Very interesting and sad. Celeste is living in Chile with her family when the president is assassinated and a general takes over. The book covers the Very interesting and sad. Celeste is living in Chile with her family when the president is assassinated and a general takes over. The book covers the disappearances, Celeste's exile in Maine, the search for her parents and the attempt of the country to return to some sense of normalcy with the death of the general. The spanish text was well integrated into the rest of the text. The characters were all interesting and distinct although some less well developed than others. My only critique about the book was that there were about 4 places where the book could have ended naturally. ...more
At first I was perturbed b/c I felt like the little girl should be called Caperucita; but the illustrations and rhyming story converted me. I liked hoAt first I was perturbed b/c I felt like the little girl should be called Caperucita; but the illustrations and rhyming story converted me. I liked how the Spanish vocabulary was worked into the story and didn't hurt the rhyming scheme. It was a fun, modernized little red riding hood story that was thoroughly enjoyable.
This was tough to listen to. It is extremely realistic and it's tough to be aware that things like this are happening all over the country. Glad I tooThis was tough to listen to. It is extremely realistic and it's tough to be aware that things like this are happening all over the country. Glad I took the time to listen. ...more
A very pretty book that is a play on Mary had a little lamb (she's got a llama instead.) Offers the text in both english and spansih. A very pretty book that is a play on Mary had a little lamb (she's got a llama instead.) Offers the text in both english and spansih. ...more
This picture book biography of Tito Puente includes text in Spanish and English. It initially focuses on his life as a child and then goes into the maThis picture book biography of Tito Puente includes text in Spanish and English. It initially focuses on his life as a child and then goes into the major steps that lead him to his big music career. The artwork is gorgeous and has a flowiness to it that does a great job of showing movement. While this is definitely a book for older storybook participants I think the rhythmic sound affects could keep little ones entertained enough to use this for a family story time. ...more
This sort of reminded me of the green grass grows all around. Each page adds another character and how they contribute to the rice pudding. The SpanisThis sort of reminded me of the green grass grows all around. Each page adds another character and how they contribute to the rice pudding. The Spanish words are defined in the glossary in the back . There’s a long repeating section that gets crazier and crazier that I think the children would enjoy. I think you could use this with lower elementary. The illustrations are done with warm colors and are very stylized and I really enjoyed them. ...more
A little boy and his father spend the day together. They get up, make breakfast, go to the park and then take the bus home. The art style is flowy witA little boy and his father spend the day together. They get up, make breakfast, go to the park and then take the bus home. The art style is flowy with warm colors that I think adds to the warmth of the story. There are Spanish words worked into the story that the author makes sure to define within the text. This would be a great decision to a Father’s Day story time or a family story time. ...more
This book is told in letters one from each cousin told at the same time so that you can see the differences in how they live. The boys lead very diffeThis book is told in letters one from each cousin told at the same time so that you can see the differences in how they live. The boys lead very different lives and the cousin still living in Mexico intersperses Spanish words throughout his letter that are either defined in text or by having the word next to an illustration of the item. (There is also a glossary in the back). I loved seeing how different the two boys lived and I thought the illustration style was different and interesting. Definitely an enjoyable story worth using at maybe a story time about family. ...more
Evelyn's grandmother comes to visit and Evelyn gets swept up in her grandmother and mother's feud. Her grandmother was a revolutionary in Puerto Rico Evelyn's grandmother comes to visit and Evelyn gets swept up in her grandmother and mother's feud. Her grandmother was a revolutionary in Puerto Rico and her mother was frequently left behind, so there are a lot of hurt feelings. Then all three of them get swept into a demonstration by the Young Lords, a group that was trying to make things better for Puerto Rican's in the 1960s.
This book is a quick read that is packed with historical details and information. The author clearly did her research. I loved watching Evelyn and her mother grow and change into stronger people with a better sense of community and I was glad that Evelyn finally understood the truth about her abuela. Everything was shown not told. I enjoyed learning about the revolution in East Harlem and taking over the church and I loved the author's note at the end explaining what parts were true and weren't and explaining how she rearranged things for her own convenience. She also gave one of the most thorough bibliographies I've seen in a long time.
