preparing this healthy and delicious Latino favorite an exciting, almost magical experience.

January's Book of the Month: Jungle Tales

noreply@blogger.com (Monica) — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 02:03:00 +0000

Jungle Tales

by Horacio Quiroga

Translated by Jeff Zorrilla

Illustrations by Bert van Wilk

Cuentos de la selva was originally written by Horacio Quiroga, one of Latin America's most fascinating historical figures. The young adventurer wrote this selection of eight short stories after he fell in love with the wild Misiones region in northeastern Argentina when he was hired to be the official photographer for an expedition led by the famous poet, Leopoldo Lugones.

An instant success, Cuentos de la selva has inspired artists for almost a hundered years, and to this day this book is required reading for most elementary-aged children in Latin America.

Filmmaker and teacher, Jeff Zorrilla, became enthralled with Cuentos de la selva and was surprised to discover that there was no English version even though the work had been translated into over 10 different languages.

So Jeff worked together with Natalia Cortesi, a native Argentinian, to create a beautiful translation that best captures the spirit of Quiroga's original work.

The titles of the eight short stories are:

The Giant Tortoise
The Flamingos' Stockings
The Bald Parrot
The Alligator War
The Blind Doe
The Story of Two Coati Cubs and Two Man Cubs
The Yabebiri Ford
The Lazy Bee

My family loved reading these stories. My 8 year old actually got her hands on the book before the rest of us and read the stories. But she still listened quietly when I read aloud the stories to my family during a long car trip. Inside the pages of this book a tortoise saves the life of a man despite the risk to her own, jealous flamingos envy the dancing coral snakes at a party, and a coatimundi learns the danger that comes with being tamed. Each story was captivating and left us eager for the next one. The imaginative stories teach the reader a lesson, and remind me of Aesop's fables.

But what my husband and I loved best is that it is obvious that Quiroga had an intimate knowledge of the animals that he wrote about because the details matched our own experiences of the real animals so perfectly (we are former zookeepers).

The illustrations in the book are colorful and fun, and complement the stories nicely.

The only thing I didn't like too much was the binding, which is not sturdy enough for loving, little hands and is already showing signs of wear. I'd love to see the next printing available with a hardcover.

This edition is written in English only, though there are a few Spanish names of the animals included. However, there is a short, illustrated glossary in the back giving the reader more details about the different animals in the book.

NOTE: The cultural differences are very apparent in this book as several of the male characters in this book are described as "smoking a cigar." If you are uncomfortable with this, you may want to skip it. I, however, simply treated it head on and would say things like "It's too bad he survived that only to suffer lung cancer later!" Ha! But of course, I'm sure parents have their own way of dealing with these issues.

Follow Jungle Tales on Facebook for more information. To purchase your own copy of Jungle Tales, visit one of these locations:

Online:
www.etsy.com/shop/JungleTales

In New York:

La Casa Azul Bookstore
143 E. 103rd Street, East Harlem
www.lacasaazulbookstore.com
www.facebook.com/LaCasaAzulBookstore

Housing Works Bookstore Café
126 Crosby Street, SoHo
www.shophousingworks.com
www.facebook.com/HousingWorksBookstore

Mercer Street Books and Records
206 Mercer Street, Greenwich Village
http://mercerstreetbooks.com
www.facebook.com/pages/Mercer-Street-Books

St. Mark's Bookshop
31 Third Avenue, West Village
www.stmarksbookshop.com
www.facebook.com/pages/St-Marks-Bookshop

Bluestockings
172 Allen Street, Lower East Side
http://bluestockings.com
www.facebook.com/bluestockingsnyc

Desert Island
540 Metropolitan Ave., Williamsburg
www.desertislandbrooklyn.com
www.facebook.com/pages/Desert-Island

Fuego 718
249 Grand Street, Williamsburg
http://fuego718.com
www.facebook.com/pages/Fuego-718

Disclaimer: I pre-ordered this copy with a donation to their Kickstarter page. All opinions above are strictly my own.

Escucha Means Listen

noreply@blogger.com (Monica) — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 13:30:00 +0000

In keeping with our resolve to branch out and embrace the technology that is enveloping our world, today's review ventures into the realm of eBooks.

Escucha Means Listen is an eBook written by Talia Aikens-Nuñez and illustrated by Dina Ashraf Helmi.

