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Grandmother reading to grandchildren

The Bookcase offers descriptions of read-aloud storybooks with family educational involvement themes. Family involvement is defined broadly here as families engaging in activities across contexts, such as at home, at school, or in the community, with the purpose of supporting children's school education or overall learning. Family involvement in education is also depicted as a shared responsibility, whereby teachers and other school staff reach out to families to support their engagement in the school, and families make efforts to connect with the school and link their children’s activities to learning.

The original Family Involvement Storybook Selections list includes books, primarily written in English, that feature family involvement among families from a range of ethnicities, backgrounds and communities. The more recently added Latino Family Involvement Storybook Selections offers descriptions of storybooks with family educational involvement themes that feature Latino families and portray their engagement in their children’s learning in U.S. settings. These storybooks provide rich familial cultural detail on parenting and learning within a range families, many of whom are immigrant or migrant families. Several of the entries provide examples of teachers who made efforts to help Latino children celebrate their heritage and incorporate it into their classroom activities .

We selected storybooks that are in print and available in an English-language version. More than half of the books on the Latino Family Involvement Storybook Selections list are bilingual editions, which contain the full text in both English and Spanish. Others are available in a separate Spanish-language edition. The remaining English-language books all contain some Spanish words or sentences within the English text itself.

The Bookcase focuses on recently published children's picture books, both fiction and narrative nonfiction, written for children from about 4 to 8 years old. Inclusion in these lists is not meant as an endorsement. Each entry in both lists includes the author, title, and publisher of the book, as well as a brief description of the story's plot and its major family involvement themes. Symbols in each entry note whether the book is available in soft cover and in a Spanish-language edition. The Latino Bibliography also lists whether each book is available in a Spanish-language or bilingual edition or written primarily in English.


Family Involvement Storybook Selections

This collection of read-aloud storybooks features families from a range of ethnicities, backgrounds, and communities who are involved in their children's education. Books are available in hardcover in English unless otherwise noted by the symbols below.

Download this list as a PDF (151 kb)

Soft cover version available Soft cover version available

 

Spanish version available Versión en español disponible (Spanish version available)


Bloomberg, D. (1999). Sam and Gram and the first day of school. Washington, DC: Magination Press.

Plot Summary: A young boy goes through his first day of kindergarten with apprehension about his new environment. Accompanied by memories of his grandmother throughout the day, the boy wishes he was at home. The grandmother picks him up at the end of the day and talks with him about his first day. She helps him to reflect on his experience and discover the excitement of meeting new friends and learning new things. When the boy talks to his mother on the phone about his first day, he shares his eagerness and anticipates a second exciting day.

Family Involvement Summary: With understanding and enthusiasm, the grandmother helps her grandson to process a new school experience. She reassures him that the transition will take time and that he will experience new adventures with his friends and teacher. The grandmother's support serves as a bridge between the child's home life and new school environment.


Soft cover version available Spanish version available Brown, M. T. (2001). D.W.'s library card. Boston: Little, Brown & Company.

Plot Summary: A young girl applies for her first library card with the help of the librarian and her older brother. Although she is worried about the process of filling out an application and the possibility of losing her card, her older brother helps her and reassures her that she can always get a new one.

Family Involvement Summary: The older brother provides informal support for his younger sister as she discovers the joys and responsibilities of having access to library books. The librarian helps the young girl develop a new sense of ownership and responsibility.


Soft cover version available Bunting, E. (2002). Some frog. San Diego: Voyager Books.

Plot Summary: A child waits for his father to come home and help him catch a frog for a school-wide frog-jumping contest. When the father does not show up, his mother steps in and helps him catch the winning frog. His grandfather warmly gives him advice on how to make his frog jump farther. Although the child still looks for his father's appearance at the contest, he slowly realizes that he is not coming back.

Family Involvement Summary: This story describes a child who adjusts to change and loss in the family with the support of his mother and grandfather. His mother and grandfather assume the father's role and continue to encourage the child's development and exploration of life and learning.


Soft cover version available Carlson, N. L. (2002). Hooray for Grandparents' Day. New York: Puffin.

Plot Summary: An elementary-school-age boy is disappointed that he has no grandparents to take to grandparents' day at school. His elderly neighbors have left for vacation and the day approaches quickly with no solution. The child talks with different members of the community who provide empathy and support as they listen to the child talk about his feelings. At the end of the story, all the community members show up on grandparents' day and act as his family.

Family Involvement Summary: The community members offer a trusting relationship that enables a child to work through his feelings of disappointment. They also demonstrate their emotional support by visiting his school and stepping in as family. The story shows how a child's family can encompass different people who commit to meeting the child's needs.


Carlstrom, N. W. (1990). Grandpappy. Boston: Little, Brown & Company.

Plot Summary: An elementary-school-age boy spends the summer with his grandfather exploring the natural habitat and exchanging personal stories. As they watch the stars in the night sky together, the grandfather encourages his grandson, “Be a light in a dark place. It's okay to be small yet shine in glory like the stars.” The young boy goes home from the summer full of encouragement and wisdom from his grandfather.

Family Involvement Summary: One summer spent with his supportive grandfather becomes a source of strength and possibility to a young boy. The child also helps his grandfather remember his younger days and enjoy the power of memory. Through mentoring his grandson, the grandfather develops a sense of integrity and purpose in his later years.


Soft cover version available Cheng, A. (2000). Grandfather counts. New York: Lee & Low Books.

Plot Summary: A young biracial girl meets her grandfather from China for the first time when he visits the United States. She is apprehensive about their meeting because of age, language, and cultural differences. Over time, the girl makes a special connection with her grandfather and learns about her Chinese heritage.

Family Involvement Summary: This story portrays the importance of cultural and familial connections in families of mixed heritage. The young girl and her grandfather both demonstrate openness to one another and a willingness to work beyond generational, language, and cultural barriers. With their relationship, both granddaughter and grandfather learn more about the strengths of a mixed-heritage family.


Choi, S. N. (1993). Halmoni and the picnic. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.

Plot Summary: A Korean American girl in elementary school is worried that her grandmother, a recent immigrant to the U.S., is lonely in a new country. The grandmother is embarrassed about her lack of English skills and finds it difficult to adjust to American culture. Through the encouragement of her friends and teacher, the girl invites her grandmother to chaperone a trip to the park. The grandmother joins the class for the day and gets to know her granddaughter's friends and teacher. She contributes special foods and traditions from Korean culture to the class picnic.

Family Involvement Summary: This book demonstrates how school is not only a separate sphere of development of a child's life, but also a place where connections take place every day among families, teachers, and community members. The teacher reaches out to her student's family by inviting the grandmother to chaperone a school trip. She also demonstrates openness to diversity when she becomes the first person to try the grandmother's Korean dish, kimbap. Through a school-sponsored activity, the student finds that her peers and teacher appreciate her grandmother's culture. The grandmother feels more confident about being involved in her granddaughter's school activities and experiences the power of cultural exchange.

