July’s Theme: Snapshot into the Lives of Four Regular Kids
It is officially summer! For the month of July we are exploring South America for the very first time! Specifically, we will explore Brazil, Chile and Colombia! This was an interesting month to put together for our subscribers because South America is so diverse in culture and tradition, and rich with African, Asian and indigenous influences.
Our selections this month are my favorite types of children’s books. If you have heard me talk about diversity in children’s books, you already know that my favorite books are those that depict kids in different parts of the world being regular kids. With this month’s selections, we get a small glimpse into the lives of kids around the world. Our two younger age groups, Hatch and Nest Jr., will learn more about Brazil and Colombia through the eyes of the main characters in the selected books. These characters will make them feel like they are right there in the city of Rio De Janeiro or hanging out in Bogotá, Colombia. I am always so thankful for the authors and illustrators who open their hearts and their worlds to us so beautifully.
The older kids, our Nest and Soar age groups, are in for some incredible writing. Both age groups will get books set in Chile that feature fascinating coming of age stories that will expose them to Chilean history and immerse them in Chilean culture in the most unexpected ways.
This month’s selections made me feel really privileged to play a part in bringing this quality of writing to your kids.
If you are not subscribed, it is not too late to join us! If you are, your kiddos are in for a treat!
Happy reading!
-Bunmi
RELATED BOOKS IF YOU CAN’T WAIT FOR OUR JULY BOX!
Saturday Sancocho by Leyla Torres
Bright cheerful illustrations capturing the spirit of the marketplace and a recipe for delicious chicken sancocho highlight the tale of Maria Lili and her grandparents and the special Saturday when they run out of everything but eggs. (Farrar Straus & Giroux)
My Name Is Gabriela: The Life of Gabriela Mistral: by Monica Brown, John Parra (Illustrator)
Gabriela Mistral loved words and sounds and stories. Born in Chile, she would grow to become the first Nobel Prize-winning Latina woman in the world. As a poet and a teacher, she inspired children across many countries to let their voices be heard. This beautifully crafted story, where words literally come to life, is told with the rhythm and melody of a poem. The second in Luna Rising’s bilingual storybook biography series. My Name is Gabriela/Me llamo Gabriela is beautiful tribute to a woman who taught us the power of words and the importance of following our dreams. The story of Gabriela Mistral will continue to inspire children everywhere. (Cooper Square Publishing LLC)
The History Mystery by Ana Maria Machado
Gaming whizz Will, along with his friends Sonia, Miguel, Matt, and Faye, gets an A for a group history project. But when their teacher reads from their work, none of them recognizes the piece. This is the first of a number of mystery messages which appears in their homework and emails, on their phones, and on their computer screens. Someone from the past is trying to communicate with them, and they must decipher the messages—the strange words from years ago—and figure out how to respond. The messages from Nefertiti, Marco Polo, and the other voices all have one thing in common: they all have to do with the importance of being able to read, and of history living on through the written word. (Little Island Books)
City of the Beasts by Isabel Allende
Fifteen-year-old Alexander Cold has the chance to take the trip of a lifetime. With his mother in hospital, too ill to look after him, Alex is sent out to his grandmother Kate — a fearless reporter with blue eyes ‘as sharp as daggers’ points’. Kate is about to embark on an expedition to the dangerous, remote world of the Amazon rainforest, but rather than change her plans, she simply takes Alex along with her. They set off with their team — including a local guide and his daughter Nadia, with her wild, curly hair and skin the colour of honey — in search of a fabled headhunting tribe and a legendary, marauding creature known to locals only as ‘the Beast’, only to find out much, much more about the mysteries of the jungle and its inhabitants. In a novel rich in adventure, magic and spirit, internationally-celebrated novelist Isabel Allende takes readers of all ages on a voyage of discovery and wonder, deep into the heart of the Amazon. (Harper Perennial ) Great for Soar readers.
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Our goal is to bring you globally diverse books that will develop your child’s empathy and broaden their worldview!