This sweet, bilingual picture book introduces children to Spanish words through a lovely story about a young girl who goes outside to experience her world through sound. The poetic and repetitive style is easy for little ears to follow and makes the story that much more memorable.

I absolutely love how this book teaches children to listen...to los perros barking at the cat, and el trueno rumbling in the distance to los niños jumping in the puddles. It is a delightful journey into one of our senses that we often take for granted and forget to appreciate.

My own children are nature lovers, so this book really inspires them to slow down, be quiet, and listen to the beauty of the natural world outside our door.

This is Aikens-Nuñez's first book. I enjoyed the embedded Spanish text, but found the English words in parentheses a little distracting and unnecessary as the meaning is easily discerned from the context. I'd like to see a glossary in the back next time.

The illustrations are beautiful, colorful, and joyful. They complement the story well, and add richness. We couldn't help but smile as we read the book, and maybe your child will, too.

Best suited for for preschoolers and kindergartners, parents and teachers will find this the perfect book to accompany the study of the senses, nature, weather, and more.

This eBook is available in the following formats: PDF, ePub (Nook, iPad, Android), PRC (Kindle), and Mobi. You can purchase and download your copy from Musa Publishing and Amazon.

A New Year Begins for the Latin Baby Book Club

noreply@blogger.com (Monica) — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 05:12:00 +0000

Dear Readers,

Last year was a rough one for the LBBC as I tried to juggle both this site and our sister site, MommyMaestra, as well as several freelance jobs. All while homeschooling two children. I certainly owe René Colato Laínez a huge debt for his continued commitment to the site and regular postings.

To be quite honest, I was also a bit disappointed in how the number of Latino children's literature had dwindled. There are still several small, independent publishers who continue to do great work, supporting and publishing stories by Latino authors for Latino children. But the building momentum that we experienced a few years ago when I first started the LBBC has definitely lost its steam.

Last month, though, something happened that started a movement among Latina bloggers to do something about the lack of Latino kids' lit available to our children. The New York Times published this article about how young Latino students don't see themselves in books. And they're right.

Latino children's lit only accounts for 3% of the children's books published in this country. That tiny number is up from 1% when I first started this blog. You can read more about what my experience has been over the last several years with regards to this industry in my article on NBC Latino.

So as I said, the result has been a the start of a small movement by Latina bloggers to put pressure on publishers to invest in a variety of Hispanic authors to reflect the diversityof our cultures so that all our children can relate to the characters they see in books. Not all of our kids are Mexican, or Cuban, or Puerto Rican. But they ALL deserve the right to see their own experiences, their own faces, staring back at them from the pages of a book.

So Latinas for Latino (Children's) Literature has been born. You may have joined us for our first (and very successful!) Twitter party on December 18th where we were pleased to have Arte Público, author Gwendolyn Zepeda, and illustrator Christina Rodriguez join us as our special guests.

We have many more events and special projects in the works and would love for you to join us for each and every one.

But to begin, take a look at this article about why it's important for our kids to have access to these books. It's about more than just learning to read. And read the comments that other Latina moms have left regarding how easy it is for them to find these books.

Then take a look at our blog carnival where each of us wrote a response to the NY Times article. My response includes three things YOU can do to make a difference. At the bottom of the article are links to all the other Latina bloggers who responded with beautiful, thoughtful words.

So what does this mean for the LBBC?

Well, it means I'll be trying to refocus my energy here and share more books - both new and old - with you. I'll also be changing with the times and expanding my reviews to include eBooks. But I can't do it alone. I need help with book reviews and hope that if you have a book that you and/or your children just love, you'll consider writing up a short review and sharing it here with us.

There is still a possibility that the LBBC will be merged with our sister site, MommyMaestra.com. It would make the most sense, but I'm still struggling with that as I have a soft place in my heart for this little blog that has shared so many wonderful stories and has a life of its own. In the mean time, this site will be having some major housekeeping done. Lots of updates and remodeling. A new life for a new year, no?

You don't have to be a Latina mom to get involved. We welcome everyone - men, women, Latinos, and non-Latinos - to join us in our mission to get more Latino children's literature into the hands of our children.

