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Say
Hola to Spanish
Written by Susan Middleton Elya Illustrated by Loretta Lopez Published by Lee & Low Books, Inc. 1996 “Spanish is fun, so give it a try. Hola is hello, adiós is good-bye.” This fun and educational children’s book Uses both English and Spanish throughout. They use rhyming words such as gato (cat) And vaso (glass). It goes through different animals, activities, foods, and much more! Parents: This is a wonderful book for any child learning wanting to learn Spanish. It’s a fun book that makes learning a new language fun and enjoyable. This book will definitely catch your child’s attention in wanting to learn a new language! Teachers: Great book to read for enriching the notion of community in the classroom. It will be fun for those who don’t speak Spanish, to learn new words. Those who do speak Spanish will be able to help the rest of the class out. The rhyming makes it easier for the children to guess the Spanish words. Spanish-speaking English Learners will feel confident with this book Personal Note: I first heard this book in one of my UC Davis classes (Language Development in the Chicano Child) and loved it! It’s cute and
allows for an easy understanding of
Spanish and English word comparison. There are a lot of pictures that illustrate the words as well. |
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A Sweet Smell of Roses (Ages
5-8)
Written by Angela Johnson Illustrated by Eric Velasquez Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Children, 2005 “…we listen to Dr. King on the microphone say, “We are right. We march for equality and freedom.”" This book is dedicated to the children who marched during the Civil Rights movement. This touching story is about two young girls who sneak out of the house to march for freedom, with the smell of roses always lingering nearby. Parents: This book is a great discussion starter of our history and how not everybody is the same. It’s important to teach children about respect toward everyone, no matter what their skin color is. Although a child can read this book, it’s important to discuss the meaning behind it. Teachers: Another great book to discuss community; feeling safe in your learning environment, speaking out for what you believe in, and respecting others. You can have students write what they’re passionate about or students can take turns role playing the various characters in the story. English learners can talk about where they are from and how it’s different from here. Personal Note: I have always been interested in the Civil Rights Movement. This book especially caught my heart because it's about the children's role in the movement. Their struggle, optimism, and bravery are a huge inspiration to me. |