Best Selling Books by Alma Flor Ada

A collection of Hispanic folktales.

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.

In this companion volume to Alma Flor Ada''s Where the Flame Trees Bloom, the author offers young readers another inspiring collection of stories and reminiscences drawn from her childhood on the island of Cuba. Through those stories we see how the many events and relationships she enjoyed helped shape who she is today. We learn of a deep friendship with a beloved dance teacher that helped sustain young Alma Flor through a miserable year in school. We meet relatives, like her mysterious Uncle Manolo, whose secret, she later learns, is that he dedicated his life to healing lepers. We share the tragedy of another uncle whose spirited personality leads to his love of flying...and the crash that takes his life. Heartwarming, poignant, and often humorous, this collection encourages children to discover the stories in their our own lives -- stories that can help inform their own values and celebrate the joys and struggles we all share no matter where or when we grew up.

When the sun disappears, all the animals try to find it, but only one courageous lizard keeps on looking.

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!

“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.

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

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

Holding onto our dreams is one of the keys to success. Hop aboard as we accompany playwright, screenwriter, and director Luis Valdez, muralist Judith Francisca Baca, and the person who discovered the cause of yellow fever, Doctor Carlos Juan Finlay, from their humble beginnings to their incredible accomplishments.

NC State textbook adoption 2006-07.

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

Features animal babies that hatch from eggs.