Children's Books in Spanish

Today at the Farmers' Market, I discovered there was an interest for children's books in Spanish. The folks would stop by my table and ask me what "el nabo" meant... the turnip, but not just any turnip, you see, it is "gigante!"

I would like to introduce you to a couple of my favorites. Since I am a Grandma and we say YaYa in Greek, here's a cute story about My Granny Goes to Market in Spanish!
1. Abuelita fue al mercado

(My Granny Went to Market)
"Each page delights the senses and opens young eyes to the world around them!"—School Library Journal

The Spanish language edition of My Granny Went to Market.

Fly away with Granny as she takes a magic carpet ride around the world, collecting a steadily increasing number of souvenirs from each exotic location! This rhyming story will take young readers on an adventure to different countries while teaching them to count along the way.

Review:

Recent praise:

"Granny's quest to buy a few specialty items leads to a fantastical flight to the markets of the world. Bright folk art enlivens the journey... Each page delights the senses and opens young eyes to the world around them. A fresh and lively edition. "
- School Library Journal
2.El nabo gigante - Paperback
(The Gigantic Turnip)
"Make room for this one, because Niamh Sharkey's drolly comic illustrations are going to make this version the new storytime favorite." - Bulletin (starred review)

The Spanish-language edition of The Gigantic Turnip.

This hilarious retelling of the classic Russian tale about a farmer whose turnip is impossible to pull from the ground uses simple vocabulary and is ideal for reading aloud. Its cumulative theme will soon have young readers gleefully joining in, and Irish artist Niamh Sharkey's wonderfully quirky illustrations will delight and fascinate all ages.

Awards:

Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book, 1999
Society of Illustrators' selection The Original Art Show, 1999
CCBC Choices, 2000

Recent praise:

"So, how many great big enormous turnips do you need on the library shelf? Make room for this one, because Niamh Sharkey's drolly comic illustrations are going to make this version the new storytime favorite. The retelling itself is a rollicking rendition of Tolstoy's original, with a rhythmic accumulation of helpful farm animals.... A fine combination of illustration and text, this turnip is going to be the new staple crop for the storytime crew." - The Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books (starred review)

"Sharkey's illustrations call to mind Brian Karas's work, offering a lot of quirky visual details.... The pictures are big enough for a small storytime and kids will find plenty to look at in one-on-one sharing." - School Library Journal

"Up-to-the-minute illustrations and graphic design serve as the new-fangled foil to the well-known Russian folktale.... Sharkey's pacing creates circular balance: the story begins calmly and ends calmly, with plenty of fun in between." - Publishers Weekly

3. Juan y los frijoles mágicos - Paperback
(Jack and the Beanstalk)

"Trimmed to a jaunty pace and filled with lively humor ... this remains a rousing adventure"— Kirkus Reviews

One day, when they have no food left, Jack's mom sends him to market to sell the cow. On the way, Jack bumps into a funny little man wearing a big, baggy jacket with big, baggy pockets. In the pockets lie six bewitched beans, but the funny little man has lost the instructions for them. Jack's adventure begins when he swaps Daisy the cow for six magic beans that grow to the land of the clouds.

Discover these easy to read children's book's in Spanish with stunning illustrations.
You can order these books at:

http://www.mybarefootbooks.com/LadyD

Do You Know Carol Ann Duffy?

Barefoot author, Carol Ann Duffy, was appointed Poet Laureate in the UK this month. Not only is this an amazing honor for any poet - it is especially relevant because Carol Ann Duffy is the first female to ever achieve the post! She has been a poet for her entire life and also the author of The Tear Thief, and Barefoot Book's upcoming release The Gift. Congratulations Carol Ann Duffy!
You'll discover some great tidbits in this article I found.

