Friends, I'm excited about today's giveaway! (I know, I'm excited about ALL of them!) But this one is special to me because this series of books is loved by my 3yo.
Last year, I shared these books with you in a sponsored post. Not only did I fall in love with the simple storylines and the beautiful illustrations, but so did my youngest.
THEN, when I was hosting the Migrant Children's Book Drive last year, Dana Ryan - the author of this series - reached out to me and donated 40 copies (10 of each book). Y'all, I just really love this series and both the author and the illustrator.
Rosa C. Lopez is the artist. She's brilliant. I actually had her create some art for me for a current project I'm working on and it was remarkable the choices she gave me. I had such a hard time narrowing it down and had to ask my own children to help me choose. And they had a hard time, too. Rosa is THAT good.
Here's a time-lapse video of her working on the most recent book released in this series. Watch her brilliance in action...
The Giveaway
Dana has SO kindly offered to give away one complete set of these beginning readers to one MommyMaestra reader!
Ooo! Today, I have a wonderful treat for those of you who are seeking beginning readers in Spanish for your children. A few weeks ago, an author reached out to me asking me to take a look at her new series in Spanish for children. I agreed and received the most adorable books!
I'm ALWAYS being asked about early readers in Spanish and where can people find them. So this series is especially helpful. The Martín y Pepe series was created specifically for children learning to read in Spanish. These primeros lectores all center around the relationship and experiences of two characters. Martín is a sweet little duck who has just met Pepe, a caring, loveable bear.
Dana, the author, worked closely with her child's school as she created this series (two of her kids attend a Spanish immersion school). And her work reflects her careful attention to detail. The books themselves contain simple vocabulary and include high-frequency words (palabras de uso frecuente) needed for comprehension and fluency. She says she decided to write these stories after her children stopped wanting to read in Spanish after having achieved a certain level of literacy. She said that many of the early readers she was finding felt didactic and did not tell a story. So she tried to create what she and her children wanted.
The first book, Martín y Pepe (aff link), covers all vowel sounds and includes the following high-frequency words: yo, soy, un, y, este. In this storyline, the two characters meet each other for the first time and become friends.
The second book, ¡A Mí Me Gustan Los Tacos!, focuses on the “m” sound, repeats the phrase “a mí me gusta,” and includes the high-frequency words: yo, un, y, que, gusta. This might be my favorite of the three simply because Pepe is telling Martín about all the foods he loves to eat and ends with his favorite: TACOS (which may or may not also happen to be my favorite)! I think children will love this book, too, and you can use it as an introduction to getting your kids to talk (in Spanish) about all the foods they love, too.
The third book, ¡Felíz Cumpleaños Martín!, focuses on the “g” sound, repeats the phrase “yo tengo” and includes the high frequency words (palabras de uso frecuente): yo, la, una, es, y, que, por, gusta, para, tengo, también, nuevo, pero. In this sweet story, Pepe is celebrating Martín's birthday.
And the illustrations. Oh, the illustrations! They are so adorable. Rosa C. Lopez, the illustrator, put together a time-lapse video of how she created one of the illustrations in the book. It's really pretty fascinating. I'm impressed by such talent and how technology allows artists to make their work look exactly the way they want it to look. Watch the video below...
I love Martín's sweet little face and Pepe's happy smile! I just think your little ones will, too. I cannot wait for my youngest child to be old enough to use these books! And if they sound like a good fit for your little ones, you can find them below on Amazon...
Today, I'm delighted to share with you a new book written by my friend, Carolina DuFault. If you don't follow her blog, La Clase de Sra. DuFault, you should stop by and check it out. On it, she shares tips and information for the Spanish classroom.
Carolina also spends a lot of her time creating printables and eBooks, such as this one.
Coco y Coca tienen miedo is an interactive book that engages your child. Every page invites the reader to use his imagination to draw the characters or setting. The books is carefully designed to develop a child's reading comprehension and creativity. I love that children can read the passage at the bottom of the page, and then fill in the blank spaces on the pages to complete the picture.
I especially love that this activity allows children to see their own ideas and drawings become part of a book. What a great way to nurture a future author or illustrator!
The story itself is simple: Coco and Coca are two Doberman Pinschers who are very friendly and smart. But sometimes they are misunderstood. This book talks about prejudice and gossip, which we often give more attention to than what we should. Young readers will go on Coco and Coca's adventures and learn that there is more to a story than what you might think!