For additional resources on this book, see the Reference Desk.


Soft cover version available Cooper, M. (1998). Gettin' through Thursday. New York: Lee & Low Books.

Plot Summary: Each week, an African American family headed by a single mother has to get through Thursday, the day before the mother receives her paycheck. The elementary-school-age child in the family makes the honor roll and hopes to celebrate with a party, but they are unable to pay for it until the coming Thursday. The mother praises her son's achievement and promises to celebrate. The family follows through with a celebration when Thursday comes around.

Family Involvement Summary: The story shows how a single mother in difficult economic circumstances firmly and consistently supports her child's academic achievement. The mother demonstrates strength and care for her children in face of a tough financial situation and sole responsibility for her family. The child learns to appreciate the promise of his mother's love and support as a stable force in his life.


Soft cover version available Dooley, N. (2002). Everybody brings noodles. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books.

Plot Summary: During the summer, a girl in her preteens plans a community block party that involves the contribution of rich ethnic foods and cultural talents from her multicultural neighborhood (“a tour for your stomach around the world”). She visits each of her neighbors and collects diverse noodle dishes to bring to the party. At the end of the day, the entire community celebrates her efforts to bring everyone together.

Family Involvement Summary: The child acts as a connective agent between diverse neighbors in her community through coordinating the block party. Her community gives her special recognition for her work: “She is the one that got us talking with one another.” While the child is disappointed that she does not have a talent to share in the talent show, she discovers her own gift of planning collaborative community experiences and helping others connect. This story celebrates rich variations of universal themes such as food and family.


Soft cover version available Elliott, L. M. (2002). Hunter's best friend at school. New York: Harper Collins Juvenile Books.

Plot Summary: Hunter makes a new friend in preschool who becomes a negative influence on his attitudes and behavior. His parents talk with him after school about his changing behavior and encourage him to sometimes develop values and beliefs apart from those of his peers. Hunter goes back to school with more confidence about his own decisions while remaining open to making friendships.

Family Involvement Summary: Hunter's parents have supportive socio-emotional dialogue with their son who is experiencing a new world of peer pressure at school. They provide a safe and open place at home in which they help their child address conflicts between the influence of peers and his own emerging sense of self. The story demonstrates how a child can internalize supportive dialogue from the home and carry it into his or her school experiences.


Elwin, R. (2000). Asha's mums. Toronto: Women's Press.

Plot Summary: A young girl with lesbian parents is told that she cannot have two mothers when they co-sign her permission slip for a school trip. Although some of the other children at school do not accept her family structure, the young girl insists that her brother and two mothers are a real family. The girl's mothers come to school and communicate with her teacher about their family structure. At the end, the girl goes on the trip while the teacher affirms to her classmates that families can take many shapes and forms.

Family Involvement Summary: This story focuses on the experiences of families headed by same-sex couples. The young girl demonstrates a strong sense of family in the midst of a lack of understanding from her teacher and peers. Her mothers demonstrate initiative in approaching the teacher to share their family structure. This communication serves as a support for the young girl, whose family experience is now represented at school.


Soft cover version available Finchler, J. (2000). Testing Miss Malarkey. New York: Walker & Company.

Plot Summary: Teachers and parents in this story experience immense stress as they try to work together and prepare their children for standardized tests. The children do not fully understand all the reasons for this stress, marveling at how one test can have such a profound impact on the adult figures in their lives.

Family Involvement Summary: This story tells of a group of teachers and parents who mean well for their children but become preoccupied with testing and forget the meaning behind learning.


Soft cover version available Gorbachev, V. (2000). Peter's picture. New York: North-South Books.

Plot Summary: An elementary-school-age child draws a picture that is misunderstood by his teacher and various community members. After much disappointment over the misinterpretation of his art by important adult figures, the child returns home and finds the support of his parents who both understand and affirm the uniqueness of his work.

Family Involvement Summary: The parents demonstrate support for their son's creative expressions through constructive dialogue. While his teacher and community members do not take his work seriously, the parents understand their child's meaning. The story presents possibilities for teachers and parents to communicate about a child's artistic abilities and work together to empower young voices.


Soft cover version available Hearn, D. D. (1999). Dad's dinosaur day. New York: Aladdin Library.

Plot Summary: Mickey's father turns into a dinosaur and accompanies him to school, where he plays with the other children, eats pizza, and engages in numerous other fun activities. Although his father eventually turns back into a human being, his mother undergoes a magical transformation the next day.

Family Involvement Summary: Within the context of a child's creative imagination, the father experiences a school day with his son and enjoys each activity in his new identity. The story draws on the wishes of both father and son to experience school life together. It also demonstrates the creativity with which children and parents can imagine this involvement.


Spanish version available Henkes, K. (1993). Owen. New York: Greenwillow Books.

Plot Summary: A young child's neighbors suggest to his parents drastic and developmentally inappropriate ways for him to let go of his safety blanket. Both the child and his parents become anxious over the various forms of advice—until the parents come up with the best and most creative solution to help their son let go of his blanket.

Family Involvement Summary: The parents discuss child development issues with members of their community. They receive advice and must judge whether it is developmentally appropriate for their child. The parents find that they themselves have creative resources to help their son deal with transitional anxieties in a developmentally sensitive way.


Soft cover version available Spanish version available Henkes, K. (1996). Lilly's purple plastic purse. New York: Greenwillow Books.

Plot Summary: When Lilly's toy purse becomes a distraction in school, her teacher takes it away, to her dismay. Lilly writes an angry note to her teacher, only to return home regretting her actions. Her parents reassure her that she can still mend her relationship with her teacher. They write a special note to him to accompany Lilly's reconciliatory card and cookies. The teacher is encouraged by the peace offering and helps Lilly to understand that everyone can learn from his or her mistakes, allowing her to feel better about herself.

Family Involvement Summary: Lilly's parents take the initiative to contact her teacher through a written note that promotes positive teacher–student relationships. They also encourage Lilly to take conciliatory actions. She achieves a new sense of self-acceptance and understanding of relationships through the reinforcing messages from her parents and teacher.


Soft cover version available Hest, A. (1999). Off to school, baby duck. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press.

Plot Summary: A young duck is getting ready to go to her first day of kindergarten. She is apprehensive and full of worries about being apart from her family in a new environment. Her grandfather talks with her gently and encourages her to discover new experiences and adventures. Reassured by her grandfather's support, she goes to school with a new sense of confidence.