First female Poet Laureate named
Carol Ann Duffy has been named as the new Poet Laureate, the first woman to be appointed in the 341-year history of the post.
Duffy, 53, who takes over immediately from Andrew Motion and will serve 10 years in the position, says she will give the £5,750 annual payment away.
The author, who is best known for her collection The World's Wife, is also the first Scot to be named Laureate.
Duffy said she felt "very honoured and humbled" by her appointment.
'Truly brilliant'
The poet told BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour she had thought "long and hard" about taking the appointment.
"I look on it as a recognition of the great woman poets we have writing now," she said.
"I've decided to accept it for that reason."
She added: "Poetry is all around us, all of the time, whether in song or in speech or on the page, and we turn to it when events, personal or public, matter most.
"In accepting this Laureateship, I hope to contribute to people's understanding of what poetry can do and where it can be found."
Read more of the article at

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8027767.stm

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said: "She is a truly brilliant modern poet who has stretched our imaginations by putting the whole range of human experiences into lines that capture the emotions perfectly."
Culture Secretary Andy Burnham said Duffy "has achieved something that only the true greats of literature manage".
"That is to be regarded as both popular and profound," he said.

The Tear Thief - Hardcover
Nominated for the 2008 Red House Children's Book Award!
Each night, in the hours between supper and bedtime, the Tear Thief carries her waterproof, silvery sack as she steals the tears of every child who cries. But what does she do with all those tears? This warm, poignant, and beautifully illustrated story offers a thought-provoking message and a starting point to share children's emotional experiences.

"Only if you happened to look into a puddle as she was passing could you see what the Tear Thief looked like because a puddle was the one thing that showed her reflection."

Book Review
"When the Tear Thief comes upon a little girl crying because she has lost her dog, she befriends the girl and dries her tears. As the story progresses, young listeners may begin to wonder why the Tear Thief collects tears and what she does with them, and in a soothing resolution, they find out"—Booklist
"Duffy’s beautiful story brings the world of magic to life. My children smiled and seemed to gaze into the tear thief’s world after I finished and closed the book… Nicoletta Ceccoli’s soft, dreamy illustrations compliment Duffy’s story giving it an enchanting appeal."- Picket News

Product Details
Written by: Carol Ann Duffy
Illustrated by: Nicoletta Ceccoli
Read Alone: Ages 6-10
Read Together: Ages 4-8
Hardcover; Jacketed; full-color illustrations; 32pp;
8.5 x 10.75 inches
Item No. 9781846860454
$16.99

Illustrator Nicoletta Ceccoli
Nicoletta Ceccoli was born and still lives in San Marino, Italy, with her family and two pet hens. Since studying at the State Institute of Art in Urbino, she has illustrated a number of children's titles for prominent Italian publishers. Selected three times for exhibition at the Bologna Children's Book Fair, Nicoletta was awarded the prestigious Andersen Prize in 2000, honoring her as the best children's book illustrator in Italy.
The Tear Thief- Nominated for the 2008 Red House Children's Book Award!
You can order the book at

http://www.mybarefootbooks.com/LadyD

Barefoot Books North America: It's Good To Be Creative!

Barefoot Books Story!
Barefoot Books is a vibrant, grassroots community of people from around the world who are all 'living barefoot' in their own unique ways.

It's Good To Be Creative!

You can't use up creativity, creative thinking builds on itself and increases the creativity of the thinker...You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.
~ Maya Angelou

"Don't let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It's your place in the world; it's your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live."
~ Mae Jemison

So, I took my marching orders, and acted upon Angelou and Jemison's words. I headed over to the Farmer's Market last Friday. I had a successful time selling books, but most importantly, I met wonderful, delightful people who stopped by to talk with me about my books! I always enjoyed playing store with my toy cash register. You see, my Grandpa was a farmer and he owned a roadside cafe with an outdoor patio in the country.
It was a fun place for me to hang out on a hot summer's day and talk with all the local people who would stop by to purchase corn, a cool drink and maybe a toy for their children! Now I have my own store! Gee, this story sounds familiar, but on a much larger scale read about Barefoot Books own Nancy Traversy's store:

http://barefootbooks-ladyd.blogspot.com/2008/08/all-because-of-her-little-store.html

So, what types of books did I sell that day? Well, a little something for everyone. Boys like books about pirates and Dragons! And what's popular with the girls are books about princesses and horses!

