New Releases by Alma Flor Ada

“Still, silent water / starts to run / dancing over rocks, turning into song.” Acclaimed children’s book author Alma Flor Ada and her daughter Rosalma Zubizarreta-Ada share short poems for children about rivers and the life found along them. There are odes to cicadas, dragonflies, butterflies, fish, frogs and birds. “Dragonfly, / lovely fan of lace / wings fluttering / unceasingly, / above the river’s water.” These poems brim with the beauty of the natural world and the joy found in the great outdoors. There are stars that bathe in the river, the sun that hides behind the mountain and a stream that wraps itself in shadows. In one verse, the authors note there’s only a short distance from the river to the freeway leading back to the crowded, noisy city, “yet those few kilometers / allow us to dwell / in a very different world.” Reflecting time spent with family enjoying nature, these poems were conceived while Alma Flor Ada camped along the Yuba River with her daughter, Rosalma Zubizarreta-Ada, who created the English-language versions. With gorgeous illustrations by Gabhor Utomo depicting the countryside and kids playing at a river, this bilingual picture book introduces children to both the joy of poetry and spending time outside.

"HMH Into Reading features research-based, evidence-informed English Language Arts instruction in an explicit, systematic sequence to support a variety of learners across all literacy strands"--Publisher blurb.

-There's always room for one more- is the message of this simple fable.

There's a surprise on every page of this book about animals that lay eggs. Rhyming and repeated text make it a fun easy reader.

Brothers Pablo and Carlitos write letters to the three kings, telling them the gifts they want to receive on Three Kings' Day. Includes facts about Christmas and Three Kings' Day.

"A collection of three Latin American folktales retold in graphic novel form"--

Juanita lives in New York and is Mexican. Felipe lives in Chicago and is Panamanian, Venezuelan, and black. Michiko lives in Los Angeles and is Peruvian and Japanese. Each of them is Latino. Thirteen young Latinos and Latinas living in America are introduced in this book celebrating the rich diversity of the Latino and Latina experience in the United States. Free-verse fictional narratives from the perspective of each youth provide specific stories and circumstances for the reader to better understand the Latino people’s quest for identity. Each profile is followed by nonfiction prose that further clarifies the character’s background and history, touching upon important events in the history of the Latino American people, such as the Spanish Civil War, immigration to the US, and the internment of Latinos with Japanese ancestry during World War II. Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy’s informational yet heartwarming text provides a resource for young Latino readers to see themselves, while also encouraging non-Latino children to understand the breadth and depth of the contributions made by Latinos in the US. Caldecott Medalist David Diaz’s hand-cut illustrations are bold and striking, perfectly complementing the vibrant stories in the book. YES! WE ARE LATINOS stands alone in its presentation of the broad spectrum of Latino culture and will appeal to readers of fiction and nonfiction.

A young girl enjoys the similarities and the differences between her English-speaking and Spanish-speaking grandparents.

Growing up in Cuba : includes Where the flame trees bloom, Under the royal palms, and five brand new stories.

Far on the other side of the mountains, next to an enchanted castle, grows a tree with three golden oranges. It is there that the three brothers -- Santiago, Tomás, and Matías -- must journey if they wish to find a wife. Once they reach their destination, the brothers must carefully pick the oranges and bring them back to the old woman who lives in a cave on the cliffs overlooking the sea. But, "In order to find your wives, you will need to work together," the old woman has said. "Woe to you if you do not follow my advice!" Each of the brothers wants something different. Santiago wants a wife who is beautiful. Tomás wants one who is both rich and beautiful. But Matías, the youngest brother, longs for a woman who is kind, joyful, and loving...someone he could love very much in return. Will the brothers be able to avert misfortune by working together? Will they be strong enough to break the spell that a wicked sorcerer has placed on the castle? Master storyteller Alma Flor Ada offers a poetic and magical retelling of a well-loved traditional story about Blancaflor, a mythical young woman who appears in various stories throughout the Hispanic world. Reg Cartwright's boldly colorful and exquisitely stylized art is a perfect accompaniment.