Family Involvement Summary: The grandfather encourages his young grandchild in her transition to school. Through kind and gentle words, he encourages her to embrace the new challenges and experiences awaiting her at school. This home dialogue gives the child courage to try new things and smoothly transition into school.


Johnson, D. (1999). My mom is my show and tell. New York: Marshall Cavendish.

Plot Summary: An African American boy feels embarrassed about bringing his mother to his elementary school class for career day and gives her advice on how to act in school. The mother is excited to be a part of her child's school event and treats her son's anxieties with sensitivity and lighthearted, affectionate humor. At the end of the story, the child realizes that his classmates like his mother and that he can be proud of bringing her to school. Readers discover that his mother is a teacher and join the child in his realization that she “is the best teacher and best mother in the whole world.”

Family Involvement Summary: Children may fear that an encounter between their family and school lives will be negative and embarrassing. This story reveals the importance of a parent's sensitivity to a child's fears and steadfast commitment to being involved in school activities. It also demonstrates how school programs can invite parents to share their careers and roles as parents in the classroom.


Soft cover version available Lin, G. (2001). The ugly vegetables. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge Publishing.

Plot Summary: A young Chinese American girl wishes that her mother would grow vegetables and plant flowers similar to those of her neighbors. However, her mother plants Chinese vegetables with distinct colors, textures, and sizes. When the young girl complains and feels embarrassed about the vegetables, her mother thinks of a creative way to help her daughter appreciate Chinese culture. She makes a delicious vegetable soup that draws in all the neighbors with its rich and warm smell. When she sees how much her neighbors love the soup, the girl feels proud of her mother's vegetables and the richness of her culture.

Family Involvement Summary: The mother in this story demonstrates resourcefulness and creativity when she cooks the tantalizing soup and invites all the neighbors over for a taste. With patience and understanding, she helps her daughter appreciate her cultural heritage.


Soft cover version available McDonald, M. (1995). Insects are my life. New York: Orchard Books.

Plot Summary: A young girl loves to collect and learn about insects. Her mother disapproves of the hobby as insignificant and inappropriate for a girl. When the girl conflicts with a peer who makes fun of her passion for insects, the teacher punishes the girl without recognizing her academic interests. Regardless of this experience and her mother's disapproval, the girl maintains her enthusiasm and aspires to become an entomologist.

Family Involvement Summary: This story suggests the difficulties that can arise when children's interests and hobbies are not congruent with their parents' wishes for their children. This story also illustrates that teachers need to reach out to children through individual interests and find ways to help them pursue those interests in positive ways.


Soft cover version available Mills, C. (2000). Gus and Grandpa and show-and-tell. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Plot Summary: A young boy struggles to find something meaningful to share with his classmates and teacher on show-and-tell day. He decides to bring his grandfather instead of an object after realizing how important his grandfather is to him. His grandfather accompanies him to school and experiences show-and-tell day with his grandson.

Family Involvement Summary: This story follows a child who connects what is meaningful in his life and what he can share with his peers and teacher in school. It demonstrates intergenerational involvement made possible by a child who thinks creatively. The grandfather nurtures his grandson's learning and is responsive to the child's request for school involvement.


Soft cover version available Spanish version available Mora, P. (1997). Tomás and the library lady. New York: Knopf Books for Young Readers.

Plot Summary: Tomás, a Mexican American child of migrant workers, travels around the country with his parents and his grandfather. While he explores his new environment during the summer, he decides to visit the nearby public library. During his visit, he is encouraged by the librarian to read and explore his imagination through books. Tomás goes home and tells all the stories to his family, bringing the words to life. One day, his grandfather visits the library and meets the librarian. The librarian, who has learned a few Spanish words from Tomás, speaks to the grandfather in his native language, to his delight.

Family Involvement Summary: This book tells the story of a migrant worker family that provides stable support for a child's learning despite mobility and frequent economic hardships. The family's enthusiasm toward Tomás' stories demonstrates the strengths of a family whose lifestyle is typically framed as problematic for academic success. The story portrays the power of oral storytelling as a form of family literacy. It also affirms a child's ability to connect his or her family to the community.

For additional resources on this book, see the Reference Desk.


Perry, M. (2001). Daniel's ride. San Francisco: Free Will Press.

Plot Summary: In a Latino family, the older teenage brother promises to give his prized car to his younger, elementary-school-age brother if he works hard in school and perseveres towards high school graduation and college. This promise gives the younger child the strength and determination to do his best in school and in life.

Family Involvement Summary: The older brother motivates his younger brother to succeed in school through the promise of a treasured possession, modeling a positive attitude toward education and high expectations for achievement. This story shows the power of mentorship between an older and a younger sibling and the resiliency of children growing up as minorities in the United States.


Soft cover version available Polacco, P. (1992). Mrs. Katz and Tush. New York: Bantam Books.

Plot Summary: An African American child's parents bring him to visit Mrs. Katz, an elderly Jewish woman in the neighborhood. With the encouragement of his parents, the child continues to visit Mrs. Katz after school on his own. Over time, they develop a close friendship and talk about common historical experiences between Blacks and Jews. Their relationship carries on throughout the child's development into a young man.

Family Involvement Summary: The parents demonstrate a commitment to their son's learning experiences beyond the classroom by helping him make an intergenerational and cross-cultural connection with a neighbor. The child spends his after school time learning the importance of sharing cultural experiences and listening to the wise and valuable voices of the elderly community. As he grows up, the child integrates this connection into his life experience and eventually passes it on to his own children, who grow up hearing Mrs. Katz's stories long after she has passed away.


Polacco, P. (2001). Mr. Lincoln's way. New York: Philomel Books.

Plot Summary: An African American elementary school teacher reaches out to a troubled White student who makes racial slurs and is a loner at school. The teacher notices the student's interest in birds and helps him discover the meaning of diversity through his interests. While the student's father is racist, his grandfather models respect and appreciation for diversity. The teacher invites the grandfather to school and helps the student reconnect with a positive role model in his family.

Family Involvement Summary: This story demonstrates the powerful role of teachers in helping troubled children. The teacher creatively enters the student's world and creates a parallel learning experience involving the diversity found in birds and the diversity found in people. He also connects the student with his grandfather, reestablishing a relationship that helps the boy appreciate racial diversity.


Pulver, R. (1992). Nobody's mother is in the second grade. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.

Plot Summary: A mother spends a day in her daughter's second grade classroom disguised as a plant. The teacher plays along for the day while the child makes her own connections between the nature of plants and the parallel nurturing, protection, and growth that her mother provides for her. At the end of the day, the teacher invites the parent to visit again without a disguise.

Family Involvement Summary: The story creatively demonstrates a mother's sincere interest and involvement in her daughter's school experience through a literal and figurative symbol of nurturing. As the mother and teacher connect with one another in the classroom, they both provide opportunities for the child to realize connections between the classroom subject matter and family relationships. The teacher welcomes the mother's involvement in the future as a valuable resource for enriching the child's learning and social development.