Paperback with CD $15.99

Paperback with CD $16.99
To order books, visit my website:

http://www.mybarefootbooks.com/LadyD
So, my Barefoot Books journey has lead me to a new season at the local Farmer's Market, selling these beautiful books to folks who love to read children's books with marvelous illustrations, plus story time cds. Another cool experience I had was meeting a book editor in town that afternoon. Visit Lori Miller's site for paintings, stories and more:

http://www.drlorimiller.com

Hope to see you at the farmer's Market one day!
All the best,

~ LadyD

Nancy Traversy in Inc. Magazine for Mother's Day!

I just found out that Nancy does it again! Yes, the Founder and Ceo of Barefoot Books is in the media again!

Nancy Traversy in Inc. Magazine for Mother's Day!



Please have a look at this wonderful mention of Nancy and Barefoot Books posted on Sunday!

5 Moms Who Built Great Companies

http://www2.iinc.com/ss/5-moms-who-built-great-companies#0



“I had my first child in 1992 and decided I no longer wanted to work for other people,” Nancy Traversy, a mother of four, told Inc. in 2006. A year later, she co-founded Barefoot Books, a children's book imprint based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The business now has more than $5 million in annual sales. “My kids grew up with Barefoot. They've always read manuscripts and looked at samples from different illustrators. They help out with data entry, stuffing catalogs, work in the store. They came up with the idea for Animal Boogie, which is our best-selling book. I know it's hard when mummy has her own business. But now they feel anchored by it. They understand hard work.”

As a teenager, Donna Grucci Butler spent summers helping her mother in the family fireworks plant in Brookhaven, New York. Today, she serves as president of Fireworks by Grucci, a pair of fifth-generation companies (one manufactures the fireworks, the other sets them off) with a combined $10 million a year in revenue; she runs the business along with her brother and her nephew. Her two children, both in their 30s, work part time for her during peak busy season in the summer. “My younger daughter is an attorney and I like where she and my son are,” says Grucci Butler. “They have had the chance and the opportunity to work outside of the business, which can be rewarding because they can learn new skills, but they also always have the business to come back into.”

A mother of five children—including a teenage son with autism—Stella Ogiale founded Chesterfield Health Services in 1996 to provide care to people with mental or physical disabilities so that they may stay in their homes. From the start, the Seattle-area business was bootstrapped: Ogiale even worked a night shift at the package carrier UPS in order to make ends meet. The company eventually reached $10 million a year in revenue; margins have remained tight, but Ogiale likes it that way. She never wants her staff to feel as though the patients are paying a hefty mark-up on these vital health services. "We can be humane and still make money," Ogiale told Inc. in 2004.

Bernadette Castro grew up in her family’s New York City sofa-bed business, appearing in advertising for the company when she was a young girl. She took over from her father and managed the business to new levels of prosperity. In 1993, when the family sold the company, its sales exceeded $100 million. As a mother of four, however, Castro admitted to Inc. in 2000 that she could be overbearing—pushing a son to enroll in law school even though he wanted to be a filmmaker. But Castro learned her lesson. “My biggest mistake was that I tried to take the same management style and skills that worked in my executive life and bring them into my home, in parenting my four children,” she told the magazine. “I don't give my kids advice anymore unless they ask for it. It's critical to discourage entrepreneurs from the feeling that we can tailor our children's lives.”

When her husband Neal tied in 1970, Gert Boyle took over his company, Columbia Sportswear. Thanks in part to a famous “tough mother” advertising campaign featuring Boyle herself, the Portland, Oregon, company has grown rapidly, posting $1.3 billion in sales in 2008. Though her son Tim now serves as CEO, Boyle remains involved in the business. “I get up in the morning and go to water aerobics, then I come to work, then go around and verbally abuse as many people as I can,” she told Inc. in 2006. “You know what I'd have to do otherwise? Stay home and do housework. That's not my bag.”

More Related Articles:

Founder and CEO of Barefoot Books- Nancy Traversy- Work It, Mom!

http://barefootbooks-ladyd.blogspot.com/2009/05/founder-and-ceo-of-barefoot-books-nancy.html

All Because of Her little Store

http://barefootbooks-ladyd.blogspot.com/2008/08/all-because-of-her-little-store.html

Congratulations Nancy Traversy!

