EDUC F203 | Tracing Past, Present & Future: Literacy Journeys through the Study of Picture Books

Carlitos lives in a happy home with his mother, his abuela, and Coco the cat. Life in his hometown is cozy as can be, but the call of the capital city pulls Carlitos across the bay in search of his father. Jolly piragüeros, mischievous cats, and costumed musicians color this tale of love, family, and the true meaning of home.

Nine-year-old Alejandria, home isn't just the apartment she shares with Mami and her abuela, Tita, but rather the whole neighbourhood. But lately the city has been changing, and rent prices are going up. Many people in el barrio are leaving because they can no longer afford their homes, and 'For Sale' signs are popping up everywhere. Then the worst thing happens: Mami receives a letter saying they'll have to move out too. Alejandria knows it isn't fair, but she's not about to give up and leave. Join Alejandria as she brings her community together to fight and save their neighbourhood!

The city is alive with vibrant art in every corner of the parks, the shops, the trains. But most people are too busy to see it--or worse, choose to ignore it! When three children stop to marvel at the art around their community, they realize it's up to them to show everyone else how truly special it is when art and reality dance together so seamlessly.

Charles, an African American student, learns to appreciate his similarities to and differences from his new friend Hector, who is from Puerto Rico.

Follows a girl in the 1920s as she strives to become a drummer, despite being continually reminded that only boys play the drums, and that there has never been a female drummer in Cuba.

A story inspired by events in the boyhood of Winston "Spree" Simon, a pioneer in the development of the steel drum, in which he discovers he can create tunes by banging on discarded cans.

Junior tells of the games he played in his mind during the eight days he was trapped in his house after the devastating January 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Includes author's note about Haitian children before the earthquake and her own children's reactions to the disaster.

A boy describes the building, people, weather, games, and activities he can observe from his window in a favela, a neighborhood in Rio de Janiero. Includes notes about favelas and the author's experiences growing up in one.

The author describes Christmas at his grandmother's apartment in Spanish Harlem the year she introduced him to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Diego Velazquez's portrait of Juan de Pareja, which has had a profound and lasting effect on him.

Eric spends the summer with his grandmother in Spanish Harlem and learns about her favorite salsa records.

Lola was just a baby when her family left the Island, so when she has to draw it for a school assignment, she asks her family, friends, and neighbors about their memories of her homeland ... and in the process, comes up with a new way of understanding her own heritage

All Julián can think about is dressing up just like the ladies in his own fabulous mermaid costume: a butter-yellow curtain for his tail, the fronds of a potted fern for his headdress. But what will Abuela think about the mess he makes -- and even more importantly, what will she think about how Julián sees himself?

In this version of a traditional tale, Senor Calavera arrives at Grandma Beetle's door, ready to take her to the next life, but after helping her count, in English and Spanish, as she makes her birthday preparations, he changes his mind.

As Señor Calavera prepares for Grandma Beetle's birthday he finds an alphabetical assortment of unusual presents, but with the help of Zelmiro the Ghost, he finds the best gift of all.

Two sleepy children sneak out of their beds to watch as their parents, who love each other very much, break into a dance while washing the dishes.

At the end of a long day, Mother Sky helps her playful daughter, Little Night, to get ready for bed.

Mira lives in a gray and hopeless urban community until a muralist arrives and, along with his paints and brushes, brings color, joy, and togetherness to Mira and her neighbors.

This bilingual book allows young readers to enter Celia Cruz's life as she becomes a well-known singer in her homeland of Cuba, then moves to New York City and Miami where she and others create a new type of music called salsa.

Do you know how a poor boy from Brazil who loved futbol more than anything else became the biggest soccer star the world has ever known? Turn the pages of this book to read the true life story of Pele, King of Soccer, the first man in the history of the sport to score a thousand goals and become a living legend.

Just in time for the World Cup, an inspiring story of a Brazilian boy who dreams of being a soccer star and the sister who steps in to help his team win a game.

During the early days of the Great Depression, New York City's first Puerto Rican librarian, Pura Belpré, introduces the public library to immigrants living in El Barrio and hosts the neighborhood's first Three Kings' Day fiesta.

This inspiring book is based on the true story of the children of the barrio of San Jose de la Urbina in Caracas, Venezuela. There are no parks where they live, and the children must play in the streets. They ask the mayor for an empty lot to build a playground, but all they get are campaign promises. They know that they are the only ones who will make something happen, so they get their friends and family involved until the whole barrio unites to create a space of their own.

When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Tan, sienna, topaz, or tamarind? Poems in celebration of brown skin color.

Inspired by actual events, Vicki and A Summer of Change Vicki y un verano de cambio recounts what happened in East Harlem, New York in 1969 when Puerto Rican activists joined by Latinx and African Americans formed the Young Lords Organization.

Manu and her best friend, Josefina, live at a magical school for girls, and Manu is always getting into trouble. One day, a prank goes seriously wrong, and Josefina gets angry and wishes for Manu's magic to disappear... and it does. Manu uses a dangerous spell to restore it, but it makes her magic too powerful and nearly impossible to control. Great power comes at a cost, and it may be a price that Manu isn't able to pay!

In this magical middle grade novel, ten-year-old Gabrielle finds out that America isn't the perfect place she imagined when she moves from Haiti to Brooklyn. With the help of a clever witch, Gabrielle becomes the perfect American--but will she lose herself in the process?

Introduces Capoeira, a combination of play, martial arts and dance, as practiced in the United States and Brazil, as well as its colorful roots in the African slave culture of Brazil and its history.

A little boy named Clemente learns about his namesake, the great baseball player Roberto Clemente