The only thing that drove me nuts was the constant translation, however I do speak spanish and feel like other nonfluent readers probably appreciate the information. ...more
I had never heard of Martin do Porres before but he has a very interesting and inspiring story. He was the son of a former slave and a spanish noble wI had never heard of Martin do Porres before but he has a very interesting and inspiring story. He was the son of a former slave and a spanish noble who started his life in poverty and ended up getting and education and eventually becoming a monk after working in the monastery cleaning for many years. He treated everyone equally and was the first black saint from the America's canonized and became the patron saint for interracial marriage among many other things.
The illustrations are very bright and colorful and have matte quality to them that somehow makes them pop more for me. I thought they were very beautiful and the amount of detail in each page is outstanding. The architecture and buildings were impressive and I also thought that the people in each drawing managed to show a lot of movement and emotion. Just gorgeous. ...more
Ari and Dante meet the summer they turn sixteen and quickly become best friends which is odd because Ari doesn't really do friends. Ari doesn't like hAri and Dante meet the summer they turn sixteen and quickly become best friends which is odd because Ari doesn't really do friends. Ari doesn't like himself and feels stifled by all the secrets that are kept in their family. Dante (and his family) are more open although Dante also keeps his own secrets.
This is probably one of the most moving coming of age novels I have read in a very long time. I think a lot of people feel the way Ari feels growing up. They don't like themselves and don't feel comfortable in their own skin or their own families. Ari was a character that I could easily see a lot of teenagers relating to. I loved both boys families and how Dante kind of made Ari's whole family open up in a way.
The story has a very timeless quality too it, unlike a lot of other books I have read that take place in the 80s. I love this and hate it at the same time. We haven't moved forward as much as I want us to as a society but I think that coming of age tales that feel timeless are important. ...more
Martina is looking for a husband and takes advice from her grandmother on how to check a man's temper out. It's an old Cuban folktale and the illustraMartina is looking for a husband and takes advice from her grandmother on how to check a man's temper out. It's an old Cuban folktale and the illustrations are nice. For some reason this story always makes me really happy....more
This beautiful picture book tells the story of how Pablo Neruda began writing and how his writing infiltrated the world. Every illustration is infusedThis beautiful picture book tells the story of how Pablo Neruda began writing and how his writing infiltrated the world. Every illustration is infused with spanish and english words and the colors match the tone of the text. There is a note at the end of the book that offers more information and lists some of his works. I do wish that at least one poem of his had been included but it's too beautiful a book not to love. There's also a lot of great stuff from when he was a little kid that I feel makes Neruda relatable....more
Fredrika Bremer was a Swedish suffragete that traveled the world writing books. She spent three months in Cuba and while she thought the country was bFredrika Bremer was a Swedish suffragete that traveled the world writing books. She spent three months in Cuba and while she thought the country was beautiful, she felt it's beauty was very marred by slavery. The story's narration alternates between Fredrika, her translator Cecelia who is a slave and Elena the daughter of the Cecelia's owner.
The story is told in free verse and is absolutely beautiful and lyrical sounding. I think that this really brings home stark contrast of a beautiful country and and a horrible practice. The introspection into each characters thoughts give you a wonderful opportunity to see how Elena and Cecelia are changed by Fredrika's presence. Elena's change is particularly drastic, however it is a change for the better. Elena's eventual longing for freedom really made me feel for her. In many ways she is more trapped than Cecelia is, even though she is a free woman.
I also really appreciated the notes that the author included. Frederika Bremer was a real person and she really did have a translator named Cecelia when she was in Cuba. Elena was made up however I could easily someone being so changed by seeing another woman live with such freedom. All of the thoughts and dreams are made up as well however they really feel like they fit and I really enjoyed the book overall....more
Loading...
