Americas

Materials from the Americas

The Umbrella

A walk through the Costa Rican cloud forest provides a wonderfully lush setting for Jan Brett’s beloved animal illustrations. When Carlos drops his umbrella to climb a tree for a better view of the animals, they all cram into the banana-leaf umbrella as it floats by–from the little tree frog to the baby tapir to the big jaguar and more. It gets so crowded in the umbrella that there isn’t even enough room for a little hummingbird! So over the umbrella tumbles, everyone falls out, and poor Carlos comes back wondering why he didn’t see any animals all day.
In the spirit of Jan Brett’s The Mitten and The Hat, this cheerful tale of escalation will have readers poring over every illustration for the world of details Jan packs in. With its classic story, exotic jungle setting, and brilliantly colorful menagerie, The Umbrella is sure to take its place among Jan’s many family favorites.

The Bravest Flute: A Story Of Courage In The Mayan Tradition

The Caldecott Honor-winning author of The Village of Round and Square Houses offers an inspirational tale, featuring her own exuberant illustrations, about a brave Mayan boy who leads his village’s New Year’s Day parade, even though he is weak and hungry.

My Name is Gabriela/Me Llamo Gabriela (Bilingual): The Life of Gabriela Mistral/La Vida de Gabriela Mistral

Gabriela Mistral loved words and sounds and stories. Born in Chile, she would grow to become the first Nobel Prize-winning Latina woman in the world. As a poet and a teacher, she inspired children across many countries to let their voices be heard. This beautifully crafted story, where words literally come to life, is told with the rhythm and melody of a poem. The second in Luna Rising’s bilingual storybook biography series. My Name is Gabriela/Me llamo Gabriela is beautiful tribute to a woman who taught us the power of words and the importance of following our dreams. The story of Gabriela Mistral will continue to inspire children everywhere.

Fiestas

Carefully crafted for both Spanish and English audiences, this radiant bilingual collection (a follow-up to the highly successful De Colores and Diez Deditos) includes over twenty holiday songs and rhymes gathered from Spanish-speaking countries. The songs focus on holidays that specifically honor Latin American culture-Cinco de Mayo, Carnival, César Chávez Day-as well as on familiar fiestas celebrated around the world-New Year’s, Christmas, Halloween, Mother’s Day, and more. With simple music for piano, voice, and guitar; informative background notes placing each song in context; Spanish and English lyrics presented side by side; and colorful collage illustrations, children of all ages will delight in this joyous new collection by the award-winning team of José-Luis Orozco and Elisa Kleven.

Ni Era Vaca Ni Era Caballo

While searching for a lost sheep, a Goajiro Indian shepherd boy encounters a monster that is neither a cow nor a horse, nor any other creature he has ever seen, and when his family assures him it is not a demon but an outsider’s truck, the knowledge changes his life.

Zorro And Quwi

Chased night after night by Zorro the fox, Quwi the clever guinea pig retaliates by outwitting Zorro and making him look foolish, in a folktale collection based on Peruvian legends.

Ana’s Story (Spanish Edition): La Historia De Ana: Un Camino Lleno De Esperanza

La historia de Ana comienza el día en que nació afectada con el VIH, virus que le transmitió su joven madre, quien muere pocos años después. Desde entonces, la infancia de Ana es una maraña de secretos—secretos sobre su enfermedad, su familia y los abusos que ha sufrido—. Arrastrada de una casa a otra, difícilmente encuentra seguridad o aceptación. Mas cuando se enamora y se embaraza a los diecisiete años, inicia una jornada que la conducirá a un nuevo comienzo, nuevas penas y una nueva esperanza.

Basada en su trabajo con UNICEF e inspirada en la vida de una chica que conoció personalmente, Jenna Bush narra la historia de muchos niños del mundo que viven marginados y excluidos de lo más elemental: cuidado, apoyo y educación. Al final del libro encontrarás una serie de recursos que te indican cómo puedes ayudar a cambiar la situación de niños como Ana y cómo puedes protegerte a ti y a los demás.

De Colores and Other Latin American Folksongs for Children

Bursting with color and spirit, this collection of Latin-American songs is a tribute to Latino culture. From traditional tunes to rhymes and hand games, De Colores has songs for all occasions and moods. Each song is accompanied by simple musical arrangements, with lyrics in both English and Spanish. Slightly abridged from the original edition, this is ideal for classroom use, multicultural studies, or just plain fun.”Rich and resonant.” –Booklist