Songs are poems. Which is your favorite?

The Picture Book of the Week is  Arenas y trinos: Ábecedario del río/ Sand and Song: The ABCs of the River written by Alma Flor Ada and Rosalma Zubizarreta-Ada, and illustrated by Gabhor Utomo.

About the Book:

Arenas y trinos: Ábecedario del río / Sand and Song: The ABCs of the River is a collection of poems with titles starting from A all the way through Z. Each poem describes an aspect of a river that cuts through a wood — silent water, the different kinds of trees, dipping your toes in the water, and a dragonfly fluttering above the water. Engross yourself in the sights and sounds of nature with these lilting poems from the heart.

Writing Prompt for Kids:

English:

Find a notebook. Read poems. Copy down your favorites in your notebook. Re-read them often.

Español:

Consigue una libreta. Lee poemas. Apunta los que más te gusten. Vuélelos a leer seguido.

I would love to ready your favorite poem. If you would like to share, send your favorite poem to contact@alicia-salazar.com

Happy Writing!

 

How do you say ‘goodnight’?

The Picture Book of the Week is At the Stroke of Goodnight, written and illustrated by Clay Rice.

About the Book:

At the Stroke of Goodnight is a bedtime book for young children. The nighttime illustrations evoke the calm and quietness of the evening. Together with the rhythm of the words, they are sure to give young listeners sweet dreams.

Watch the Vooks video below:

Writing Prompt for Kids:

English:

What is your bedtime routine? Do you read a book? Do you listen to soft music? Or do you watch the world go settle down for the night through your window? Write about how you say goodnight.

Español:

¿Cuál es tu rutina a la hora de ir a dormir? ¿Lees un libro? ¿Escuchas música tranquila? U observas el mundo ponerse en calma poco a poco atravéz de tu ventana? Escribe acerca de la forma en que das las “buenas noches”.

I would love to read your writing. If you would like to share, send your goodnight routines to contact@alicia-salazar.com.

Happy Writing!

Have you ever done something you knew you shouldn’t be doing? What were the consequences?

The Picture Book of the Week is How Dinosaurs Went Extinct A Safety Guide, written by Ame Dyckman and illustrated by Jennifer Harney.

About the Book:

Mom and Dad take their young son to the science museum where they get to see a number of fossilized dinosaur skeletons. The young boy asks, “how did dinosaurs go extinct?”. Mom gives him a plausible explanation, but then dad steps in and decides to take the opportunity to make his son’s question a teachable moment. How did dinosaurs go extinct, according to Dad? Read this wildly funny and action-packed picture book to find out.

Watch an interview with the author and illustrator below:

Writing Prompt for Kids:

English:

Have you ever done anything you knew you shouldn’t be doing? Write about how you broke the rules and what the consequences were.

Spanish:

¿Alguna vez haz hecho algo que sabias que no debías hacer? Escribe sobre como rompiste las reglas y cuáles fueron las consecuencias.

I would love to read your writing. If you would like to share, please send what you write to contact@alicia-salazar.com

Happy Writing!

What is the best thing you have waited for?

The Picture Book of the Week is Sweater Weather, written and illustrated by Matt Phelan.

About the Book:

The characters in Sweater Weather, a Papa Bear and his seven cubs, are waiting for something. Is it time to put on their sweaters? Not yet. Is it time to put on their sweaters now? Not yet. Meanwhile, Papa Bear is knitting and the cubs are restless. What do you think they are waiting for? Will it finally happen?

Writing Prompt for Kids:

English:

Papa Bear and the cubs are waiting for something that finally happens at the end of the book. What is the best thing you have waited for? Explain your answer with as much detail as you can.

Español:

Papá Oso y sus oseznos están esperando algo que finalmente sucede al final del libro. ¿Qué es lo mejor que haz esperado que sucediera? Explica tu respuesta con los mayores detalles que puedas.

I would love to read your writing. If you would like to share, please send your writing to contact@alicia-salazar.com.

Happy Writing!

Have you ever gone an adventure inside your head?

The Picture Book of the Week is How To Write A Poem, written by Kwame Alexander & Deanna Nikaido, and illustrated by Melissa Sweet.

About the Book:

In this book, the authors use fun, juicy words to describe the process of paying attention and listening. Along with the illustrations, they lead readers on an adventure through the natural world and deep into their imaginations.

What this video of Kwame teaching the ingredients of a poem:

Writing Prompt for Kids:

English:

Go on an adventure inside your imagination. What do you see there? Write a poem.

Español:

Anda en una aventura dentro de su imaginación. ¿Que ves allí? Escribe un poema.

I would love to read your poems. If you would like to share, send your poems to contact@alicia-salazar.com.

Happy Writing!

 

Believe it or not, it’s almost time for the Day of the Dead again. In just three shorts months, many people will by pulling out their catrinas and sugar skulls to celebrate the lives of their dead loved ones. Will you celebrate?

The Picture Book of the Week is The Dead Family Diaz, written by P. J. Bracegirdle and illustrated by Poly Bernatene.

About the Book:

The Dead Family Diaz brings the bright colors and traditional skull masks to life in a story about a skeleton boy who is afraid of the living. He listens to his sister’s horror stories about humans and isn’t exactly excited about taking the elevator to the human world to mingle with them on the Day of the Dead. Once there, he mistakes a human boy with a mask for a skeleton like him. What will happen when the realize their mistake?

Watch this clip from Elena of Avalon about Dia de los Muertos

For Additional Reading on Dia de los Muertos, look for the following titles:

Writing Prompt for Kids:

English:

Write a story about a loved one who isn’t with us anymore — it can be a person or a pet.

Spanish:

Escribe una historia sobre un ser querido que ya no esta con nosotros — puede ser una persona o una mascota.

Happy Writing!

 

 

 

What would you do for a friend?

The Picture Book of the Week is a bilingual and dual language book called Paletero Man in English and ¡Qué Paletero Tan Cool! in Spanish. It was written by Luck Diaz, illustrated by Micah Player, and translated by Dr. Carmen Tafolla.

About the Book:

A young boy sets off the find the paletero man, or the man who sells popsicles out of a freezer on wheels. Along the way, he passes his uncle and other familiar faces, but he doesn’t have time to stop and chat. He needs to find the paletero man. When the boy finally does find the paletero man, he runs into an unforeseen problem. Will he finally get his favorite paleta? Will his friends help him out?

Watch the author, Luck Diaz, give a tutorial on how to make paletas (popsicles):

Writing Prompt for Kids:

English:

Is there anything you know how to make like Lucky Diaz makes paletas? Write a how-to on whatever you know how to make, or you can watch the video and write a how-to on how to make paletas.

Español:

¿Sabes hacer algo como Lucky Diaz sabe hacer paletas? Escribe un escrito sobre como hacer algo que tu sabes hacer, o puedes ver el video y escribir un escrito sobre como hacer paletas.

Paletero Man Writing Prompt in English

¡Que Paletero Tan Cool! Tema de Escritura en Español

I would love to read your how-to essays. If you are willing to share, send your essays to contact@alicia-salazar.com.

Happy Writing!