Arrorro Mi Nino: Latino Lullabies and Gentle Games by Lulu Delacre

Summary: PreS- Kindergarten. The bright, beautiful oil-wash illustrations for these 15 lullabies, nursery rhymes, and finger-play games reflect the diversity of the Latino experience. The settings vary-- from city streets to picking fields; from cozy bedroom to library, school, art gallery, and grocery store--and the caregivers who soothe the children in the pictures include mother, father, sibling, and grandparent. The bilingual text appears first in Spanish, with the English translation beneath or by its side, and most selections are accompanied by instructions for a finger-play. Musical notation and comments about the melodies are at the back. A native of Puerto Rico, editor Delacre lives in Maryland, and she draws the songs from 14 different countries to show and tell about children who grow up "learning and loving two cultures and two languages." Some of the verses don't rhyme in translation, but in the best of them, the rhythm and poetry travel with music and fun. Hazel Rochman Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Classroom Implications: This is a bilingual text and an important addition to the Pre-K or Kindergarten classroom. Students engage in song and play from a variety of countries.

Purchase