Martha, la mejor amiga de Amalia, va a mudarse muy lejos. Y Amalia se siente triste y enojada. Sin embargo, aunque la vida parece injusta, las sabias palabras cariñosas de su abuelita la ayudan a sentirse un poco mejor. Amalia disfruta el tiempo que comparte con su abuela: cocinando, escuchando cuentos y música y aprendiendo de la familia mientras miran las tarjetas que la abuelita atesora en una caja de madera de olivo. Pero cuando una nueva pérdida sacude la vida de Amalia, nada tiene ya sentido. ¿Podrá descubrir Amalia, a pesar del dolor, que especial es, aun si quienes ama ya no están a su lado?

Para María Isabel Salazar López lo más difícil de ser la alumna recién llegada a una nueva escuela es que la maestra no la llama por su nombre. —Ya tenemos dos Marías en esta clase—le dice la maestra. —¿Por qué no te llamamos Mary? Pero a María Isabel la llamaron así en recuerdo de la madre de su padre y de Chabela, su querida abuelita puertorriqueña. ¿Podrá hacerle comprender a la maestra que perder su nombre es perder la parte más importante de sí misma?

Alma Flor Ada nos ofrece, lejos de los reflectores de la figura pública, la posibilidad de ser sus compañeros de viaje, mientras revela los secretos de su apasionante trayectoria «He vivido sin esperar premio ni castigo, y ahora descubro que el premio ha sido cada día vivido.» Vivir en dos idiomas se ubica en la frontera entre la literatura y la historia. Desde las primeras páginas descubrimos una vida tocada por un don. Con la sinceridad que la caracteriza, la autora hace una exploración personal, intensa e inspiradora de su propia vida. Este libro presenta las experiencias y reflexiones más significativas de una escritora para quien la narración es parte del ser, un compromiso inaplazable. Con su inconfundible estilo, Alma Flor Ada nos relata los pormenores de una infancia aparentemente idílica en Cuba, sus años de escuela y sus primeros encuentros con los libros, que más tarde se convertirían en compañeros inseparables, amigos, confidentes y portadores de su mensaje. La acompañaremos en su travesía, llena de avatares y logros, por distintos países de tres continentes. Seremos testigos de episodios que marcarían para siempre su camino, como el contacto con maestros como Paulo Freire y las situaciones de injusticia social que motivaron su infatigable labor en pro de los campesinos inmigrantes en Estados Unidos.

All the animals who benefited from Elena's generosity bring food to help her fill an empty pinata.

In this timely tale of immigration, two cousins learn the importance of family and friendship. A year of discoveries culminates in a performance full of surprises, as two girls find their own way to belong. Mexico may be her parents’ home, but it’s certainly not Margie’s. She has finally convinced the other kids at school she is one-hundred percent American—just like them. But when her Mexican cousin Lupe visits, the image she’s created for herself crumbles. Things aren’t easy for Lupe, either. Mexico hadn’t felt like home since her father went North to find work. Lupe’s hope of seeing him in the United States comforts her some, but learning a new language in a new school is tough. Lupe, as much as Margie, is in need of a friend. Little by little, the girls’ individual steps find the rhythm of one shared dance, and they learn what “home” really means. In the tradition of My Name is Maria Isabel—and simultaneously published in English and in Spanish—Alma Flor Ada and her son Gabriel M. Zubizarreta offer an honest story of family, friendship, and the classic immigrant experience: becoming part of something new, while straying true to who you are.

Oh, I had ten little puppies, Ten little puppies had I . . . Count along in Spanish and English as each one of the ten adorable puppies disappears from the pages—it's a bilingual bonanza! Colorful and playful illustrations by artist Ulises Wensell, a vibrant rendition of the classic Spanish nursery rhyme by Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy, and a delightful English adaptation by Rosalma Zubizarreta will make this edition an instant family favorite. And you can find more information at the back of the book about the puppy breeds featured. Puppies have never been so irresistible! Yo tenÍa diez perritos, diez perritos tenÍa yo . . . Ahora puedes contar, en inglÉs o en espaÑol, cada uno de los diez adorables perritos mientras van desapareciendo de las pÁginas. ¡Una verdadera joya bilingÜe! Las originales y divertidas ilustraciones del artista Ulises Wensell, la vibrante versiÓn de la rima clÁsica de Alma Flor Ada y F. Isabel Campoy, y una excelente adaptaciÓn en inglÉs de Rosalma Zubizarreta harÁn que este libro sea indispensable en todos los hogares. Puedes encontrar mÁs informaciÓn acerca de las razas de los cachorros en la parte posterior del libro. ¡Nunca has visto perritos mÁs irresistibles!

