More Bilingual Board Books for Lively Language Development

With interactive flip/flap pages, three recent titles from the Bilingual Media producers, CANTICOS, are filled with fun and foundational vocabulary. When I first had my hands on a few other titles in the ever-expanding offerings of this publisher/producer, I was happy to lend my support in reviews, HERE and HERE. Featuring colorful recurring characters with childlike curiosity and cleverness, basic concepts of naming, colors, counting, etc. appear in sturdy board books with a variety of interactivity features to entice young engagement.

CANTICOS, 2022

The latest three titles do not disappoint, beginning with KIKI CAN! Kiki Puede! I've never yet met a child who didn't wish they could fly, and this little chick is no exception. despite repeated reminders from FRIENDS (who appear to be kindly "just saying" or being realistic), Kiki continues to make attempts at flying in innovative ways. Results are revealed under successive flaps, with bilingual parallel text throughout, including exclamations. 

Mama Hen reminds Kiki about all that she has learned, how she might still find a way to make her dream come true. That little flash of encouragement leads Kiki on a STEM-ish effort that will please little audiences and adults, too.

There's much to love about the familiar characters and interactivity for repeat audiences. That is enhanced by the 6"x6" kid-friendly size, shape, and patterns, with repeated phrases and resilience.

In SEASONS: Las Estaciones, Kiki is joined by her chick friends, Ricky and Nicky, as they move through four seasons, just a few pages at a time. With simple sentences and sensory experiences (what they see, smell, touch, and feel) they conclude what the current season is, revealed under a flap, also with bilingual words. In the process this little team of friends meet a few familiar characters and portray familiar reactions to changing seasons, providing simple language to use vocabulary for clothing, seasons, and actions. 

Each of book in this series incorporates a single bilingual glossary page at the back, with a dozen or so of the key-concept words in English, followed by a pronunciation key, then the correct Spanish spelling. This is invaluable for English-dominant adults who are sharing the books with little hands and minds. It is also helpful for slightly older kids who can read English but are enjoying the titles for their accessible approach to building Spanish vocabulary and language patterns. (Or te reverse!)

Finally, THINGS I DO: Las Cosas Que Hago, is a focused concept presentation featuring verbs. Following a double spread introductory text, using light rhyme and the question, WHAT DO YOU DO? (translated text on facing page), each spread is short, simple and direct.

What follows is a series of three categories with lift-flap and minimal text that easily present familiar activities. First, several words of action are seen/used, spread by spread, followed by words showing emotions, then sensory words. In this case, each flap echoes the English-text cover of the flap with the Spanish text under the flap, along with the pronunciation guide. 

These are board books, yes, and research indicates that toddlers can gain substantial brain power by learning additional languages in ways that are fun, friendly, and natural: like reading books together, singing songs, connecting with characters, etc. That's a solid match for these titles and others in this series. The physical books are solidly constructed and should stand up well to very young hands and explorations. These books are ALSO an ideal way to entice slightly older audiences to bilingualism- in both directions. The reoccurrence of characters, core vocabulary, and patterns of repetition and simple language structures allow for potential self-instruction and development of conversational language, to some extent. 

These are welcome additions to the other titles you can find on the  CANTICOS website, including award-winning videos in which these and other characters voice their vocabulary and come to life on the screen.

A note of thanks to loyal readers who are still with me after my unexplained pauses in reviews or interviews recently. Life has been throwing me curve balls, so I was not able to post a warning about delays between posts. I'm determined to get back to a more regular schedule soon and hope you'll continue to read, and comment when you feel so inclined!

I hope you enjoyed the review of FRANZ'S PHANTASMAGORICAL MACHINE by Beth Anderson and Caroline Hamel, HERE. As promised in that review, Beth Anderson agreed to an interview and that will appear here within  a few days. DO NOT MISS it!

In the darkest of times, CLIMB ON!

NorthSouth Books, 2022

CLIMB ON comes from the brilliant pairing of author Baptiste Paul and illustrator Jacqueline Alcantara. (Previously paired on prize-winning picture book, THE FIELD).

