LA CHARCA

A young girl and her mother put on their red dresses and dance their way through the barrio, collecting friends and neighbors along the way as they go to the park to hear her father's salsa band play.

Renowned Latina author Julia Alvarez recreates the legend of the Dominican folk character La Vieja Belen in this delighful bilingual rhyming story, beautifully illustrated by Dominican artist Ruddy Nuñez. Alvarez's retelling keeps the magic of the traditional account while contributing a down-to-earth, timely moral: "Of all the gifts you can give, your time is the best."

Amanda y Rudger son mejores amigos. Pero Rudger tiene un pequeño defecto: no existe. Sólo Amanda lo puede ver porque es su amigo imaginario. Un día, el señor Bunting llama a la puerta ¡quiere llevarse a Rudger! Se dice que Bunting se alimenta de amigos imaginarios. La única solución es que Rudger huya solo. Pero ¿puede un amigo imaginario sobrevivir sin alguien que le imagine? "He tenido la suerte de descubrir de adulto el libro que me habría encantado leer de niño." J. A. Bayona

Where do these animal families live? First, read the story in Spanish. Then, flip to the next page and read it again in English. Comparing words in both languages helps early readers with comprehension and literacy. Plus, bright animal illustrations encourage a love of storytime.