Reiser, L. (1999). Earthdance. New York: Greenwillow Books.

Plot Summary: A mother who is an astronaut takes a trip into space while her daughter simultaneously plays the part of the Earth in a school dance. The mother returns to Earth from her mission and arrives just in time for the end of her daughter's performance.

Family Involvement Summary: A mother connects with her daughter's school experiences through their parallel journeys and eventual reunion at the end. This story demonstrates how parents can become involved through connecting their careers to their child's school experiences.


Rylant, C. (2002). The ticky-tacky doll. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Children's Books.

Plot Summary: A grandmother gives her granddaughter a doll, and the child carries it with her wherever she goes. The grandmother also helps the child eventually let go of the doll as a transitional object when the child begins school. Through her relationship with her grandmother, the child finds security as she transitions into a new period of development.

Family Involvement Summary: The grandmother demonstrates support for her granddaughter's development by providing both a transitional object and a sense of security to help the child let go of the object. The story portrays a stable and secure relationship with a grandparent that enables a child to explore new transitions and experiences in her development and begin school.


Soft cover version available Udry, J. M. (1966). What Mary Jo shared. New York: Scholastic.

Plot Summary: An African American girl in elementary school has difficulty finding something to contribute during her classroom sharing time. With the help of her family, the girl finds something special and meaningful to share with her class—stories of her father's childhood.

Family Involvement Summary: The young girl shows creativity when she offers stories from her father's childhood. She overcomes her shyness and finds a voice to share events from the lives of the people who are most important to her. The girl's connection to her father demonstrates the strength of a father–daughter relationship and the value it has to young children.


Spanish version available Wells, R. (1999). Yoko. New York: Gallimard.

Plot Summary: A Japanese American child brings sushi for lunch and is met by her peers' taunting and laughing because it is so different from the usual sandwich. In response to her students' lack of appreciation for cultural differences, the child's teacher creates an International Food Day and invites parents to make a dish from their own culture and have their children bring it to school. No one eats the child's sushi, which her mother has worked hard to make for the school event. The child is sad and disappointed until she finds a classmate who tries her sushi and enjoys it very much. The story concludes with their idea to open a restaurant that serves food from both of their cultures.

Family Involvement Summary: The teacher plans a school event that attempts to bridge and celebrate cultural differences within her classroom by involving parents. She writes a letter to parents, inviting them to prepare dishes that the children can bring to school and share during International Food Day. Many of the parents get involved, and the children are sent to school with an array of ethnic foods.


Soft cover version available Wells, R. (2001). Yoko and friends school days: Mama, don't go! New York: Hyperion Books.

Plot Summary: A kindergartner goes to her first day of school and has a difficult time separating from her mother. The mother stays in class for the day and accompanies her in different school activities. As part of a creative plan to celebrate the mother's birthday, the teacher encourages the child to ask her mother to leave temporarily. When the mother returns later that day and is welcomed by a birthday party, she affirms her daughter's role in helping to create the celebration. The child realizes how much fun she can have at school and still be connected to her family.

Family Involvement Summary: Although the mother and teacher never directly communicate in the story, they work together to ease a child's transition to school. Both adults allow the child to take responsibility, such as asking the mother to leave the classroom. They give the child a sense of control during a time when she may feel confused and assure her that home and school life will be connected.


Soft cover version available Wild, M. (2000). Tom goes to kindergarten. Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman & Company.

Plot Summary: The parents of a child beginning kindergarten experience separation anxiety while the child confidently explores new school experiences. To help his parents feel more at ease with his transition to school, the child incorporates lessons from school into his play at home.

Family Involvement Summary: This story portrays a shift in dynamics by telling the story of parents who have a more difficult time transitioning to school than their child does. The child becomes an active agent to connect his parents with his school. Through activities that integrate school lessons with home play, the parents can share their son's experiences and ease their separation anxiety.


Soft cover version available Spanish version available Williams, V. B. (1982). A chair for my mother. New York: Greenwillow Books.

Plot Summary: An extended family saves enough money to buy a chair after a devastating fire destroys all their furniture. The young girl, her mother, and her grandmother work hard to create a new beginning for their family. The family's community also supports them by contributing different pieces of furniture.

Family Involvement Summary: This story celebrates the strength of women across generations. The women overcome difficult circumstances through the power of family love, hard work, and community support. The young girl learns to appreciate family as a place of refuge and stability in the face of difficult economic circumstances.


Wyse, L., & Goldman, M. R. (1998). How to take your grandmother to the museum. New York: Workman Publishing Company (in association with the American Museum of Natural History).

Plot Summary: A young girl and her grandmother take a day trip to a museum. The grandmother encourages her granddaughter to lead her through different exhibits and share her insights and stories concerning the works of art. The child is excited to act as a teacher for her grandmother.

Family Involvement Summary: Intergenerational learning takes place in a museum, where family members can support their children's learning and appreciation of history and the arts. The grandmother empowers her granddaughter's learning by giving her an opportunity to teach an older family member. Through her grandmother's support and openness to learning, the child interacts and invests in art appreciation in a new way.

Compiled by Elaine Hou in 2002 using a reference resource on children's picture books, online search engines, and the advice of several children's librarians and bookstore directors.


Latino Family Involvement Storybook Selections

This collection of picture books features English, Spanish, and bilingual storybooks about Latino families who are involved in their children's education. Both the symbols below and the book descriptions note whether each book is available in paperback, as well as hard cover, and the language(s) in which the book is written .

Soft cover version available Soft cover version available

 

Spanish version available Versión en español o versión bilingüe disponible (Spanish or bilingual version available)


 

Soft cover version availableSpanish version availableAda, A. F. (2001). I love Saturdays y domingos. New York: Aladdin Books of Simon and Schuster.

Plot Summary: A little girl spends Saturdays with her English-speaking grandparents and Sundays (domingos) with her Spanish-speaking grandparents. Both sets of grandparents share stories of their families’ heritage, including traveling on a ship from Europe, crossing the country in a covered wagon, working on a rancho in Mexico, and feeling pride in Native American ancestry. From her grandparents, the girl learns about history, culture, fish, flying kites, and songs in both Spanish and English. At the end of the book, both sets of grandparents attend a birthday party for the girl and bring gifts that they have made themselves.

Family Involvement Summary: Both sets of grandparents are regular active caregivers for a little bilingual girl. They share stories about her different family heritages with her, instilling pride in the little girl. They also expose her to similar everyday learning opportunities in their homes, such as counting and storytelling, and take her out to see new things in the community. This united and harmonious mixed-heritage family allows the child to easily and joyfully integrate her diverse cultural worlds and identities.

