Book Recommendations for Hispanic Heritage Month (cont.)

In order to help you get ready for Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15), here at My World/Mi Mundo, I continue sharing great books that can be used during this month's celebration. The following books Family Pictures and In My Family, both by Carmen Lomas Garza are fantastic books to share with children in grades K-5.  These bilingual books are "snapshots" or "small moments" like Lucy Calkins would say, of a Latino family growing up in  a Mexican Community in Texas. These books are a wonderful example of how to write about every day life. Each page has a different painting in which shows the family engaged in a different activity, tradition or simply a different moment in the day. I enjoy reading how the family gets together to make tamales, people walking in and out of the big kitchen, children helping, all family members involve in the chores. Carmen Lomas Garza does such a fantastic job portraying a true picture because while I am reading this book I can't help by nod constantly at the many true pictures she has painted throughout these two books.

I know there are many primary teachers out there right now setting up routines and procedures for writing workshop, talking about topics that children may write, and teaching them to write about small moments. Family Pictures and In My Family are both wonderful resources for those teaching moments!