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Mi Familia Calaca / My Skeleton Family
by
Welcome to the family! It's just like yours: father, mother, sister, brother, abuelita, gato, even a great-great grandmother. Well, but there's something just a little bit different about this particular family. Maybe it's those clothes they wear . . . just a little bit fashion backward. And the colors! So vibrant and . . . lively. Maybe that's what it is. They are just so
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Hardcover, 32 pages
Published
November 19th 2013
by Cinco Puntos Press
(first published January 1st 2013)
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Community Reviews
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Start your review of Mi Familia Calaca / My Skeleton Family
Spanish- English language book.
Great book about the Skeleton Family for the littles. I would ask them what "Nosotros los niños" translates to and they would tell me (guess) in English.
I'm not into the whole skeletal Day of The Dead theme (oddly, my parents didn't celebrate it or teach us about it...) but I've found some fascinating books like this. What's even more interesting is that it is made from paper mache. The drawings of the family are beautiful and bright. ...more
Great book about the Skeleton Family for the littles. I would ask them what "Nosotros los niños" translates to and they would tell me (guess) in English.
I'm not into the whole skeletal Day of The Dead theme (oddly, my parents didn't celebrate it or teach us about it...) but I've found some fascinating books like this. What's even more interesting is that it is made from paper mache. The drawings of the family are beautiful and bright. ...more
This book is a cute, simple bi-lingual (Spanish/English) book about a family of skeletons. The narrator (Anita) introduces us to each of her family members in both English and Spanish. The book beautifully incorporates the Mexican symbol of skeletons by using sculptures created by Mexican artist Jesus Canseco.
I want to make a point to include bi-lingual books in my classroom in order to expose students to other languages or include a home language in the classroom. Using this book in the classr ...more
I want to make a point to include bi-lingual books in my classroom in order to expose students to other languages or include a home language in the classroom. Using this book in the classr ...more
Jun 16, 2015
Ms. Cobbs
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
hispanic-text-set-grade-2nd-3rd,
children-lit
Engaging Interactive read alouds
The title of today’s read aloud is Mi Familia Calala. What do you think I read? Listen again carefully to the three words in the title. I’ll give you a clue, I want you to predict the word that begins with the /f/ sound. The word in familia, and familia is very important to me. Can you guess the word? S: Family?, yes. Teacher draws attention to a photo of her family; is your family important? Students respond. T: I see some similarities between my family and the ...more
The title of today’s read aloud is Mi Familia Calala. What do you think I read? Listen again carefully to the three words in the title. I’ll give you a clue, I want you to predict the word that begins with the /f/ sound. The word in familia, and familia is very important to me. Can you guess the word? S: Family?, yes. Teacher draws attention to a photo of her family; is your family important? Students respond. T: I see some similarities between my family and the ...more
My favorite book to share come Dia de los Muertos! Short and sweet bilingual prose, gorgeous art. Not much of a narrative here, but these celebratory skeletons are the perfect conversation starter for all ages.
Brightly colored pages background beautiful papier-mache images of different members of a skeleton family. Simple text (in both English and Spanish) accompanies each picture. This book is exceptionally versatile, and could be used for babies, preschoolers, and even early readers. The only drawback is how heavily the book relies on a binary sense of gender -- "the women of the family" and "the men of the family" are starkly and separately pictured.
Themes: Family ...more
Themes: Family ...more
Esto es un buen libro bilingüe en inglés y español. Estudiantes de todas las edades pueden aprender las palabras de la familia. Tambien los fotos de las calacas del papel maché son muy interesantes y vivos.
My first review in Spanish y'all. Corrections from native speakers, advanced students, and the multilingual are received with gratitude. ...more
My first review in Spanish y'all. Corrections from native speakers, advanced students, and the multilingual are received with gratitude. ...more
It’s a cute simple translation English/Spanish about members of the family. I wish there was more of a storyline. And as cute as the illustrations are, they’re just standing there, it be cuter if the characters where doing things.
2nd or 3rd garde
The book has english and spanish text on same page. Great read for beginner ELL in 2nd or 3rd grade.
The book has english and spanish text on same page. Great read for beginner ELL in 2nd or 3rd grade.
My family. Mi familia. Day of the Dead.
(Manny Calavera!)
4.5
(Manny Calavera!)
4.5
The title of today’s read aloud is Mi Familia Calala. What do you think I read? Listen again carefully to the three words in the title. I’ll give you a clue, I want you to predict the word that begins with the /f/ sound. The word in familia, and familia is very important to me. Can you guess the word? S: Family?, yes. Teacher draws attention to a photo of her family; is your family important? Students respond. T: I see some similarities between my family and the one on this cover such as a Mom,
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This book is as much fun as Cynthia Weill's other books. I love them all. Mexico has a tradition of having fun with skeletons. You can find skeletons of all sizes, dressed in all kinds of clothes, engaged in every activity imaginable: playing instruments, taking photos, working, getting married. Like all of Weill's books, the well-crafted sculptures are beautifully photographed against bright backgrounds and accompanied by simple text. I read this aloud to students in pre-k, kindergarten, and fi
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Very colorful and joyful book. An amazing book that combines Mexican traditions and relationships. Children will enjoy this bilingual book full of life. This is a great book to educate children on one of the very popular Mexican traditions, Day of the Dead, and show that individuals can consist of many different types of family members.
Great display of English and Spanish text in a way early readers will appreciate. Family is important, great-grandparents are important, I love that the author includes them. Respectful illustrations of calacas.
This is a very simple, bilingual photo book of the calaca family made by Oaxacan paper mache artist Jesus Canseco Zarate. It teaches family relationships as we wonder over these Day of the Dead skeletons, and is great for the younger grades.
This is a cute picture book with helpful vocabulary if learning Spanish words for family members. However, I thought the artwork could have been a bit better. I didn't like the pipe-forms of the family members. This is just an aesthetic preference though.
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This is super great! Very little words, but it's in English and Spanish so the girl can learn more words and phrases, and the papier-mâché skeletons are awesomesauce!
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I love this delightfully weird bilingual picture book! This would be a great read-aloud for younger children, as well as a fun, simple text for children learning Spanish or English.
Bilingual Skeleton family----I love the brief cultural history of skeletons and how they were made for this book.
Este libro es perfecto por el Día de los Muertos. Este año, nuestra familia tiene disfrases con las calacas, y Mi Familia Calaca ayudanos a aprender el vocabulario de la familia en inglés y español.
I really enjoyed looking at the illustrations in this book. It is a very adorable way to incorporate Mexican folk art while learning Spanish.
My students loved this book. Their favorite part was the picture if the pets. They thought the pictures were great, but they also loved hearing the Spanish.
"My brother Miguel. He's a brat."
I would like to give this book a hug. It's humor coupled with the expressive art and simple text makes for a perfectly composed bilingual treat. ...more
I would like to give this book a hug. It's humor coupled with the expressive art and simple text makes for a perfectly composed bilingual treat. ...more
Cute pictures. clear translations. cheery skeletons. No plot really to speak of.
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