Alma and How She Got Her Name
by Juana Martinez-Neal (Goodreads Author)
Alma has a very long name. Alma Sofia Esperanza Jose Pura Candela. It’s so long that it won’t even fit on the paper when she tries to write her name! She asks her father why she has such a long name, and he explains that Sofia was her grandmother. Esperanza was her great-grandmother. Jose was her grandfather, and Pura is her great-aunt.
Alma shares special things in common with all her family. She loves to paint like her grandfather. She loves flowers and birds like her grandmother. The heritage that she shares with them is a part of who she is, so her name fits her just right.
I loved the main idea of this book about being connected to your family heritage and how your name is a reflection of that connection. However, I did not like the part about aunt Pura. It says that Pura “believed that the spirits of our ancestors are always with us.” There is an illustration of Pura lighting a candle in front of an idol of some kind, with strange drawings and pictures on the walls. There is a picture of lungs, a heart with a dagger in it, creepy disembodied eyes, and a lot of hands with weird things inside. A hand with a house inside, a hand with a heart inside, a hand with vines growing all over it. The text also says that Pura tied a red string around Alma’s wrist when she was born, to be a charm to protect Alma. Very strange.
The illustrations are soft and pretty. I like the way the art style is mostly black and white with pencil, and then a small addition of color in one or two places. It’s really lovely!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
Alma and Her Family/Alma y su familia
by Juana Martinez-Neal (Goodreads Author)
Alma introduces us to her family and describes how much she loves them. She paints with her grandfather, plays with her cousins, and gives her father a kiss. She imitates everything her brother does, and listens to her grandmother’s stories.
The best thing about this board book is that it is bilingual with English and Spanish, so that little readers can learn both languages together! The English words are in black text, and the Spanish words are in blue.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
Alma, Head to Toe /Alma, de pies a cabeza
by Juana Martinez-Neal (Goodreads Author)
Alma shows the reader all the different parts of the body from head to toe. We learn to say the head, the belly, the arm, and wrist, and fingers. We learn to say the foot, leg, heart, and shoulder. Then Alma shows how she uses her eyes, fingers, nose, and toes playing with her little bird.
The best thing about this board book is that it is bilingual with English and Spanish, so that little readers can learn both languages together! The English words are in black text, and the Spanish words are in blue.
The illustrations are soft and pretty. I like the way the art style is mostly black and white with pencil, and then a small addition of color in one or two places. It’s really lovely!
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.
Luminous Libro 