Language: English, with some Spanish words and phrases.


Spanish version availableArgueta, J. (2005). Moony Luna/Luna, lunita, lunera. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press.

Plot Summary:
Luna is scared about going off to kindergarten, where she is convinced there will be monsters. Luna’s parents comfort and reassure her. They read her a picture book about a little monster who goes to school, and they drop her off and pick her up at school. At first, Luna is scared, but her friendly classmates and a teacher who reads the same picture book about the monster convinces Luna that school isn’t such a scary place after all.
 
Family Involvement Summary: Luna’s parents actively help her transition to school by supporting her emotionally, reading to her, and helping her get ready for the first day, as well by as dropping her off and picking her up at her classroom. Luna’s school, teacher, and classmates are welcoming and reflect Luna’s language and culture. A particular storybook, which is read both at home and then at school, also helps provide continuity across the two contexts for her.

Language:
Bilingual (English and Spanish).


Spanish version availableBrown, M. (2007). Butterflies on Carmen Street/Mariposas en la calle Carmen. Houston, Texas: Piñata Books.

Plot Summary:
Lively Mexican American Julianita is excited because today is Butterfly Day at school. The students will learn about monarch butterflies and get to take home their own to raise. Walking her to school from their home on Carmen Street, her grandfather tells her about the town where he is from in the mountains of Michoacán, Mexico, where the butterflies migrate every winter. Her teacher, Ms. Rogríquez, tells the students about the life cycle of the monarch butterfly, and how they are travelers, flying thousands of miles south from North America to winter in warm Mexico. Julianita watches her caterpillar turn into chrysalis and then into a butterfly. When her abuelito tells her it is time to set the butterfly free, they take the butterfly house into the backyard, and he reassures Julianito that her butterfly will not get lost —it knows the way to Mexico because it is in its heart. Julianita imagines her butterfly flying through her neighborhood and thinks how she will one day follow it to Mexico.

Family Involvement Summary:
Julianita’s abuelito supports her learning by singing with her as he takes her to school and telling her stories that connect her to her culture (including at bedtime to help her fall asleep). He is actively involved in her school project. Julianita’s parents are working and cannot go to her school, but her mami helps her with this project at home by working on a butterfly house that her daughter brings to school. Learning occurs joyfully and seamlessly across school and home for Julianita, as she brings her school project into the home for completion. Home and school are continuous contexts as grandfather and teacher both talk to the little girl about the migration of the monarch, and each express their fondness for their Mexican homeland. The story portrays the prevalent practice of informal care by extended family members, in lieu of formal institutional sources of care, when parents are at work.

Language: Bilingual (English and Spanish).


Soft cover version availableBrown, T. (1986). Hello, amigos! New York: Henry Holt and Company.

Plot Summary: This picture book follows Frankie Valdez through a special day in his life in the Mission District of San Francisco—his birthday. Through photographs of Frankie, his parents, and his seven siblings, the book depicts Frankie’s experiences at home, at school, and at his after school program. Frankie learns English, math, and science at school, plays kickball and pool, runs errands, does homework with the help of his brother and sister, and enjoys a birthday party with family and friends. Frankie and his father end a wonderful day by lighting a candle at church.  

Family Involvement Summary:
Frankie’s family supports his development in a variety of different ways. His mother monitors his after school time activities, siblings help with homework, parents connect Frankie to different formal and informal sources of community learning, and family and community members honor him at his birthday celebration. This story portrays a large, close, and interdependent Latino household.  It also shows mentoring and recreational learning going on at an after school club for children.

Language: English, with some Spanish words and phrases.


Soft cover version availableSpanish version availableChapra, M. (2004). Amelia’s show-and-tell fiesta/Amelia y la fiesta de "muestra y cuenta." New York:  Harper Collins Publishing.

Plot Summary: Amelia is excited about bringing something very special to her first show-and-tell day in her American school. She decides to wear the beautiful fiesta dress that she wore to the Carnival parade when she lived in Cuba and tell about the fiestas that everyone loves, with music and dancing in the streets. Her mother says that she looks magnífico, embellishes her costume by pinning a gardenia in her hair, and walks her to school. At school, Amelia is afraid she has chosen the wrong show-and-tell project because it’s not like the objects that the other students bring.  In the end, however, encouraged by her teacher, Amelia shares freely and happily her joyful fiesta dances.

Family Involvement Summary: Mother and teacher each support Amelia’s independent decision making in her choice for show-and-tell. Emboldened by special memories of her homeland, Amelia finds the courage to demonstrate aspects of her cultural heritage in the classroom. Her interested multicultural classmates delight in learning about her particular culture, and Amelia feels happy and comfortable in the school setting.

Language: Bilingual (English and Spanish).


Soft cover version availableSpanish version availableDorros, Arthur. (1991). Abuela. New York, NY:  Penguin/Puffin Books.

Plot Summary:
Rosalba likes to be with her grandmother because they have lots of fun together and talk about their experiences in Spanish and in English. They ride the bus all around New York City and go to the park and paddle in boats. Rosalba fantasizes that she and Abuela can fly in the sky together, to the Statue of Liberty and to the seaport. They visit Rosalba’s aunt and uncle in their shop and fly past her father’s office downtown. One of the things Rosalba loves most about her grandmother is that “she likes adventures.”  

Family Involvement Summary:
Rosalba’s grandmother frequently takes her granddaughter on engaging excursions all over the city, exposing her to special experiences, neighborhoods, and people. Through Rosalba’s imagination, this story shows the power of this loving intergenerational relationship in promoting a playful approach to learning and expanding the child’s perspective on her world.

Language: English, with some Spanish words and phrases. Includes a glossary.


Soft cover version availableElya, S. M. (2002). Home at last. New York: Lee and Low Books.

Plot Summary: Ana and her papá adjust quickly to life in a new country after the family moves from Mexico to the United States. They learn quickly at school and at work, and they practice speaking English together in the evening. However, Ana’s mother is homesick for Mexico and encounters challenges in trying to take care of her family when she cannot speak English. Ana persuades her mamá to overcome her resistance to learning English and encourages her learning when she enrolls in an English class. Eventually, Ana’s mother learns enough English to speak at the grocery store and in other daily tasks, and she feels more independent and happier in their new home.

Family Involvement Summary:
Ana’s father supports his daughter’s school learning by enrolling her in school when the family settles in the United States, asking her questions in the evening about school, and practicing English with her. Ana adjusts well to her new classroom where she is supported by classmates and a teacher who sends a note home praising Ana’s academic progress. Ana, in turn, supports her mother’s school learning by helping her prepare for a test, and she feels relieved and happy when her mother starts to learn English and become more independent. One of the factors that drives Ana’s mother to learn English is her inability to understand the teacher’s note written in English. This story portrays an immigrant child who assimilates more rapidly than a parent and who longs to see the parent happier and more connected to the new outside world. It portrays the prevalent pattern of the immigrant child as learner but also as teacher within the family.