You can find Coco y Coca tienen miedo(afflink) on Amazon. And to check out more of her wonderful printables, visit Carolina's TpT store.
The shelves next to my desk are loaded with new books awaiting review on MommyMaestra. Every time I think I'm finally shrinking the pile, new books show up in my mailbox. I could probably just post about them every single day of the year and never run out. It thrills me to see so many bilingual and bicultural books that reflect the Latino experience being published!
I want to start off this week with a series from the amazing author and illustrator, Lulu Delacre. Rafi and Rosi is a new reprint of her series for intermediate readers that features the adventures of a brother and sister. The cutest thing about it is that Rafi and Rosi are coquíes! Do you know about the coquí? It is a tiny frog from Puerto Rico known for its nighttime singing. Everyone in Puerto Rico knows about el coquí.
So that's why this series is so fascinating. Because until now, there haven't been any leveled readers created for bilingual speakers here in the States (if I'm mistaken, please let me know!). And the fact that this series focuses on cultural traditions, reflecting the experience and traditions of Puerto Ricans makes it unique.
Both books contain three stories. The first book, Rafiand Rosi, introduces you to the brother and sister on their island home. Rafi is the older brother and frequently plays tricks on Rosi, who believes every word her big brother says. In the second book, Rafi and Rosi Carnival!, the two coquíes celebrate Carnival in Puerto Rico.
I love that in this first book, your child isn't just reading stories, but also learning valuable lessons in science and world cultures. For example, in the first book, your child will learn about sand, iron, and magnets. She'll also learn about bioluminescence in the Parguera Bay in Puerto Rico, mangroves, and hermit crabs. In the second book, your child learns about Carnaval, vejigantes, periscopes, floats, and more. Delacre has even included instructions in the back of the book for making a wagon float, a periscope, and a vejigante mask!
Of course, you'll be delighted to learn that the books are available in English or Spanish, so you can choose the one that best suits your child's needs.
These books are a must-have for bilingual homeschoolers, dual language classrooms, and school libraries.
And to extend the learning, I've created a free download with some easy comprehension questions for you to ask your child/student after they have finished reading each story. Yes, they are in English and Spanish so you can choose which one best suits your needs.
This month's free download from our sponsor Lectura para niños is a wonderfully engaging little book to accompany McGraw-Hill's Lectura Maravillas reading program that Leah uses with her students. Here's what she has to say about it...
"This is a little book that I printed back to back and bound on the side. I have created two at this time, but hopefully by the time your readers download this there will be others that will continue to assist beginning Spanish readers. These little books are sequential and correlate with the Maravillas reading series. Eventually I will backtrack and start from the very beginning of this reading series to have a complete set of readers for my students. Since I have started using these with my students, the kids have really picked up on reading their letter names, sounds, and sight words.
How do I use this book? I use the approach of “I do, we do, you do approach.” 1) First I read a line for the students, modeling what the expectation is. 2) Next, we read the line together making sure students are correctly tracking the letters/words 3) Last, I allow the students to read the lines on their own.
At the beginning/middle of the week we do mostly I do, we do. Towards the end of the week I do mostly we do, you do.
I cannot tell you how much this direct instruction reader has helped my students with the concepts they need to know!
I hope your readers enjoy!
Here is the TPT link of where you can find more readers like this one for future reference. There will be books added weekly with more sight words added. I will post all books at 50% OFF for the first week added.
Here is my FB page where I will announce the new book that is out!"
A few days ago, I found it odd that by 7am my two year old had not called out for me. I peeked into his room and found him "reading" in his crib. He was flipping pages and pointing at the pictures just like I do when I read to him and his brothers. I remember relaxing and thinking, "Perfect! That makes 3 life-long readers."
How early can parents help turn children into strong readers? I started my three boys at birth and already know that at age 7, 3 1/2, and 2, they will enjoy reading their whole lives! Not only will they read for pleasure but it will help them immensely with other subjects throughout their academic years.
Reading to babies is super important, as well as having babies handle, play, and chew on books (board books are the best!).
Here are 5 reasons why you should start reading to your baby now:
1) Listening skills are developed early. Babies love the sound of mami or daddy's voice, especially when it changes from high pitched to low. My boys love my barking voice when reading about dogs! They enjoy the pattern and rhythm of a story and the sounds every single thing seems to have.
2) Language skills are developed early. The more we read and talk to babies, the faster they will start to express themselves verbally. Books also help us start different conversations and themes that normally wouldn't come up in a regular day. Keep in mind that sounds that build vocabulary are learned in the first year!
