Pat Mora's Blog, page 23

Summer Reading

Children’s Day, Book Day is often known as Día, meaning day for our daily commitment to celebrating all our children and to motivating them and their families to be readers, essential in our democracy. As part of their daily commitment, many of our Día partners share resources to promote summer reading to teachers, parents and children:

Summer Reading and Fluency: Tips for Parents, from Reading Rockets.

For teachers, AFT's Share My Lesson offers thousands of lesson plans to support summer re...

June is National Zoo and Aquarium Month!

Enjoy this poem by Libby Martinez, Pat's daughter and co-author.

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Celebrate Fathers and Grandfathers on Sunday!

Although I didn't really get to know my grandfathers, I've enjoyed writing about grandfathers/abuelos. I had a fabulous dad, though, and treasure the many years we had with him, wonderful memories.
Pat

Illustration by Cecily Lang from Pablo's Tree

Illustration by Raul Colón from Tomás and the Library Lady

Illustration by Rafael López from Yum! ¡Mmm! ¡Qué Rico! America's Sproutings

Illustration by Maribel Suárez from Let's Eat ¡A comer!

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Together, Let’s Pause for the Pledge on June 14

The American Flag Foundation's 38th Annual National Flag Day and Pause For The Pledge of Allegiance happens at 7:00 p.m. EDT on Flag Day, June 14th. Add your voice to the citizens and groups across the nation who will be pledging together!

Illustration from I Pledge Allegiance, by Pat Mora & Libby Martinez, illustrated by Patrice Barton

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June is Audiobook Month

"A Good Audiobook Speaks Volumes", according to the Audio Publishing Association, which celebrates June as Audiobook Month, encouraging readers to listen to great stories. Creative, lively audio productions have been made from four of Pat's books:

Yum! ¡Mmm! ¡Qué Rico! America's Sproutings

Gracias~Thanks

Desert is My Mother/ El Desierto Es Mi Madre

Delicious Hullabaloo/Pachanga deliciosa

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June 8: World Oceans Day

"Our Oceans, Our Future" is the theme of the 2017 World Oceans Day, celebrating the beauty, the wealth and the promise of the ocean.

Illustration by Meilo So from Water Rolls, Water Rises/El agua rueda, el agua sube

From Pat's Author's Note in Water Rolls, Water Rises
"Water fascinates me, perhaps because I’ve spent most of my life in the Southwest desert region of the United States. The sound of rain is welcome music on a dry and thirsty landscape. Creeks and rivers refresh desert dwellers,...

June 5 is World Environment Day

How will you celebrate World Environment Day? Get outside, of course--but also share some special nature books with your children:

Desert is My Mother/ El Desierto Es Mi Madre

Listen to the Desert: Oye al desierto

This Big Sky

Water Rolls, Water Rises/El agua rueda, el agua sube

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Graduates: Cultivate Your Creative Potential

In her book ZING! Seven Creativity Practices for Educators & Students, Pat shares her seven practices for fostering personal creativity and professional inventiveness.

"Readers will be left with renewed energy, plenty of wonderful ideas, and a stronger appreciation for artistic projects, the power of language, and cross-cultural understanding."—REFORMA Newsletter

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A Pledge for Memorial Day

This weekend, as we celebrate those who have served in our armed forces, let's also take a minute to remember: liberty and justice for all.

Illustration by Patrice Barton from I Pledge Allegiance by Pat Mora and Libby Martinez

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Poetry Journeys

Communion: I’ve had the good fortune to travel in my life. My first four collections: Chants , Borders , Communion and Agua Santa: Holy Water were written as individual poems. Communion has poems inspired by trips to India, Pakistan, the Dominican Republic, Peru, and, of course, Mexico.

I conceived the last two collections: Aunt Carmen's Book of Practical Saints and Adobe Odes as whole book projects. I have worked on a seventh collection. Poetry inspires, challenges and comforts me. You?

Pat

T...