Teachers who work with English as a Second Language learners will find ESL/ESOL/ELL/EFL reading/writing skill-building children's books, stories, activities, ideas, strategies to help PreK-3, 4-8, and 9-12 students learn to read.
Fiesta!
A list of books about celebrations chosen by respected children's literature expert, Isabel Schon.
¡Feliz cumpleaños Vivi! (Happy Birthday Vivi!)
Vivi Cochinita is a very shy pig. She is so shy that on her birthday, she doesn't dare invite anyone. But when she goes to bed that night, she dreams about all the fun others are having and wakes up to a wonderful surprise.
¡Qué sorpresa de cumpleaños! (Birthday Swap)
Lori is a Mexican-American girl who lives in a town near the border. Every summer, all the relatives from both sides of the border gather at her aunt's house in Mexico to celebrate the birthday of Lori's older sister. This time, however, Lori gets a big surprise.
¡Viva! Una piñata! (Hooray, A Piñata!)
For her upcoming birthday party, Clara chooses a colorful dog piñata. But as the party nears, she adopts the dog as her special pet. Clara's friend, Sansón, finds a way to save the dog and still break a piñata full of candy.
A Birthday Basket for Tía
Cecilia and her cat, Chica, create a special birthday present for her great-aunt's 90th birthday — a basket filled with things Cecilia and her tía have shared. This affectionate autobiographical story is illustrated with warm colors, suggestive of Mexican American traditions.
Alicia's Happy Day/ El Día Más Feliz De Alicia
Alicia's mother guides her through streets where she is greeted by neighbors, shopkeepers, street vendors, and even taxi drivers. Expanding on the fantasy quality of the day, airplanes write a salutation in the sky and pigeons bow to the birthday girl. Finally, this perfect interlude is rounded out by a huge ice-cream cone from the Icey man and a party with her loving extended family.
Amelia's Show-and-Tell Fiesta / Amelia y la fiesta de muestra y cuenta
Amelia is excited for show and tell at her new American school, and she knows just the thing to bring — her special fiesta dress! When she gets to school wearing the dress, however, she realizes that she has misunderstood the assignment. Yet just as she is about to give up on show and tell, she feels her skirts begin to sway and she remembers the joy of twirling in Cuba's tropical breezes and dancing during Carnival. This gentle story is brought to life with appealing, colorful illustrations by Mexican artist Martha Avilés.
Carnaval
Share the five days of Carnaval revelry — beginning with the lengthy preparations in Olinda, a northeastern Brazilian city. The book features stunning photographs and crisp text, handsomely formatted.
Fiesta Dress: A Quinceañera Tale
On the day of her big sister Eva's quinceañera, everyone is too busy to notice Lolo. The upbeat acrylics and liquid watercolor capture the excitement and gaiety of the family gathering and this special occasion.
Fiesta!
Join these friends as they prepare for a party and practice counting in English and Spanish.
La Boda: A Mexican Wedding Celebration
Maria looks to her grandmother to explain the rituals and traditions she observes at her first wedding. Their conversation, sprinkled with Spanish words, is carried by the evocative illustrations that depict this Zapotec Indian wedding celebration in Oaxaca, Mexico. A helpful Spanish glossary and an introduction to Zapotec culture and religion are included.
La procesión de Naty (Naty's Parade)
This book is set in Oaxaca, Mexico, during the fun and excitement of a traditional music and dance festival. The main character, Naty, joins the celebration in a giant mouse costume, but later gets separated from her father.
Mi primer libro de fiestas. (My First Party Book)
This large book has excellent color photographs and simple, easy-to-follow instructions to help you throw fun children's parties.
Rafi and Rosi: Carnival!
It's time for Carnival! Three short stories in this Easy Reader present the adventures shared by Rafi and Rosi, charming and mischievous young tree frogs who are brother and sister, and live in Puerto Rico. The stories include young Rosi dressing up in "Queen for a Day," as well as Rafi's "magical" periscope, used to watch the Carnival parade. Children and adults alike will enjoy the amusing experiences of these two siblings, as well as the cheerful and colorful illustrations. Spanish version also available.
The Party for Papa Luis/La Fiesta Para Papa Luis
Told in verse, this story shows how a family celebrates Papá Luis's very special birthday.
The Rainbow Tulip
Stella and her brothers speak Spanish at home but English at school. Being different is both scary and exciting. Stella learns this when she prepares for the school's celebration of May Day. She finds a way to honor her Mexican background by wearing a special skirt that is both alike yet different from the other girls'. Stella, like many children, can take pride in being part of two cultures. (In English sprinkled with Spanish).
Too Many Tamales
For their family's Christmas celebration, María's mother makes lots of tamales. But while María is helping out, she tries on her mother's ring and loses it in the dough. Without telling the adults, María and her young relatives try to find it — by eating all the tamales!
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