Lee & Low recently sent me their two new bilingual picture books. These beautiful books celebrate the Earth and its natural resources. They are wonderful choices for children learning Spanish or for native speakers.
Be sure to visit our Spanish Books for Kids Resource Page for more reviews and activities.
New Bilingual Picture Books from Lee & Low
Call Me Tree/ Llámame árbol by Maya Christina Gonzalez
Call Me Tree/Llámame árbol completely captivated me the first time I read it. I love the concept – a book to wake up to – and I read it hoping that the beauty of the art and language would be sustained to the last page. It is, and as you can imagine, I’m thrilled to share the book with you.
This book is a wonderful reading experience for any child and perfect for young Spanish learners. It is a story to wake up to, to stretch and start the day with. Call Me Tree/Llámame árbol invites children to open their eyes and move.
These features make Call Me Tree/Llámame árbol an especially rich language experience for children learning Spanish:
- invitation to movement
- simple rhyming language
- repetition
- close text-to-illustration correspondence
- short sentences
- concrete vocabulary familiar to Spanish learners: la tierra, una semilla, un árbol, el cielo, un pájaro, mis ojos, la montaña, el río, el camino.
Reading Call Me Tree/Llámame árbol is an original and inspiring experience. The concept and the language catch a child up and carry her along, an irresistible invitation to reach high and be strong. It is the newest addition to the list of bilingual picture books I give to children I love.
Water Rolls, Water Rises/ El agua rueda, el agua sube by Pat Mora
Water Rolls, Water Rises/ El agua rueda, el agua sube brings water to life for children as it shows the way it moves and connects the Earth. The story flows from one beautiful illustration to another, all inspired by water in different parts of the planet.
As a language experience, the text uses many verbs to describe the way water moves. This wealth of vocabulary include verbs like subir, rodar, remontar, deslizar, serpentear, fluir, resbalar, salpicar, enroscar, retorcer, frotar, huir, burbujear, descender, patinar, caer, circular, and brincar.
Water Rolls, Water Rises/ El agua rueda, el agua sube has very focused content, so it is clear that all of these verbs are describing the movement of water. For more advanced learners and native speakers it is an excellent opportunity to explore the difference in these verbs and talk about other contexts where they are used.
Beginning learners will love the English verse and take advantage of the dual language text to identity words they know in Spanish: el agua, el sol, la luna, la neblina, la calle, el gato, el viento, el aire, los ríos, el maíz, las hojas, los árboles, las estrellas, el mar.
The book includes a dual language list of the locations that inspire the illustrations. This addition is a wonderful resource for teaching geography at any level and in either language.
Both Call Me Tree/Llámame árbol and Water Rolls, Water Rises/ El agua rueda, el agua sube are wonderful language experiences for Spanish learners and for native speakers. Just as important, they create an awareness of our precious resources and instill in children a connection to the Earth. These beautiful bilingual picture books are excellent choices for a home or class collection.
You may also be interested in these bilingual picture books published by Lee & Low: Spanish Stories Kids Will Love: Marisol McDonald Books
Disclosure: The company sent me a copy of this product to be able to write the article. I may have been compensated for my time. All of the ideas and opinions are my own.