Children's Books For Africa- a Simple Idea

Buy children's books for Africa and supply needy children with hopeful seeds for their future. Knowledge truly crosses boundaries! Read what Barefoot Books is doing for the children of Africa!






Live Barefoot, Give Barefoot!
Books For Africa

Barefoot Books is delighted to partner with non-profit Books For Africa, dedicated to bringing books to needy children in schools across Africa. The books we have selected to send all have African themes, and will make a huge difference in the lives of children across the African continent.

For a few dollars, you can put a Barefoot Book in the hands of an African child. We hope you will be a part of this wonderful partnership.

About the Organization
The mission of Books For Africa is to end the book famine in Africa. Since 1988, Books For Africa has shipped more than 20 million books to 42 African countries and put books int0 the hands of those who need them the most: children who are hungry to read, hungry to learn, hungry to explore the world in ways that only books make possible.

The story of Books For Africa, a non-profit in Minnesota that has shipping over 14 Million books to the African Continent.

Watch the Books for Africa Video





"One penny donated to Books For Africa gives a child access to a book. Where else can you do so much with so little?”
-Tom Warth, Founder of Books For Africa

We are delighted today to introduce you to our new partners at Books For Africa!

http://www.booksforafrica.org
Since 1988, Books For Africa has shipped more than 20 million books to once-empty library shelves, to classrooms in rural schools, and into the hands of children across the African continent.

With Barefoot's focus on spreading literacy, art and cultural understanding to the children of our world, we wanted to do what we could to supplement the amazing work of Books For Africa. To launch our partnership, we've donated a carton of our books that are now en route to Liberia. What's better, we've developed an easy but effective way for you to help too! For our friends in the United States, we've created a collection of books that you can donate to Books For Africa for just a few dollars per book. By adding any of the books on this page to your order, you are covering the cost of shipping a beautiful, culturally-relevant book straight to Africa and into the hands of a child who may have never held a book before.

Buy Children's Books!








While we cannot offer the same capability to our friends in the United Kingdom and Europe, we encourage those of you across the pond to make monetary donations, no matter how small, to Books For Africa to help offset the hefty cost of shipping their parcels of books to the African continent. Wherever you're located, we hope you'll join us in supporting this wonderful cause!

http://www.booksforafrica.org/donate.html

We'll be posting more on this amazing organization and details about our partnership in the coming months. For now, here are some beautiful photos provided by Books For Africa, along with quotes from their supporters and people who have benefited from their work. For more background, be sure to check out this inspiring video about the mission of Books For Africa.

Kofi Annan's Message to Books For Africa

At Books For Africa's 20th Anniversary Gala on September 12, 2008, Kofi Annan sent a message to the organization in support of its mission to end the book famine in Africa. Annan is an honorary co-chair of BFA's Jack Mason Law & Democracy Initiative, which aims to send law books to Africa. At the end is a special message to Tom Warth, founder of Books For Africa.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxbxzsSrAB4

“Books For Africa is a simple idea, but its impact is transformative. For us, I have said before, literacy is quite simply the bridge from misery to hope. Literacy provides the keys to learning and empowers the individuals to expand their choices and opportunities for the future. In doing so, it is a crucial bulwark against poverty and a necessary foundation for sustainable development. For everyone everywhere, literacy is, along with education in general, a basic human right. Over the last two decades, Books For Africa has made tremendous progress helping to extend this right in Africa.”
-Kofi Annan, former U.N. Secretary-General



“I think that Books For Africa is about giving opportunity to children in Africa. An opportunity to read a book. An opportunity to improve themselves. An opportunity to become literate. And an opportunity to help their societies prevent problems (such as hunger, unemployment, disease) before they occur through education and economic development. Books are the doorway to imagination for a child and I’m happy that we are able to provide so many millions of doorways every year to so many children in so many African countries!”
-Patrick Plonski, Executive Director of Books for Africa