Language: English, with some Spanish words and phrases.


English, K. (2000). Speak English for us, Marisol! Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman and Company.

Plot Summary: Marisol hurries home from school because she is eager to see if her cat, Luisa, has had kittens, but she is stopped several times by family members and a neighbor who need her help translating English. Marisol very kindly helps everyone who asks her. When she finally gets home, her mother needs her help, too, in speaking with the phone company, then with errands, and then in practicing for her English class. By evening, Marisol still hasn’t seen Luisa, but her mother surprises her by using her English to say that she has the best daughter a mother could have because she helps everyone. (An illustration at the end shows Marisol and her mother playing with Luisa’s kittens.)

Family Involvement Summary:
Marisol’s family members and neighbor all rely on her English language skills to help them solve daily problems, thus demonstrating how much her bilingual skills are important and valued in this Mexican American community. While Marisol enjoys the gratitude of a community that knows her well and appreciates her expertise and help, she also feels frustration that their adult needs take precedence over her own. This story shows some of the pressures on bilingual immigrant children who function as translators and mediators with the outside English-speaking world on behalf of older family and community members. It also shows the familial cultural value placed on helping behavior.

Language: English, with some Spanish words and phrases.


Soft cover version availableSpanish version availableGarza, C. L. (2005). Family pictures/Cuadros de familia. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press.

Plot Summary: Each picture in this book is a memory of the author/illustrator’s childhood spent growing up in a border town in Texas. Pictures show her as a child engaging in family and community activities, such as making tamales in her parents’ kitchen, hunting for cactus in the early spring, and participating in a cakewalk held by the community to raise money to send Mexican Americans to university. The author notes that her family inspired and encouraged her from the time she was young girl to become an artist.

Family Involvement Summary:
Within the context of different extended family and community experiences and activities, a young girl learns familial cultural traditions and practices that center, for the most part, on growing fruits and vegetables, preparing and sharing meals, and participating in annual festivals. She learns by watching family members and by helping alongside them. The story indicates that her family supported the author’s artistic talent, cared about her development, and nurtured her dreams of becoming an artist.

Language: Bilingual (English and Spanish).


Spanish version availableGonzalez, R. (2005). Antonio’s card/La tarjeta de Antonio. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press.

Plot Summary: Antonio lives with his mami and her partner, Leslie. Every day, Leslie picks Antonio up at school, and together, they read stories and spell words. But Antonio knows that, sometimes, the other children make fun of Leslie because she is so tall and wears paint-splattered clothing (because she is an artist). When his class makes Mother’s Day cards, he makes cards for both Mami and Leslie, but, at first, he is afraid to take Leslie to the cafeteria to see the cards with the other mothers. However, after Leslie shows Antonio a picture she has painted of herself, Mami, and him, he comes to recognize that she is an important member of his family and takes her to see the Mother’s Day card.

Family Involvement Summary: Antonio’s loving nontraditional family, consisting of his mami and her partner, nurtures his love of words and stories by playing informal daily spelling games with him and reading to him after school. Mother’s Day cards made by the students at school and displayed in the school cafeteria provide an occasion to connect home and school worlds. With support from his teacher but most particularly Mami and Leslie, Antonio learns to appreciate this different family. This story portrays a multicultural nontraditional family of gay parents and shows multicultural families greeting their children at the end of the day at school and a classroom teacher who is Hispanic.

Language:
Bilingual (English and Spanish).


Spanish version availableHerrera, J. F. (2002). Grandma and me at the flea/Los meros meros remateros. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press.

Plot Summary: Young Juanito goes to the flea market every Sunday with his grandmother. Juanito’s parents are migrant workers, and the money from the used clothes that Juanito and his grandmother sell helps the family. But Juanito learns that being a rematero at a flea market involves much more than making money. Juanito’s grandmother shows him that remateros are helpful and generous to neighbors as they exchange goods and services and create a community of people who care for each other. Juanito learns how his grandmother has helped others and finds that they are generous to her in return. 

Family Involvement Summary: As his primary caregiver, Juanito’s grandmother regularly brings Juanito with her to help and have fun when she sells and exchanges goods at the community flea market. Here, he experiences first hand the power of caring through giving and receiving, and his grandmother teaches him the virtues of kindness and generosity, and reusing things. He learns how much the community esteems his grandmother, who has helped many people in many ways over the years.

Language: Bilingual (English and Spanish).


Spanish version availableHerrera, J. F. (2004). Featherless/Desplumado. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press.  

Plot Summary: Tomasito is sad that he can’t play like the other children in his school because he has spina bifida and must use a wheelchair. Tomasito’s father buys him a bird that, like Tomasito, was born a little different—he has one curled-up leg and no feathers. At first, Tomasito has difficulty accepting the bird, just as he has difficulty adjusting to his life at a new school. However, when his new friend Marlena invites him to join their soccer team, Tomasito learns that he can be a productive member of the team in his own way, and he tells his bird, named Desplumado, that there is “more than one way to fly.”

Family Involvement Summary:
In addition to helping his differently abled son to be mobile, Tomasito’s single father works hard to help Tomasito feel good about himself—providing emotional support in the form of a pet bird, drawing him out when he is sad, reassuring him to be patient about being invited to play soccer, and, then, once Tomasito becomes a member of the team, helping him see how he is fitting in. Papi also supports his son’s learning by attending Tomasito’s soccer game at school, as do the other parents, and celebrates his son’s success on the field. Tomasito learns to conquer his fears, and he gains self-confidence.

Language: Bilingual (English and Spanish).

 


Soft cover version availableSpanish version availableHerrera, J. F. (2000). The upside down boy/El niño de cabeza. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press.

Plot Summary: In this autobiographical story by Juan Felipe Herrera, Juanito’s family moves down from the mountains to the city so that he can attend school. Because he does not speak English and does not understand what is going on at school, at first Juanito feels like an “upside down boy.” But, thanks to encouragement from his parents, who tell him stories about their educational experiences, and his music teacher, he begins to excel and adjust to school. The story ends with Juanito’s parents and landlady, Mrs. Andasole, attending a school Open House, where Juanito leads the class in a song.

