Today's Back-to-School Fiesta giveaway is for those of you with little children. You know how much I love children's books that feature folktales or nursery rhymes from Latin America. I have shared so many here on MommyMaestra over the years. That's because young children learn so much from songs.
Research shows that music has many benefits for children, including how it can improve literacy and numeracy skills, develop vocabulary, improve coordination, lift a child's mood, and increase a child's sensory development. (Read more about the benefits of music for children here and here.)
So, of course, I was absolutely delighted to be contacted by my friends at Sugar Mountain PR about the new bilingual musical picture book, The Hummingbird Sings and Dances: Latin American Lullabies and Nursery Rhymes (aff link).
This beautiful book contains 19 nursery rhymes and lullabies from 17 Latin American countries. Of course, there are the beloved traditional ones such as Los pollitos and Arroz con leche, but there are also some I remember from my own childhood and haven't heard in - ahem - many, many years, such as Naranja dulce and A la rorro niño. Cuba, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Venezuela, and Bolivia are just some of the countries represented in this lovely book.
All of the text is presented in both English and Spanish, but the songs themselves are only sung in Spanish. The songs are sung by the Mexican musical-vocal ensemble, Grupo Cantaro, who do a truly remarkable job of making the songs engaging with background sounds that supplement the music and the lyrics.
Another nice thing is that the back of the book contains the complete lyrics to the songs on the CD so you can sing along! And there is a map of Latin America included at the back of the book. Both of these make it easier to incorporate this book into a lesson plan.
The musical selection and the illustrations are all done by Mariana Ruiz Johnson and they are fabulous. The illustrations are so fun and vibrant. Children will love sitting and looking through this picture book while listening to the CD, or while a parent (or abuelita!) reads and sings to them.
If this book sounds like the perfect fit for your family or classroom, check out the giveaway below. And visit the publisher - The Secret Mountain - website for more books.
So, of course, I was absolutely delighted to be contacted by my friends at Sugar Mountain PR about the new bilingual musical picture book, The Hummingbird Sings and Dances: Latin American Lullabies and Nursery Rhymes (aff link).
This beautiful book contains 19 nursery rhymes and lullabies from 17 Latin American countries. Of course, there are the beloved traditional ones such as Los pollitos and Arroz con leche, but there are also some I remember from my own childhood and haven't heard in - ahem - many, many years, such as Naranja dulce and A la rorro niño. Cuba, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Venezuela, and Bolivia are just some of the countries represented in this lovely book.
Another nice thing is that the back of the book contains the complete lyrics to the songs on the CD so you can sing along! And there is a map of Latin America included at the back of the book. Both of these make it easier to incorporate this book into a lesson plan.
The musical selection and the illustrations are all done by Mariana Ruiz Johnson and they are fabulous. The illustrations are so fun and vibrant. Children will love sitting and looking through this picture book while listening to the CD, or while a parent (or abuelita!) reads and sings to them.
If this book sounds like the perfect fit for your family or classroom, check out the giveaway below. And visit the publisher - The Secret Mountain - website for more books.
Other Posts that May Interest You:
- The International Children’s Digital Library
- Makanaka's World
- 10 Latino Poets Your Children Should Know
- Winter Solstice & Mesoamerica for Kids