“I cannot express in words our gratitude for the books you sent to us and the difference they have made for our students and community. I walk into the library now and see the number of students reading your books. I thank God for you. You have made friends in Africa for life.”
-Dr. Morgan Chawawa, Director of Academic Studies at BA ISAGO University College in Botswana

“We are very pleased for the special gifts that you gave to our school. It is with great pleasure to hand this letter of thanks to you. Each and everyone at my school is willing to work very hard to read and learn from library books.”
-Motseoa Monyatsuoa, Lesotho



“I would like to thank you so much for the great gift you sent us. Believe me, with all the books you offered us, I can now carry on my research and this is all thanks to your generosity. God bless you.”
-Teguia Cherif, Algeria


http://www.barefoot-books.com/us/site/community/index.php?s=34a384988ec024180e44ec8a6f499846&automodule=blog&blogid=2&showentry=53#trackbacks

I love this outreach of educational children's books for Africa. A book means so much to Africa. Knowledge truly crosses boundaries, while books plant hopeful seeds for the future of African children!

Welcome to my Barefoot Books Website!

http://www.mybarefootbooks.com/LadyD

Other related topics:
A few of my favorite children's stories from earlier posts

http://barefootbooks-ladyd.blogspot.com/2009/01/mama-panyas-pancakes.html


http://barefootbooks-ladyd.blogspot.com/2009/01/children's-book-of-african-animals.html

A Forest of Stories- Magical Tree Stories from Around the World

One of my favorite reads is Forest of Stories! I have lived in a Eucalyptus grove and an Avocado grove. I love the sights and smells of a forest full of trees, don't you? Have a look at this splendid book!
Forest of Stories
Magical Tree Tales from Around the World
Retold by: Rina Singh
Illustrated by: Helen Cann
"Trees as a unifying theme work wonderfully in this volume filled with seven simply told tales."—Kirkus Reviews

Special Offer Price $9.99

This unique collection of folktales, compiled by Rina Singh, encourages us to rethink our relationship with trees through the telling of fantastic tales filled with dancing palms, healing fig trees and magical cherry blossoms. Illustrated in radiant hues by artist Helen Cann and containing notes about the individual characteristics of each species, this vibrant collection will encourage all of us, young and old alike, to appreciate the essential place of trees in our lives, and help us to translate our appreciation into the desire to protect our many endangered forests.

He looked up and trembled. It was indeed the kapok tree for which he was searching. He felt as if he was in the presence of a great spirit.

Recent praise:
"Magnificently illustrated in radiant hues with stunning border devices, a vibrant collection of tree tales will encourage children to appreciate the many magical gifts that trees can offer." - Books for Growing Minds
"Smoothly flowing, magical tales that will easily translate to lively classroom or bedtime reading." - Booklist
"Trees as a unifying theme work wonderfully in this volume filled with seven simply told tales." - Kirkus Reviews
"A book of stories about special trees? Yawn? No. Barefoot Books, as it continues to search out traditional stories worldwide, manages to choose stories that are interesting." - Chicago Tribune

Retold by: Rina Singh
She teaches creative writing, art, and drama to children. For more information on Rina visit her website

http://www.rinasingh.com

"Have you ever considered a tree to be a lifelong friend? Or wondered if trees could think, remember or even speak, if you listened hard enough?"
—from "A Forest of Stories"

Illustrated by: Helen Cann

Helen Cann trained in fine art and illustration at the University of Wales, graduating in 1992. Since then, she has exhibited in both England and throughout Europe. Helen divides her time between Germany and the UK.
* Product Details
Read Alone: Ages 6-10
Read Together: Ages 4-8
Paperback; French folds; Full-color illustrations; 80pp;
8.63 x 10.63 inches
Item No. 9781841488820
$12.99
Special Offer Price $9.99
Plus Free Shipping through May 10,2009
Order Book:

http://www.mybarefootbooks.com/LadyD

* Crafting a Green World

I enjoy visiting this site for craft ideas. You can find a tutorial on Cork Coasters on this great site. Why not give mom a set of coasters for Mother's Day?!

http://craftingagreenworld.com

Happy Mother's Day Weekend!
~ LadyD