3) Reading is great for baby's memory. My two year old can already finish a few sentences from "Chicka, Chicka, Boom, Boom." When I read, "Will there be enough room?" Jordi answers, "NO!" He's right! Two-year-old children will memorize quickly and that means they are strengthening their little brain muscles. If baby wants you to read the same book over and over again, please do! Repetition is brilliant!
4) They learn about the world around them. Where did the car go? What color is the sky? Who is this fish? Let's count in Spanish... Babies start to understand that books speak the truth. They understand that there is something happening in books just like in our real lives. Jordi points at a sad face in his book and knows that the character is feeling something. There is more to numbers, letters, shapes, and animals in board books. We can teach babies about feelings, places, and experiences!
5) Reading becomes the norm. Read to your baby now and see that as they get older (and see you do it too!) that they will always turn to books for enjoyment. It's never too late to start making it a daily routine. The best part of reading together every single day? Snuggles and love!
Betty Galvan, is writing "for smart and stylish moms" over
Today's Back-to-School Fiesta! resource is for EVERYBODY, and it is from our newest sponsor. Lectura para niños is a Spanish reading program complete with phonics centers and workbooks for children in preschool through 2nd grade who are learning to read in Spanish. You can read more about them in this interview and watch a video that I shared 2 years ago here.
This is their first Letter of the Week Counting Book for students to learn picture vocabulary. There are many other counting books that teachers and parents can purchase for just $1.00 each on their TPT store. These are new and have just recently been added to the site.
I love that the counting book is so interactive. Not only does your child learn numbers, but there is also a space at the bottom of each page where your child can practive their writing skills. And of course, each page comes with fun illustrations for your child to color. Math and reading and writing all in one librito!
They just launched their Facebook page last week, so let's show them some love! You can learn more about some of the amazing materials they offer.
I'm especially happy that today's resource isn't a giveaway and can be downloaded by anyone and everyone!
The following is a product review by homeschooling mami, Carla Molina, for our "In Your Words" Literacy Series as we celebrate Día de los Niños, Día de los Libros this month on MommyMaestra.
The only fear I have about homeschooling my daughters is that I won't be able to teach them to read in Spanish. I was never taught to read in Spanish. Actually, I wasn't taught any school subjects in Spanish, but the concepts of math and geography and science and all the other subjects translate easily when you're doing hands-on learning. Reading, however, leaves me completely dumbfounded. I searched far and wide for a curriculum to get my girls (and me) off on the right foot. It was a relief to discover Alma Flor Ada's Hagamos Caminos, a creative reading literacy program.
When it comes to reading, I want my daughter to learn to read independently but also, if not more importantly, love to read. Hagamos Caminos is a literature based program which focuses on nurturing a true affection for reading. The books contain a variety of genres including legends, oral folklore, poetry, riddles and rhymes, even plays from all over the Hispanic world. There are stories based on reality, which my daughter easily identifies with, and tales based on fantasy which engage her imagination. Everyone in our house has fallen in love with the literature in this series. We not only work on the educational exercises, but you'll often find one of the books next to our bed for a quick story before getting tucked in for the night.
I adore the illustrations. They are fun and whimsical and really make the content pop. When we go through the texts just looking at the pictures, deducing what we think is taking place, I appreciate how someone thought to make it beautiful. The same way I love to hold a gorgeous book in my hands, so do my daughters. If my daughter doesn't like the artwork, then a book has a slim chance of making it past page one. So, five points on a five-point scale for visual appeal!
The program comes with eight books, four of which are reading texts and four accompanying workbooks. There are 4 stages to the series: Partimos (pre-K - 1st), Andamos (K - 2nd), Corremos (1st - 3rd) and Volamos (2nd - 5th). Despite the wide span of grade level content, we were able to work with each of the books. We started with Partimos and I was surprised, having had zero experience with a formal reading program, how engaged and excited my daughter was. She enjoyed the variety of activities and I appreciated how much was covered. Not only did she make connections to the stories but she also got to practice math concepts, fine motor skills, pattern identification, and early writing skills.