Family Involvement Summary:
Juanito’s parents show their commitment to his school education in many ways: They relocate explicitly so that he can start school; his papi helps ease the transition to school by walking him to school and reassuring him that change is positive; his parents praise his creative expression learned at school; and they attend a school Open House celebration. His parents also tell him about their love for words and language and how, because they were so poor growing up, they did not have the formal opportunity to learn at school. At school, Juanito is given the opportunity by his teacher to paint, sing, and write poetry, and his artistic talents are recognized. Juanito joyfully displays at home what he has learned at school. With support from both school and home contexts, Juanito flourishes in his creative work. In this story, the school is depicted as very welcoming of families: The Open House is attended by Juanito’s entire household, including his landlady, Mrs. Andasola, and her pet carnary. This story also shows a parental generation that joyfully embraces the learning of English. (“Each word, each language has its own magic” says Papi).

Language:
Bilingual (English and Spanish).


Soft cover version availableJimenez, F. (1998). La mariposa. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Plot Summary: Francisco, the son of migrant workers, goes to his first day of school knowing no English. Though he is unable to understand the teacher and students, he likes the comfort of his classroom compared with life at home in a tent. At school, he remembers his papá telling him it is important to be respectful and pay attention, especially to adults. Over time, he becomes interested in the caterpillar that sits in a jar near his desk, and develops a talent for drawing. When a classmate, Curtis, fights Francisco for inadvertently wearing his old jacket, Francisco quietly accepts the punishment from his teacher, and the teacher sends a note home to his parents with Francisco. Because the parents cannot read, Francisco tells them what happened, and Papá praises him for not disrespecting the teacher. At the end of the year, Francisco feels better because he is recognized and admired for his achievement in art by his teacher and classmates. As Francisco blossoms, the caterpillar also takes on a new form as it spins a cocoon. The class releases the butterfly, and Francisco gives his prize-winning picture of a butterfly to his former classroom enemy, Curtis. 

Family Involvement Summary: While Francisco’s papá is off in the fields working and his mother is taking care of his younger brother, Francisco’s older brother takes him to school on the bus and introduces him to the principal on his first day of school, thus showing the familial practice of sibling help. Although the teacher kindly shares a Spanish sentence with Francisco at the end, for the most part, Francisco is forbidden from speaking his home language at school, and he struggles with English. Francisco’s talent for drawing, which requires no language, is recognized at school, and he feels proud when he receives an art award. Home and school are distant and separate contexts in this story. Since his parents cannot understand the note sent home by the teacher, Francisco must explain what happened and be the one to connect home and school. The story also shows the traditional Latino cultural value placed on respect for adults and for the authority of the teacher.

Language: English, with some Spanish words and phrases.


Soft cover version availableJohnston, T. (2001). Uncle Rain Cloud. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge Publishing.

Plot Summary:
Every day, Carlos’s uncle Tomás, who has just moved to Los Angeles from Mexico, picks him up at school, and every day, he looks grouchy—like a rain cloud. When they go grocery shopping, Uncle Tomás is angry at the English on the food labels and refuses to let Carlos translate. But, every evening, Uncle Tomás tells wonderful stories about Mexican gods. Because his parents have to work, Uncle Tomás attends Carlos’s parent–teacher conference, where Carlos translates for Uncle Tomás and the teacher. Eventually, Uncle Tomás confesses that his trouble speaking English hurts his pride. In return, Carlos shares his own struggles at school and begins to teach English to his uncle.  

Family Involvement Summary: In this interdependent extended family, the uncle is the primary caregiver involved in Carlos’s learning, attending the conference with the teacher, picking him up after school, and taking care of him in the afternoons. After a conference with Carlos’s teacher, Uncle Tomás confides his deep shame to Carlos, about how humiliated he feels for not being able to speak English. The story portrays, in some detail, the dynamics of a home–school interaction in which the child from an immigrant family is called upon to translate and be the connector between the two contexts. It also shows how storytelling can connect generations, strengthen the home language, and convey cultural heritage. In addition, the story depicts familial support for the child’s learning in home, community, and school contexts.

Language:
English, with some Spanish words and phrases.


Spanish version availableLachtman, O. D. (2002). Pepita finds out/Lo que Pepita descubre. Houston, TX: Pinata Books.

Plot Summary:
Pepita is fascinated with magical and exciting tales and events. For homework, Pepita’s teacher asks her students to interview a parent or another older family member and then write a report about that person’s life and work. Pepita interviews her mother, her aunt, and her father, but thinks that nothing these adults have told her about their lives is exciting or important enough to make a good project. She dreams up more exciting lives for them, but then she realizes that if members of her family were as famous as she imagines, they wouldn’t have time to read her a goodnight story or help her sing Spanish songs. That night, her gardener father wakes her to show her that the seeds she’d helped him to plant have sprouted green leaves. Pepita finds this “almost like magic and very, very, very important.”

Family Involvement Summary: Mother, aunt and father all happily answer Pepita’s interview questions, demonstrating their enthusiasm for supporting her school learning. Through her interviewing and imaginings, Pepita articulates ways in which these family members take care of her, support her growth, and nurture her academic skills and cultural knowledge. Adults in this story teach piano, enjoy reading, and offer hands-on instruction about seed germination. This story shows how homework can connect home and school and provide a structured opportunity for family members to be involved in their child’s learning. It also depicts a child very engaged in her homework assignment, who feels both excited and challenged by it, finding it meaningful and rewarding.

Language: Bilingual (English and Spanish).


Spanish version availableLainez, R. C. (2004). Waiting for Papa/Esperando a Papá. Houston, TX: Piñata Books.  

Plot Summary: Eight-year-old Beto misses his father very much. When he and his mother moved to the United States from El Salvador because the factory where his parents worked was bombed and their house burned during the war, Beto’s father could not come with them because of visa problems. One day, a visitor to Beto’s classroom sees a letter Beto wrote to his father, and he invites Beto to read it on his radio program. An interested listener calls in and discusses helping Beto’s father come to the United States. Beto then begins a project with his classmates, collecting cans for money in order to buy a pair of his father’s favorite boots just in time for his father’s arrival in the United States. Beto is happy because his family will never be separated again.

Family Involvement Summary: Beto’s mother supports him in reading his letter on the air and raising funds to buy the boots, and, on the last day of school, his father is present in the auditorium to see Beto win awards for perfect attendance and good behavior. In school, his Mexican-American teacher shares stories about her own immigrant background during a class lesson on immigration and, in doing so, creates a safe space that allows Beto to share this own family situation. A Father’s Day project the teacher starts in the classroom also serves to connect school and family and, along with Beto’s beautiful letter to his absent father, sets in motion the reunification of his family. This story indicates that powerful things can happen when school and home work together. It also shows the impact of an expressive and creative child, who bring about change through his writing and inspiring his peers to community action.

Language: Bilingual (English and Spanish).


Spanish version availableLainez, R. C. (2005). I am René, the boy/Soy René, el niño. Houston, TX: Piñata Books.  

