May 4th | Week in Review

¡Hola a todos! I want to thank you all for sharing this wonderful space with me. Unfortunately, although also fortunately, this is my last post, as I will be graduating over the summer. I am grateful to have been able to share all of the resources with you, and hope that you enjoy these last ones! J

–  Check out this book review of Diary of a Reluctant Dreamer: Undocumented Vignettes from a Pre-American Life by Alberto Ledesma as reviewed by Latinxs in Kid Lit. According to the review, the vignettes “brings penetrating light into the liminal spaces occupied not only by Dreamers, but all undocumented immigrants, and makes a convincing case that their stories deserve a chapter in our national narrative.” After you read the review, you might also want to learn more about how Alberto Ledesma produced the Diary, and if you’re not sure about the book yet, check out De Colores’ review, too.

— Here is New Mexico Artist Agnes Chavez on the importance of art and science education. “Creativity and innovation are core skills that youth need to be ready to thrive in the 21st century,” and according to Chavez they can be attained through both science and art.

 – Feliz belated Día de los niños (April 30th)! If you’re not familiar with the day, learn more from acclaimed author Pat Mora, who has been a champion of the event for many years: the History of Día de los niños/Día del libro

— You can view the book review of nipêhon/Wait, by Caitlin Dale Nicholson and Leona Morin-Neilson, shared by American Indians in Children’s Literature. The reviewer expressed that the “inclusion of syllabics in this book is wonderful; it’s great for Native and non-Native kids to see. It’s also an important addition for young (and old!) Cree language learners.”

— In terms of incorporating music into teaching, check out these 10 Jazz Books to connect kids to music by our beloved friend PragmaticMom. I have personally read My name is Celia/ Me llamo Celia by Monica Brown and I loved the book. I hope you do, too!

–  Get to know America Reads Spanish Week’s List latest edition (covering April 29th, 2018). The list includes la vida de Selena, a Hispanic music icon, among others.

–For those interested in transnational Latinx social justice, you might want to view how the biggest general strike in American history revived the US working class on May Day.

–Lastly, with Cinco de Mayo happening this weekend, we recommend you read Rethinking School’s informative piece on Rethinking Cinco de Mayo.

Abrazos,
Alin Badillo

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Image: Hand. Reprinted from Flickr user Mattias under CC©.

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10 Children’s and YA Books about Sung & Unsung Latin@ Heroes

Hello all!

In case you missed Keira’s Sobre Enero post, this month’s theme honors the many individuals, real or imagined, who populate the rich landscape of Latin@ literature for children and young adults.  This month’s Reading Roundup brings together a few of these heroes, both sung and unsung, whose actions inspired positive change.  While it is a monumental task to choose just a few of the many wonderful books that are out there, I’ve narrowed down the list to books that will encourage our students and children to honor their own truths. I also hope that these books will help expand the literary canon beyond those heroes whose stories are taught repeatedly. The books below encompass a diverse panorama of experiences, accomplishments, and outcomes.  To name a few, these remarkable figures displayed their passion through art, literature, activism, and even by simply passing on their knowledge to new generations.   May you enjoy these works as much as I enjoyed finding them!

Happy New Year!

Abrazos,
Colleen

WWW: De Colores – The Raza Experience

Logo from the De Colores blog can be found at: http://decoloresreviews.blogspot.com

The libraries are loaded with children’s books that address Latino culture. Some of these books provide multifaceted, culturally honest insight into the histories and experiences of Latino people. Many do not. It’s fair to say that we can easily fill a room with “multicultural” books that are superficial or even plainly dishonest.

Luckily, De Colores: “The Raza Experience in Books for Children” has recently hit the blogosphere, reviewing and critiquing “children’s and young adult books about Raza peoples throughout the Diaspora.” The blog’s contributors–a dream team of award-winning authors, educators, community activists, and artists–have already reviewed dozens of books, creating an essential resource for parents, teachers, and librarians who are interested in moving beyond token treatment of heroes and holidays.