All of the books are equally rich in educational content covering a range of skills. We're almost done with Partimos and are making our way through Andamos. With these two books, my daughter has felt easily empowered to work independently and ask for assistance when needed, which is sparingly. It was beautiful to watch her feel so proud of herself as she went through the exercises. The last two books of the series are geared towards older children (1st - 5th grade) so we work on them together. I've thought about putting these away for later but she loves them so much I can't really get them away from her. The only negative I found with the program is the included DVD. It's a bit dated and not the very best quality. You do, however, get a clear sense of Ada's passion for educating children and her enthusiasm for the program. She shares the principles behind the program which gave me a better perspective on her approach. There are also a few songs which my daughter enjoyed. The video is helpful in getting background on the program but, honestly, I would have felt fine just diving right into the materials. If you can't tell, I'm really impressed with this program. My daughter is confidently putting the pieces together to learn to read and is genuinely excited for "school" time as we've come to call it. She even applies the methodology for analyzing and thinking about a story to books we read for fun. Hagamos Caminos has made me feel confident in teaching my children to read. My family has long been a fan of Alma Flor Ada's work and this just solidifies a place in our hearts for her. She is really committed to educating children with respect and love. I highly recommend the Hagamos Caminos program. This set is available for purchase through Del Sol Books. I've already got other books from Del Sol Books, the publishers of Hagamos Caminos, on my daughter's wish list!
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CarlaMolina is a weaver of words and creative collaborator. A Jersey girl at heart with lots of love for Boston, she spends most of her time raising two bilingual little ladies and brainstorming more ways to write her heart out. She blogs about being a woman and a creative creature at All of Me Now. And plays cheerleader to the local businesses serving families in her current home state at Petit Rhody.
Okay, so this is the post where I share a bunch of miscellaneous resources related to teaching your children to read in Spanish. These are tools, websites, books, etc. that don't necessarily fit into other categories and should get placed together. I think that I will place some of the resources mentioned over the last few days here, too - but an abbreviated version - so that everything is located in one spot. And I do plan to add to this page as I discover new resources, so be sure to bookmark it if you are teaching your child to read in Spanish, or if you are planning to do so eventually.'
Previously mentioned resources will be simply listed with a link to the previous post for more description. The other fantastic tools will have a more lengthy commentary. And check back tomorrow to read how a homeschooling mami has taught her daughter to read.
This post does contain affiliate links.
Reading Programs, Curricula, & Activities
(Go here to read more information about each one.)
• Hagamos Caminos - This is MommyMaestra's #1 recommendation for a Spanish reading program. Created by acclaimed children's author, Alma Flor Ada, the program combines the benefits of both phonics and whole-language approaches. This program is a first reading, writing and printing program with workbooks. You can read our fabulous review here. • Some of the best workbooks/curricula come from Nacho Books. This series is used throughout Latin America to teach children to read. Read our reviews of some of the books available here in the U.S. Or visit the Nacho Books website.
• Educación 3.0 has this excellent article full of Spanish resources for preschool and elementary
Websites
• Cosicosas - An online poetry magazine for children. Their objectives are to inject poetry into the field of infant and juvenile literature, to create a space where writers of children's poetry can be inspired and exchange ideas, and to develop unity among Spanish-speaking countries. The site was created and is published by children's writer, Carmen Gil Martínez.
• Guía Infantil has a lot of resources, too, including a section of poetry, fables, and more.
Finding early readers in Spanish is easy. Finding good ones that are not simply translations of English versions is hard. But if you spend some time searching through Spanish literacy sites, you'll find some great Latino authors and series of early readers.
One of these is the Primeros Lectores series by Bambú. This full-colored series is published in Spain and has age-appropriate text. These are original stories by Spanish-speaking authors, not translations.
Bambú also has a series for older children called Jovenes lectores. This series has black-and-white illustrations to accompany the age-appropriate text. Can I just say that both their series look fantastic? Has anyone used these? If so, please let me know what you think!
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Sometimes you have to look for certain authors. They might be writing orignal stories like the ones mentioned above, or they might be doing REALLY good translations. Not literal ones that translate word-for-word, but rather ones that convey the meaning and feeling of the story without butchering the Spanish language. Here are a few that come highly recommended:
Yanitzia Canetti - A superb translator and author in her own right. Hers are some of the few translations of Dr. Seuss that are not simply nonsense. I have several of her original works and translations available on Amazon.
Maria Brandan Araoz - Born in Buenos Aires, Maria is a writer who has received numerous awards for her work. She specializes in infant and juvenile literature. Most of her books are published in Argentina. I have listed a few of her early readers here, but she has many more books available on Amazon.
Ana Maria Machado - Has been writing for over 40 years and has published more than 100 titles for adults and children. You can find Amanda, con cien pies anda and more here.