Plot Summary: After coming to the United States from El Salvador with his parents, René is startled when a new student—a girl named Renee – joins his class at school. René doesn’t like sharing his name with a girl, and the other students tease him. But, after finding a library book on the meaning of names, René enters an essay contest in which he writes about what his name means to him. He wins the contest and shares his prize with his classmates, but most importantly, he finds out many wonderful things about his name in both English and Spanish.  

Family Involvement Summary: René’s mother and father support him when he is concerned about sharing his name with a girl.  René’s father reassures him that “René is the name of hard-working men,” and his mother tells him that his name is beautiful. René’s parents want him to feel proud of his name and its heritage. René’s essay shows that he is very respectful of his parents and admires them very much.

Language: Bilingual (English and Spanish).


Soft cover version availableSpanish version availableMora, P. (1997). Tomás and the library lady. New York: Knopf Books for Young Readers.

Plot Summary: Tomás, a Mexican American child of migrant workers, travels around the country with his parents and his grandfather. While he explores his new environment during the summer, he decides to visit the nearby public library. During his visit, he is encouraged by the librarian to read and explore his imagination through books. Tomás goes home and tells all the stories to his family, bringing the words to life. One day, his grandfather visits the library and meets the librarian. The librarian, who has learned a few Spanish words from Tomás, speaks to the grandfather in his native language, to his delight.

Family Involvement Summary: Tomás’s grandfather supports his literacy development by telling him stories in Spanish, and his whole family supports his development as a reader by enjoying the storybooks that Tomás reads aloud to them in English. Papá Grande supports Tomás’s learning by suggesting that he seek out the local library for books, and Tomás continues to build his literacy skills in the community with the help of the librarian. This story shows the importance of storytelling, bilingual literacy, and intergenerational learning in an extended Latino immigrant family. It illustrates a pattern of respect for family elders. It also portrays the importance of formal community-based sources of learning for children, and their families.

Language: English, with some Spanish words and phrases.

For additional resources on this book, see the Reference Desk.


Soft cover version availableMora, P. (1999). The rainbow tulip. New York: Puffin Books.

Plot Summary:
Estelita likes her teacher and her school, but she knows her Mexican heritage makes her different from the other kids. Her mother, who speaks no English and wears plain clothes, is not like the other mothers. When her aunt, Tia Carmen, makes her a tulip costume for the May Day dance, Estelita worries about looking different from her classmates. As Estelita begins the dance, however, she gains confidence and discovers she is happy to have a such a unique costume and heritage. After the dance, Estelita and her mother eat lime sherbet, and her mother tells her that being different can be “both sweet and sour, like your sherbet.”

Family Involvement Summary:
Estelia’s mother walks her to and from school, and their conversations depict a close mother–daughter relationship. Along with Estelita’s younger siblings, the mother watches her daughter perform at school and is proud and applauds; her presence and support helps Estelita to overcome her fear, perform well, and help her classmates perform well. Her dressmaker aunt also supports Estelita by making her the costume that is needed for the school performance. The teacher and principal show that they value Estelita’s performance, as well. Despite the happiness of the day, when Estelita brings her mother to meet her English-speaking teacher, she wishes that they could communicate so that her mother could hear from her teacher how engaged Estelita is at school. This story shows some of the ways that diverse immigrant families who speak a different language from that which is spoken at school can support their children’s school education by helping with school projects in the home and being present to watch and cheer at school. (While the father is not present at the school performance, he is a potentially important role model, as it is noted that the house is a quiet house because he likes to read his books.)

Language:
English, with some Spanish words and phrases.


Spanish version availableMora, P. (2001). The bakery lady/La señora de la panadería. Houston, TX: Piñata Books.

Plot Summary: Monica lives with her brother and their grandparents above the family bakery.  She dreams of being a baker when she grows up and enjoys helping in the store. For the Feast of the Three Kings, the bakery makes a special kind of bread called “King’s Rings.” Tradition holds that whoever finds a small doll hidden inside the bread is lucky and should have a party in order to celebrate. Monica is happy to find the doll and excited about having a party for her friends. She is also apprehensive since she wants to prove that she can successfully bake delicious lemon cookies for the party. Baking the cookies and preparing a big party are not easy, but Monica’s grandparents and brother help her because “bakers share work, like families.”  

Family Involvement Summary:
Monica’s entire family reinforces her dream of becoming a baker when she grows up. They offer her encouragement and praise, give her gifts of apron and recipes, and call her “the bakery lady.” Like an apprentice, Monica learns by doing within her family’s business, where she helps with tasks such as opening the bakery and selling bread before school. She makes good use of a special opportunity to plan a party: organizing others in the family to help (“Tonight, you can be the boss and tell us what to do” her grandfather tells her), writing invitations, and baking cookies for the first time. Her family helps Monica be successful and celebrates her success. The value of helping behavior within Latino families is clearly articulated and demonstrated in this story.

Language: Bilingual (English and Spanish).


Soft cover version availableSpanish version availablePerez, L. K. (2002). First day in grapes. New York: Lee and Low Books.

Plot Summary: Because his parents are migrant workers, Chico must move frequently and is always the new kid in school. He dreads starting third grade at a new school, but his mother tells him, “We all have jobs, and school is yours.” Chico is nervous at first, but when he excels at math and gets praise from his teacher, he thinks things are going to be all right. At lunch in the cafeteria, he draws on his mother’s advice, to have courage and be strong, to successfully stand up to some bigoted bullies who make fun of him. At the end of the day, after even earning a friendly word from the grouchy bus driver, Chico is optimistic about his time at this new school.

Family Involvement Summary:
While Chico doubts the value of attending school because he wants to be a race car driver, his mamá underscores the importance of a school education, telling him, “We all have jobs, and school is yours.” She encourages him to stand up straight and tall like his papá going off to work in the fields. Chico has developed exceptional math skills outside of school through the everyday activity of counting the many crates his father picks. In this new school, he has the opportunity to demonstrate his special math abilities, and he sees that these are highly valued by his teacher and classmates. Along with his mamá’s support, this gives Chico the confidence he needs to face and triumph in some challenging social situations, and he ends up feeling good about the first day of school.

Language:
English, with some Spanish words and phrases.

Compiled by Ellen Mayer and Elizabeth Heymann in 2006, using Internet searches of children’s literature databases, online booklists, reference books, children’s presses specializing in Latino or multicultural children’s literature, and major book dealer websites; updated by Carrie-Anne DeDeo in 2009.

References

Day, F. A. (Ed). (2003). Latina and Latino voices in literature: Lives and works updated and expanded. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press.

Schon, I. (2003). The best of Latino heritage 1996-2002: A guide to the best juvenile books about Latino people. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press.  

© 2016 Presidents and Fellows of Harvard College
Published by Harvard Family Research Project