Con mucho cariño,

~Monica

Bilingual Storytelling with René Colato Laínez

noreply@blogger.com (Rene Colato Lainez) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 06:49:00 +0000

Bilingual author René Colato Laínez arrived in the U.S. from El Salvador with few possessions, but many dreams for his future. During this program he will talk about his successful journey from his childhood as an immigrant lost in a strange new world, to his life as a teacher and a published author. His presentation is full of music, dreams, and roots, in English and Spanish—and is of course full of stories. Learn his three rules to success: never give up, study hard, and believe in yourself.

Colato Laínez is the Salvadoran award-winning author of I Am René, the Boy; Waiting for Papá; and many other books that feature Latin American children learning about cultural identity. His picture books have been finalists for the Tejas Star Book Award, given special recognition by the Paterson Prize, and earned the International Latino Book Award. He was named as one of the “Top Ten New Latino Authors to Watch (and Read)” by latinostories.com.

When: Friday, December 21, 2012, 11 AM

Time Detail: 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. Dec. 21 - 23

Categories: Gallery Talks &Tours, Kids & Families, Webcasts & Webinars

Venue: Washington DC: American Indian Museum

Event Location: ImagiNATIONS Activity Center, 3rd Level

Webcast: nmai.si.edu…

Cost: Free

I Know the River Loves Me/ Yo sé que el río me ama

noreply@blogger.com (Monica) — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 04:47:00 +0000

The following excerpt is from our sister site, MommyMaestra.com.

I Know the River Loves Me/ Yo sé que el río me ama

by Maya Christina Gonzalez

Written and illustrated by award-winning artist, Maya Christina Gonzalez, I Know the River Loves Me/Yo sé que el río me ama embodies the need that children everywhere have to see their own faces reflected in the world around them.

I had the pleasure of hearing Ms. Gonzalez talk at a conference several years ago, where she shared bits of her childhood and discussed how she never saw her own face in literature or Disney movies. Now as an adult, she has dedicated her time to creating pieces that show the beauty in diversity, and that reflect the faces of the audience for which they are written and illustrated.

Read more...

A Night Time Story/Cuento de noche

noreply@blogger.com (Monica) — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 04:42:00 +0000

The following excerpt is from our sister site, MommyMaestra.com.

A Night Time Story/Cuento de noche

by Roberto Aliaga

illustrated by Sonja Wimmer

The perfect bedtime tale, A Night Time Story is a beautifully illustrated work about how every evening, the Night comes to tuck a little child in before bed. In her hands, she carries dozens of stories and picks new and exciting ones to tell each time, allowing the child to drift off to sleep and dream. From sweet stories at the fairground to mysterious stories in the desert, this little child can enjoy an endless number of dreams and make them his or her own. Sonja Wimmer's illustrations are soft and whimsical, great for inspiring dreams in your own children. I love that the main character is drawn in such a way that it could be either a boy or a girl depending on who is reading the story.

Read more...

The Pumpkin Moon Empanadas

noreply@blogger.com (Monica) — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 04:36:00 +0000

The following excerpt is from our sister site, MommyMaestra.com.

The Pumpkin Moon Empanadas

written by Clementina Llanes
illustrated by Sarah D. Thomas

I was pleasantly surprised and thrilled when my friend, Clementina, who has the most delicious and amusing blog, told me that she has published her first children's book. Of course, I (politely) demanded a copy, eager to see Clementina's wonderful gift for storytelling channelled into a format specifically for children.

And I was not disappointed. The Pumpkin Moon Empanadas is a lovely tale about young Paloma, whose hard-working Papi loves her so much that he promises to bring her the moon. And then one day, he does! So Paloma and her Mamá get to work making the most delicious empanadas out of it that anyone has ever tasted...

Read more...

Adelita: A Mexican Cinderella Story

noreply@blogger.com (Monica) — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 04:28:00 +0000

The following excerpt is from our sister site, MommyMaestra.com.

Adelita

by Tomie dePaola

Adelita is not an especially old tale. One of my favorite children's book authors/illustrators, Tomie dePaola, wrote it in back in 2004. But I absolutely love the cultural spin on the traditional tale. Adelita, as I'm sure you can guess, is our Latina Cinderella and the heroine of our book. The story begins with the (short-lived!) love story of Adelita's parents, Adela y Francisco. But her mother dies shortly after she is born and Adelita is raised by her beloved papá and his trusted family maid, Experanza. Adelita, of course, grows up to be a beautiful young woman. But her happy childhood takes a turn for the worst when her father marries the selfish Señora Micaela de la Fortuna (who happens to have two ugly, vain daughters of her own).

Read more...