Isabel and her Colores Go to School
Sleeping Bear Press
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Sleeping Bear Press
Isabel and her Colores Go to School
English, with its blustery blues and whites, just feels wrong to Isabel. She prefers the warm oranges and pinks of Spanish. As she prepares for class at a new school, she knows she's going to have to learn--and she would rather not! Her first day is uncomfortable, until she discovers there's more than one way to communicate with friends. This is a universal story about feeling new and making new friends.
School Library Connection - Isabel and Her Colores Go to School
This endearing first day of school story will be enjoyed by primary teachers, ESL teachers, and school librarians. Isabel loves to color. She even visualizes Spanish and English in different colors as they are spoken. Isabel is afraid to go to school because the colors of Spanish and English clash and she is fearful that she will not understand what others are saying. Her Mami tells her it is okay to be scared and tells her ″to bad times, have a good face.” As Isabel’s first day progresses, she decides she really doesn’t like school, especially since she doesn’t understand the word “friend.” Happily, after lunch, there is coloring time, her favorite activity. Isabel draws a picture of herself and Sarah, a girl who tried to make friends with her earlier. Sarah and Isabel both giggle as they realize “amigas” and “friends” have the same meaning. This provides a very satisfactory ending. This book is written in both English and Spanish, so children can read or listen to the text in either. Definitions for unfamiliar terms are placed throughout and illustrations are vibrant, colorful, and comforting. Author and illustrator do an excellent job of describing art and colors as a language of their own that everyone can understand regardless of their native tongue. There is a Spanish to English translation of salient words at the end of the story. This book will be a welcome addition to any school library, especially for those who have a high population of students who are not fluent in English.
School Library Journal - Isabel and Her Colores Go to School (Starred Review)
School Library Journal Starred Review!
Rojo, verde, azul, rosado, morado, violeta. Spanish-speaking Isabel, with brown skin and curly hair, loves coloring with her favorite crayons. What she does not like is that tomorrow is her first day of school where everyone will speak English. To Isabel, it “sounded wrong, like stormy blues and blizzard whites. Isabel preferred the pinks and yellows and purples” of her own language. Mami, also with brown skin and curly hair, drives Isabel to school where her racially diverse class begins the day with stretches. Her classmates stretch counting “one, two, three,” while Isabel counts “uno, dos, tres.” At story time, a Black girl named Sarah asks Isabel if she wants to be friends. Isabel does not understand the question, but at coloring time, with its familiar and comforting hues, she draws a picture for Sarah, visually explaining that she indeed wants to be friends. Dawson’s warm and radiant illustrations pulse with color as flowers and swirls weave through the backgrounds. This first day of school story beautifully serves as a mirror for children learning English and as a window into their experience for their classmates. Spanish words and phrases are sprinkled throughout the text with full Spanish translations on each spread. Back matter includes a glossary. VERDICT A bilingual story sure to resonate with ELL students and instill empathy in their classmates.
Booklist - Isabel and Her Colores Go to School
“Isabel, with a halo of corkscrew curls, is nervous about going to her new school for the usual reasons, but especially because she’s worried she doesn’t know enough English. On her first day, she does her best to follow along, but making friends can be tricky without a shared language. Alessandri and Dawson fill the book with colors, both visually and in the words, which helpfully signal the emotions that Isabel, who loves to draw with an expansive palette, experiences over the course of the day. Her love of drawing helps her cross over the language barrier, too, when class coloring time gives her an opportunity to show her new classmates how she feels—and to make a friend. Spanish is neatly woven throughout the story, with the full text in Spanish included in insets on each page spread. The bold artwork features an appropriately vast palette of colors and folk art–like design elements, which helps convey Isabel’s artistic character. Pleasantly rounded characters add to the welcoming atmosphere, as does the message that art can bridge divides.”
- Author:
- Alexandra Alessandri
- Interest Level Low:
- Age 5
- Interest Level High:
- Age 8
- Reading Level:
- Age 6
- Lexile Level Low:
- AD540L
- Lexile Level High:
- AD540L
- ATOS Reading Level Low:
- 2.7
- ATOS Reading Level High:
- 2.7
- Guided Reading Level Low:
- S
- Guided Reading Level High:
- S
- Language:
- English
- Copyright:
- 2021
- Number of Pages:
- 40 Per Title
- Teaching Guide:
- Yes
- Set:
- No
