Primary (ages 6-9)

Material appropriate for primary age groups

Under The Lemon Moon

The theft of all the lemons from her lemon tree leads Rosalinda to an encounter with la Anciana, the Old One, who walks the Mexican countryside helping things grow, and to an understanding of generosity and forgiveness.

Armando and the Blue Tarp School

Armando and his father are trash-pickers in Tijuana, Mexico, but when Senor David brings his “school”–a blue tarp set down near the garbage dump–to their neighborhood, Armando’s father decides that he must attend classes and learn. Based on a true story.

Desert Trek: An Eye-Opening Journey Through The World’s Driest Places

Take an exotic journey from the American Mojave to the vast Sahara to the high-mountain Gobi and experience the hidden treasures that deserts hold. The people that live there, the plants and animals that thrive, and the riches that lie beneath the ground all contribute to the unique ecosystem that set deserts apart from the rest of the world-seemingly mysterious environments that play a role in the life-cycle of every continent.

Pink Fire Trucks / Los camiones de bomberos de color rosado

Spirited Gladys Elizabeth is at it again! It is career day at school and Gladys Elizabeth boldly announces that she is going to be a firegirl. After a classmate tells her that girls cannot fight fires.

Poems to Dream Together / Poemas Para Sonar Juntos

A collection of poems in English and Spanish discusses imagination, dreams, family, and growing up in California and in Mexico.

Let’s Salsa / Bailemos Salsa

Estella can’t help but giggle when she sees her neighbors, Dona Rosa and Dona Maria, shaking their hips while dancing and sweating at an exercise class at the community recreation center. A few days later, when her mother complains about gaining weight, Estella encourages her to join the class.

Let’s Salsa / Bailemos Salsa has been discussed in My Take/Your Take for September 2020.

Big Bushy Mustache

bushyIt’s almost Cinco de Mayo, and Ricky’s class is going to put on a play to celebrate the festive Mexican holiday. When asked to choose his costume, Ricky picks a big, bushy mustache, just like his dad’s. He’s tired of everyone telling him he looks like his mother. After all, he’s a boy–he wants to look like his Papi. Although he’s supposed to leave it in school, Ricky wears the mustache home, reveling all the way in how grown-up it makes him feel. But by the time he gets there, the mustache is gone, and Ricky dreads having to tell his teacher what happened.

My Very Own Room/Mi Propio Cuartito

With the help of her family, a resourceful Mexican-American girl with two parents, five little brothers, and visiting relatives realizes her dream of having a space of her own to read and to think. Based on the author’s own childhood.