By #Ownvoices Rabiah york Lumbard and Laura k. Horton
Sophia wants to participate in Ramadan by fasting. But learns that it is harder than she expects. She is very upset with herself when she breaks down and eats even though her family explains to her that at her age it’s not expected to fast all day. She learns over the course of Ramadan that there are other ways to celebrate in addition to fasting.
#Own Voices Joanna Ho tells the story of a young Asian girl who notices that her eyes are different than the other kids around her. She celebrates her differences noticing that she is like her sister, her mother, and her grandmother–they have “eyes that kiss the corners and glow like warm tea.”
This third book in a series by Connie Schofield-Morrison and Frank Morrison has just as much energy and rhythm as the first two. I love all the onomatopoeia. Perfect for a story time about school.
“Following the success of their much beloved picture books, Please, Baby, Please and Please, Puppy, Please; Academy Award nominated director Spike Lee, and his talented wife Tonya Lewis Lee offer up an inspirational picture book about activism and taking the big steps to set things right set to beautiful illustrations by the award-winning Sean Qualls. Using examples of people throughout history who have taken “giant steps”, this book urges kids to follow in their footsteps and not be hindered by fear or a sense that you are not good enough. Despite the challenges, even the smallest step can change the world. So, what’s your next step going to be?” —Amazon.com
Books:
P is for Pinata: a Mexican Alphabet by Tony Johnston and #OwnVoices John Parra
What Can you Do with a Rebozo by #OwnVoices Carmen Tafolla and #OwnVoices Amy Cordova
When Sra. Carolina and I do story time together, I read one page of a book in English and then she reads the same page in Spanish. That way neither group of children is waiting too long to hear the part they can understand.
Greeting Song:
Buenos días, buenos días.
¿Cómo estás? ¿Cómo estás?
Muy bien, gracias, muy bien, gracias.
¿Y tú, cómo estás? ¿Y tú, cómo estás?
We talk about the meaning of the words for our English speakers and then sing the song twice and ask them to sing along at home.
Song to Introduce the first book:
I have a story, what can it be?
I have a story listen and see.
I have a story, what can it be?
Gather around and read with me!
Tengo una historia ¿que puede ser?
Tengo una historia, escucha y ven
Tengo una historia ¿que puede ser?
¡Ven a leer conmigo!
I sing in English and then Carolina sings in Spanish. We sing it twice.
Simon Says:
This is my friend Simon and his favorite game is Simon Says. When we play this in bilingual story time Sra. Carolina translates what I say into Spanish.
Flannel Board:
Cinco Dulces Fell From a Pinata:
Cinco little dulces,
with sugar galore,
One was Eaten and then there were four!
Cuatro little dulces!
Dos and dos you see,
One was eaten and then there were three!
Tres little dulces,
but before I knew it,
One was eaten and then there were dos.
Dos little dulces,
Oh what fun!
Un was eaten and then there was uno.
Un little dulce
Watch me run!
I ate the last one
and now there are none!
Craft Kit:
Since we can’t do in house program during the pandemic we are planning craft kits for Hispanic Heritage month that parents can pick up in the children’s department.
Sonia and her friends are planting a garden. Each of the children are different. Sonia says if you are curious about someone’s differences “Just Ask!” She has juvenile diabetes and is happy to tell you about why she has to use a needle off and on throughout the day. Her friend Rafael has asthma, Anthony uses a wheelchair, Madison is blind, and so on. No only are the children different in their abilities but the book is filled with children of all ethnicities.
This is loosely based on Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s own juvenile diabetes.
An upbeat, empowering, picture book celebrating black boys from the team that created the award-winning Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut.
In this wordless book a cat that looks just like the little girls cat comes into her room though, I don’t know? A wormhole? It takes the other cat’s toy and the cat follows it through the hole followed by the girl. They go on a wonderful adventure and in the end the girl sees herself and the cat and they get the toy back. I love the concept, and I LOVE Christian Robinson’s illustrations.
An empowering book for toddlers of color. It is inspiring and full of hope for the future.
“At the mountain’s base sits a cabin under an old hickory tree. And in that cabin lives a family — loving, weaving, cooking, and singing. The strength in their song sustains them through trials on the ground and in the sky, as they wait for their loved one, a pilot, to return from war.”
Perfect for a story time during Native American Heritage Month