Hi! ¡Hola! A friendship story in English and Spanish! ¡Un cuento de amistad en inglés y español!Hi. / Hola.
My name is Joe. / Mi nombre es José.
Let's paint. / Pintemos.
Two boys, an English speaker and a Spanish speaker, meet at school. They paint together and learn about colors. In the end, they declare, "Let's be friends. / Seamos amigos.
Rene Colato Lainez, a teacher in a bilingual kindergarten classroom, has crafted an ingenious story that authentically and naturally uses conversation to introduce children to English and Spanish. The fun friendship story engages children, while simple words, short sentences, and a glossary reinforce learning.
Nomar Perez, illustrator of best-selling children's books as well as greeting cards, has a bright, bold, colorful, kid-pleasing style that invites readers to befriend the characters in this book.
Perfect for preschoolers, kindergarteners, and first and second graders who are learning to speak or read English and Spanish. A delightful reading experience for bilingual families.
Named to the Tejas Star Reading List
On sale: June 27, 2023
Age: 3-7 years
Grade: Preschool - 2
Page count: 40 Pages
ISBN: 9780823454235
René Colato Laínez is the author of several bilingual picture books, including
Senor Pancho Had a Rancho,
Vamonos! Let's Go!, and
Playing Lotería, which was nominated for the Tejas Star Book Award - the K-6 bilingual counterpart to the Texas Bluebonnet Award. He lives in California, where he teaches a bilingual kindergarten class. Through his work as both an author and an educator, he hopes to help all children develop positive self-images.
Nomar Perez grew up in Ponce, Puerto Rico, where "an amazing array of colors, sounds, and flavors" influenced his artistic life. He is the illustrator of two 2017 Amazon Best Sellers:
All Day Long, God Loves Me and
Everywhere I Go, God is With Me. He is also a staff artist at American Greetings. Nomar currently lives in Cleveland, Ohio.
★ "This bilingual beginning reader by Laínez . . . contains a perfect blend of Spanish and English. . . . Laínez’s bilingual teaching background shows through in this well-constructed story, and the simple text works for those learning either language. . . . A fantastic addition to any early childhood classroom."
—Booklist, Starred Review "Colorful artwork and detailed pictures keep readers engaged. . . . a simple story with delightful characters for beginning readers or those learning a new language."
—School Library Journal "A joyful story gently highlighting the power of art to connect communities and individuals."
—Kirkus Reviews
