Slow Loris lives in a zoo may have a boring life during the day, but he has a secret. At night, while the rest of the zoo is sleeping, he feeds in the trees, seldom coming down at all.
Slow Loris
Primary (ages 6-9)
Material appropriate for primary age groups
A Guatemalan Family
The Mendez family are Mayan Indians who made a dangerous escape to flee the civil war in their native Guatemala.
Celebrate! In Central America
Describes the background and customs associated with some of the festivals of Central America.
Tales of the Monkey King
The first night I went to work at the shelter, the attendant said, “You know they will not rest.” I stood in the doorway of the dormitory crowded with children. In the dark, the nightmares would come, but rest would not. Empowering Mexico’s vulnerable street children is no easy task when the dangers they face are real and many. But there is incredible strength in an unfinished story, especially if that story has a small hero who can overcome great odds. Night after night, Tales of the Monkey King, begun at dark and never finished until the next day, were precisely what the children needed. The brave little monkey, who fought against unspeakable odds but was never conquered, had come from far away to become their hero. Through him, many found the strength and courage they needed to face their living nightmares and cheat the King of Death. Stunning paintings by Brian Deines underscore the message and speak to the hero in everyone.
Sambalena Show-Off
A lazy boy gets his head stuck in a pot, and only with the wise advice of his grandmother does he get it out.
Monsoon
In the bustle of street and marketplace, everyone is watching, waiting for those magical clouds to bring their gift of rain to the land. A child describes waiting for the monsoon rains to arrive and the worry that they will not come.
Kamishibai Man
The Kamishibai man used to ride his bicycle into town where he would tell stories to the children and sell them candy, but gradually, fewer and fewer children came running at the sound of his clappers. They were all watching their new televisions instead. Finally, only one boy remained, and he had no money for candy. Years later, the Kamishibai man and his wife made another batch of candy, and he pedaled into town to tell one more story—his own. When he comes out of the reverie of his memories, he looks around to see he is surrounded by familiar faces—the children he used to entertain have returned, all grown up and more eager than ever to listen to his delightful tales.
The Song of El Coqui and Other Tales of Puerto Rico
A collection of three folktales which reflect the diverse heritage within Puerto Rican culture.
Manuela’s Gift
Manuela wants a new dress for her birthday, but times are hard and she is disappointed when she receives a hand-me-down instead.
The Five Lost Aunts of Harriet Bean
When Harriet Bean’s father mentions that he has five sisters—whom Harriet has never met—she is immediately intrigued. Harriet is determined to uncover the whereabouts of her five lost aunts, but with nothing more than an unfinished family portrait and a few outdated clues, will she be able to locate them? Join Harriet in her search to reunite her father with his five lost sisters—Veronica, Harmonica, Majolica, Japonica, and Thessalonika.