¡Mira, Look!: La Llorona

Since the spooky time of year is approaching, it would only be appropriate we include a book about one of the spookiest tales of Hispanic America as well as the American southwest: la llorona, or the weeping woman. This week, we will be reviewing Joe Hayes’ La Llorona/ The Weeping Woman. This book, which is best suited for kids in grades four to eight, is bilingual and can be used for non-native Spanish speakers who are starting out.

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¡Mira, Look!: The Wild Book

Many children are faced with adversity during the various stages of their studies and growth. In Margarita Engle’s The Wild Book, the main character, Fefa, demonstrates not only how internal and external forces cause children to struggle in their development, but how creativity and imagination can help overcome adversity.

First off, the style of this book sets it apart for students. It is written as prose. It is a quick, easy read for students grades 4-8 as Engle utilizes language that is not only imaginative but engaging. Another thing to be said about the language in this text is that it captures every day emotions children and teens feel as they face hardships. In Fefa’s case, she has “word sickness,” or dyslexia. Her doctor believes that she will never be able to read or write; however, her mother firmly dismisses this prognosis, but argues her words must flow differently and freely. Thus, she gives Fefa a blank book that comes to be known as Fefa’s garden, or her wild book. This is a place where she can cultivate her words and ideas when she is ready.