A new professional resource, Celebrating Cuentos: Promoting Latino Children’s Literature and Literacy in Classrooms and Libraries, (Libraries Unlimited, 2011) edited by Jamie Campbell Naidoo just released. Colorín Colorado has reprinted the chapter on Día, “The Spirit of Día : Celebrating Cuentos Every Day,” co-authored by Jamie with Irania Patterson (Charlotte Mecklenburg Public Library.) You can read it here.
Monday, April 25th at 3:00 p.m. @ MARSHVILLE
Don’t miss this celebration of children and books with fun activities and crafts. For ages 5-12. English/Español
Fiesta de día de los niños – Children’s Day Party!
Monday, April 25th at 4:00 p.m. @ WAXHAW
Celebrate Día de los niños/ Día de los libros with a fiesta! Books, music, crafts, and a piñata will make for a súper divertido (super fun) time!
Criss, Cross Mangosauce performs in celebration of Día de Los Niños/ Día de Los Libros
Tuesday, April 26th at 3:30pm @ Union West Regional
This is an interactive performance that makes children move and sing in both English and Spanish, using a combination of traditional Latin rhythms and classic American children’s rhymes. All ages invited for a fun and musical time!
My Garden: Growing Readers/Mi Jardín: Cultivando Lectores
Thursday April 28 at 4:00 pm @ Monroe
Join us for our Día de los Niños/ Día de los Libros (Day of the Children/ Day of the Book) celebration. Kevin Henkes’ My Garden sets the stage for this bilingual and nature-inspired program. Kids will have fun learning Spanish words and how to plant a flower. They will also take part in creating a special art project for our May bulletin board! For ages 4-9. Receive a free packet of flower seeds to take home and plant!
I savor presenting to interested audiences as much as I enjoy writing. Good audiences energize me, and I was certainly energized recently in Pennsylvania. At Kutztown University Children’s Literature Conference, I was fortunate to hear and visit with Jerry Pinkney, Linda Sue Park and Beth Krommes. I don’t get to listen to authors and illustrators that often, so that alone was a treat. I also had the pleasure of speaking to three different audiences: second graders, university students and faculty, and area teachers and librarians. How excited these professionals and pre-service teachers were to hear about Día. “We’ll do this!” they’d say enthusiastically. I felt surrounded by warm and friendly people, mostly women, who loved reading and wanted to share bookjoy.
Soon, Día’s 15th Anniversary will end, and I’ll be delighted to return to writing carrying some of that PA good-will with me.