A third grader realizes the importance of her name in this classic story of heritage and self-identity. For María Isabel Salazar López, the hardest thing about being the new girl in school is that the teacher doesn't call her by her real name. "We already have two Marías in this class," says her teacher. "Why don't we call you Mary instead?" But María Isabel has been named for her Papá's mother and for Chabela, her beloved Puerto Rican grandmother. Can she find a way to make her teacher see that if she loses her name, she's lost the most important part of herself?

Resuenen con alegría los cánticos de mi tierra que viva el Niño Jesús que ha nacido en Nochebuena. It's time to sing out with joy the songs that are sung in my land in praise of the precious Child born this holy Christmas evening. Come share the joy of a Hispanic Christmas! In this warm and vibrant collection of traditional Spanish Christmas carols, or villancicos, noted authors Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy bring to life the holiday traditions of Latin America and Spain. The creative English adaptations by Rosalma Zubizarreta both capture the spirit of the originals and add a new dimension to the songs. And Spanish illustrator Viví Escrivá's spirited illustrations are perfect backdrops for the lyrics, adding rich holiday flavor. Come sing along! ¡Feliz Navidad! and Merry Christmas!

Presents articles, editorials and ads from the "Hidden Forest Times" that retell many well-known stories, including Jack and the beanstalk, Pinocchio, and the Tortoise and the Hare. When the residents of Hidden Forest wake up and open their morning papers, they are in for a surprise. When the residents of Hidden Forest wake up and open their morning papers, they are in for a surprise. An enormous beanstalk has mysteriously sprouted outside of Jack Blake's house, and Jack is nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, Pinocchio and Half-Chicken have set out on adventures of their own, and Tortoise and Hare are off to the races. Will they all find their happy endings? Hidden Forest News has got the scoops. Written and laid out in newspaper format, this installment in the enchanting Hidden Forest series has received a new twist from Alma Flor Ada and Leslie Tryon.

Brothers Pablo and Carlitos write letters to the three kings, telling them the gifts they want to receive on Three Kings' Day. Includes facts about Christmas and Three Kings' Day.

A collection of Hispanic folktales.

Joaquin is enjoying Mardi Gras with his family, but he gets lost in the crowd. His parents and siblings search everywhere for him, and inadvertently they take other children who, like Joaquin, are disguised as harlequins. The confusion is solved in the end and the involved families continue enjoying the carnival together. Contains an informative section on Mardi Gras.

Champ the dog hitches a ride in the basket for the Fourth of July picnic. Includes nonfiction information about the holiday.

Saturdays and Sundays are very special days for the child in this story. On Saturdays, she visits Grandma and Grandpa, who come from a European-American background, and on Sundays -- los domingos -- she visits Abuelito y Abuelita, who are Mexican-American. While the two sets of grandparents are different in many ways, they also have a great deal in common -- in particular, their love for their granddaughter. While we follow our narrator to the circus and the pier, share stories from her grandparents' pasts, and celebrate her birthday, the depth and joy of both cultures are conveyed in Spanish and English. This affirmation of both heritages will speak to all children who want to know more about their own families and ethnic backgrounds.

Explores the contradictions between what is expected of teachers and the education and support they have received, and provides teachers with advice on how to teach writing and generate their students' interest in writing.

A guide to Latino literature for young readers by literature professor Alma Flor Ada.

In simple words and sun-drenched paintings, Alma Flor Ada and Simón Silva take us into the fields and orchards, and into the lives of the people who work them. Simple poems in Spanish and English, one for each letter of the Spanish alphabet, describe the wonder of the vegetable and fruit farms. Together, the poems and the rich illustrations celebrate the glory of nature and the hearts of all who dedicate their lives to working the land.

NC State textbook adoption 2006-07.

People who are dedicated to improving the lives of others possess special qualities. José Martí, Frida Kahlo, and César Chávez are three such people. Explore their lives and the way each one helped to change our world.