By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: September 30, 2011

F. Isabel Campoy

F. Isabel Campoy is a scholar devoted to the study of language acquisition. She is a well-known author of numerous children’s books in the areas of poetry, theatre, folktales, biographies, and art. She is the recipient of many notable awards, including the Reading the World Award 2004, for “Cuentos que contaban nuestras abuelitas;” and the Junior Library Guild Premier Selection Award, 2006.

TCBR: As a writer, you have a strong focus on the culture and civilization of the Hispanic world. Can you share a little on your background and how you became a children’s book writer?

F. Isabel Campoy: I cannot remember a time in my life in which I wasn’t part of the world of children’s literature. As soon as I learned to read I became the person that teachers chose to read out loud to the rest of the class while they did art, or sewing. I had a good voice and I couldn’t hold a thread and needle for more than two seconds, so it was a perfect match to keep everyone busy. That practice stimulated the writer in me and when I was eleven-years-old I published my first tale in a local magazine. I continued writing throughout my childhood. When I came to the U.S. for the first time at age fifteen in 1963, writing kept me alive through the difficult moments of missing my family (I was here as an AFS exchange student), and conquering my fears after the tragic assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy on November of that year.

My first job after college was as an assistant editor in Madrid. I applied to the position because it was my way to be part of the publishing world. Later I was offered the opportunity to co-author with Phillip Locke a series for the teaching of English, my responsibility being to provide the literary texts. I left publishing many years later. At the time, I was a Senior Acquisitions Editor for College publications in a company in Boston. I realized then that the joy of publishing others was hiding my fear to publish my own manuscripts… so I finally quit everything and became a full time writer.

I love to travel. I am interested in the places, the people, and their histories. When I began writing for children I wanted to contribute to present the cultural richness of Latino history, art, and literature for readers in this country. There is much to be written about our culture.

Tales Our Abuelitas Told: A Hispanic Folktale Collection is one of the many books you have written with Alma Flor Ada. Why do you think so many readers are drawn to your retellings of these particular folktales?

Authors love all their books, but there are some that connect with you in a very personal way. “Tales Our Abuelitas Told” was published the year I lost my mother. She was the greatest storyteller, imaginative, soft spoken, and these were tales

Author Showcase

By Isabel F. Campoy, for The Children’s Book Review
Published: September 29, 2011

Tales Our Abuelitas Told: A Hispanic Folktale Collection

by F. Isabel Campoy and Alma Flor Ada

Atheneum. Simon & Schuster

Book overview: Once upon a time, in a land far away…

These stories have journeyed far—over mountains, deserts, and oceans—carried by the wind,  passed on to us by our ancestors. Now they have found their way to you.

A sly fox, a bird of a thousand colors, a magical set of bagpipes, and an audacious young girl… A mixture of popular tales and literary lore, this anthology celebrates Hispanic culture and its many roots –Indigenous, African, Arab, Hebrew, and Spanish.

F. Isabel Campoy and Alma Flor Ada have retold twelve beloved stories that embody the lively spirit and the rich heritage of Latino people.

This unforgettable collection is highlighted by the  work of four leading Latino artists: Felipe Dávalos, Viví Escrivá, Susan Guevara and Leyla Torres.

Awards

A Junior Library Guild Selection
Kirkus Reviews Best Books
A Parent’s Choice Rec­om­mended Book
Best Books of the Year, Notable Books for a Global Soci­ety  – Amer­i­can Library Asso­ci­a­tion
Best Folk­lore in Best Books of the Year, Nick Jr. Mag­a­zine
Fea­tured Book of the Month, Col­orín Col­orado Web­site, Amer­i­can Fed­er­a­tion of Teach­ers
List of Best Books for 2006, New York Pub­lic Library

Critical Acclaim

The intro­duc­tion to this delight­ful col­lec­tion explains clearly how sto­ries develop and change over time; in fact, the two sto­ry­tellers heard most of these amus­ing tales when they were chil­dren and have retold them many times since in their own unique styles. … Chil­dren will rel­ish their humor, espe­cially if read aloud, and teens will also enjoy this lively pre­sen­ta­tion. Tra­di­tional story begin­nings and end­ings are pro­vided in Span­ish and trans­lated into Eng­lish … . Make room on your shelves for this excel­lent book. ~ School Library Journal

The authors cel­e­brate His­panic cul­ture and its many roots–indigenous, African, Span­ish, Arab, Hebrew–assembling tales from as far afield as Spain and Idaho, and show­ing how the tales have trans­formed and influ­enced one another, and even how Ada and Cam­poy have changed them. … The spa­cious book design will work well for both inde­pen­dent read­ing and read­ing aloud, and each story is illus­trated with one or more full-page pic­tures in

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Author Showcase

By Bianca Schulze, The Children’s Book Review
Published: September 22, 2011

Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy recently published Ten Little Puppies/Diez perritos, a bilingual bonanza!

