So in order to try and clean off my desk which is suffering under the weight of the many books that I have been wanting to share with you, I've decided to just dedicate this week to exactly that: BOOKS!
You'll probably remember how I feel about audio books, and the fact that I think they are an excellent tool for developing literacy skills. So I'm starting off with a couple from some of my favorite voice-over actors, The Amador Family (remember them from this feature?).
Published by Barefoot Books, The Parrot Tico Tango is written and illustrated by Anna Witte (who also wrote Lola's Fandango). But Barefoot offers the book with an accompanying CD featuring the book as sung by Brian Amador - with a little help from his family.
I LOVE this book. The story line follows a day in the life of el loro (the parrot) Tico Tango, as he flies about the rain forest stealing all the fruits from the other animals. BUT his pilfering ways don't last for long and soon he has to work his way back into the good graces of his forest friends. The story is predictable for children helping them to develop critical thinking skills as they anticipate what will happen next, all the while building to a climax that relieved my children who were worried that he'd get away with it all. :)
But the best part of this book is the CD and the fun and lively song that is sung by Brian Amador. Before I knew it, my toe was tapping and I was humming along with the song, as were my children. Learning is just so much better when you can do it to music, no?
The book is perfect for children in Pre-K and Kindergarten as it teaches the different colors and various animals found in the jungle, fruits, and sequence. But my 2nd grader enjoyed it just as much thanks to the music, the engaging story line, and the beautiful illustrations.
And you know what else? This book is also available in Spanish with the song perfectly done and using Witte's beautiful translation that is not word for word, but rather conveys the message and the emotion in a well-written manner.
You can hear an audio sample here on the Sol y Canto website. (Sol y Canto is the Amador's band.)
If you click on the titles (links) above, they will take you to our sister site, the Latin Baby Book Club, and my online store.
Con mucho cariño...
Disclosure: The books mentioned above were sent to me at the request of the Amador family. All thoughts and opinions expressed are strictly and fanatically my own. Ciao!