Alma Flor Ada

Alma Flor Ada is an internationally published children’s book author. She is the recipient of several prestigious honors, including the Pura BelprÉ Award, the Christopher Award, the JosÉ MartÍ World Award, and the Museum of Tolerance Award.

F. Isabel Campoy

F. Isabel Campoy is a scholar devoted to the study of language acquisition. She is a well-known author of numerous children’s books in the areas of poetry, theatre, folktales, biographies, and art.

Hispanic culture and bilingual education are both topics that are important to you. Can you share a little on your background and how you became a children’s book writer?

Culture prepares us to understand the world around us. All cultures evolve, and no culture is perfect, but knowing our roots gives us a sense of community and belonging. The Hispanic culture, a product of multiple heritages, is very rich and has contributed much to the world and to the US society. Latino children have much to learn about their culture. We hope that as they do they will feel enriched by it. When non-Hispanic children learn about our culture they can develop a better understanding of their Latino peers.

Being bilingual has been one of the greatest assets I have enjoyed in life. I wish the same benefit for all children.

I have a strong belief on the importance of family. When children do not acquire, or lose, the ability to speak the language their parents know best, the language they can share feelings, experiences, dreams and beliefs, the parents’ role as educators is eroded and children miss out what should be a valuable part of their heritage.

Ten Little Puppies/Diez perritos is a vibrant rendition of the classic Spanish nursery rhyme, co-authored by F. Isabel Campoy and yourself. Can you tell us about your writing partnership and what connected you both to Diez perritos?

Both of us sang and enjoyed this nursery rhyme as children, Isabel in Spain, and I in Cuba. Later I sang it with my children who enjoyed singing along. At some point my son Miguel made me aware that sad things happened in many nursery rhymes.

Both Isabel and I believe that young children have a right to joy and happiness so, when we decided to adapt Ten Little Puppies for publication we made sure to find better, and not tragic reasons, for th

The Arne Nixon Center for the Study of Children’s Literature is pleased to state that registrations are still being accepted  for the following conference:

“Peace the World Together with Children’s Books” is the theme of the International Board on Books for Young People regional conference hosted by California State University, Fresno this fall.

Co-sponsored by the Arne Nixon Center at Fresno State, IBBY’s 9^th United States Regional Conference will be held at Fresno State on Oct. 21-23.

Conference chair Ellis Vance of Fresno said about 250 people – professors, librarians, teachers, authors, illustrators, publishers, collectors and fans – are expected. Registration so far includes participants from 48 states and every continent except Antarctica, Vance said.

The conference offers an opportunity to interact with authors and illustrators around the world, including Alma Flor Ada, Shirin Yim Bridges, F. Isabel Campoy, David Diaz, Margarita Engle, Kathleen Krull, Grace Lin, Roger Mello, Beverly Naidoo, Pam Muñoz Ryan and Peter Sis. Petunia’s Place Bookstore will sell books.

Activities will include exhibitions (including one by the International Youth Library), book discussion groups and tours. Optional activities are available to those who stay on beyond the conference closing at noon on Oct. 23. They include a tour of the Shinzen Japanese Garden in Fresno and a one-day bus trip to Yosemite National Park.

For information on the conference and registration visit www.usbby.org/conf_home.htm.

Having done a Storytime Corner on cats, it only makes sense that we’d have to do one on dogs, right?  I’m a cat person myself, but these dog stories are completely irresistible.  And to keep all your parents and kids happy, you could even consider mixing up the dog and cat stories to make an integrated “Pets” program!

STORIES:

IF YOU GIVE A DOG A DONUT by Laura Numeroff, illustrated by Felicia Bond (On-sale 10.4.11)

THAT PUP! by Lindsay Barrett George

NO DOGS ALLOWED! by Anne Davis

TEN LITTLE PUPPIES/Diez perritos by Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy, illustrated by Ulises Wensell

Usually when I do storytimes, I like to make some books available for checkout that follow the theme.  Here are a few ideas of books you can display for checkout post-program:

CHARLIE THE RANCH DOG by Ree Drummond, illustrated by Diane deGroat
DOGS by Seymour Simon
HARRY THE DIRTY DOG by Gene Zion, illustrated by Margaret Bloy Graham
HIP HOP DOG by Chris Raschka, illustrated by Vladimir Radunsky
I AM THE DOG by Daniel Pinkwater, illustrated by Jack E. Davis
MAGGIE’S BALL by Lindsay Barrett George
ZOOMER by Ned Young

I started compiling song, rhyme, and craft ideas…and then I realized that Storytime Katie had most likely already put together something fabulous for a dog-themed storytime.  And she had.  Check out her

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum (July 12, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416900888
• 1 Comments on Dancing Home/ Nacer bailando, last added: 7/6/2011