Before I discuss the book itself, let me repeat my deeply-held belief that an excellent picture book is as powerful for older kids AND adults of any age as it is for the indicated target reader age. When I launched this blog in 2012, my initial post included my opinion that the best picture books can and do reach and teach and comfort and entertain adults every bit as well as they do for children. Layers of theme and emotion can be unconsciously absorbed by the very young through the joy (or care) in a well-told and illustrated story. 

But adults, who have experienced so very many more years of heart and power and honesty and deception, will find in these few colorful pages a force of therapy and thought that is worth far more than the  cost of the book or the effort to pick it up at the library.

That's what I hope  might happen for a few personal friends if they pause to explore within this vibrant and vital picture book. When loss and struggle and exhaustion and commitment drain the spirit from those who I have witnessed as tireless leaders and creatives, there is so little I can do to offer relief. The best I can hope for is to send them my concern and hopes for the strength they need to keep putting one foot in front of the other, when that feels challenging, or even impossible.

Which brings me back to the actual content of this new and heartwarming picture book. From cover to cover, from dedication to endpaper challenges, from lush interior spreads to luminous bilingual text (English-Creole), this is an irresistible picture book. The story, too, is magnetic, with a prepared. curious, determined young girl who holds her daddy to his promise to climb with her to the tippy-top of a jungle crest. Even though Daddy feels it is fine day to spend on the couch, streaming his favorite football club (obviously soccer!), daughter moves him and the story up, up, up, pursuing her own mission to CLIMB ON!

Along the way Daddy's reluctant attitude continues, despite daughter's discoveries, celebratory engagement, and repeated enthusiastic invitations. Until...

No spoiler here, but chance and parental commitment come into play to elevate determination for both, to reap the rewards of their efforts with awe and shared satisfaction, and top off the day with exuberant excitement and joyful abandon. 

There are so many things about this book that little ones will find thrilling and surprising and delightful, including the possibility of learning some simple Creole phrases to use in their own playful daily lives. My library copy was particularly helpful in NOT taping down the back of their protective case cover. The memory and visual challenge presented on the pasted-down endpaper would have meant little fingers prying loose their efforts anyway while trying to peek under a taped down case to find the visual search prompts during a second (and more) read.

I hope this description is enough to make this a family, classroom, or gift purchase. But give some added thought to anyone you know who is in the midst of  hard times, who is waking each day only to wonder how they will make it through to the end of that day, let alone resist depression and conclude whatever challenge they might be facing. Give this book a look with them in mind. Consider sharing it with folks who have always been the ones to step up and reach out to you and others. The folks who seem to be endlessly optimistic, to draw on a bottomless well of energy, using that effort for the good of others. Those same folks who you know (or suspect) might now be mired in really tough times. This joyful, inspiring, heartwarming, and encouraging story might be just what they need. Especially if it is delivered along with an offer of a listening ear, a sure hand, or a quiet "ask when you need help" in their ear. 

In other years of this blog I'd have likely emphasized the positivity and parental relationship and delicious eye candy that this book is. With the thought of friends who would love it with open arms, but whose arms and hearts are now filled with burdens, the depth of the story resonates with me at every page turn. 

This, too, this power of picture books to meet you where you are in different ways at different times, is why I continue to read, write, examine closely, and celebrate picture books. if you are reading here, I suspect you agree. I hope that you will give this one the reading it deserves, and read the needs of your friends, as well. 

And to my struggling friends, CLIMB ON!

Bilingual Baby Board Books- Keep 'Em Coming!

 I first learned about Canticos bilingual books when a box appeared on my doorstep last spring. I will occasionally review board books and "first books" here, but not often. The theme of this blog, the driving force that led me to launch it some 500+ posts ago, is to undermine any thought that picture books are "baby" books and should be abandoned by first grade, or sooner. 

Picture books are for EVERYONE, right? That's my personal and professional belief. Certainly, there are target ages for ideal audiences for particular books. That is certainly true for boardbooks, and for early concept books, many alphabet and number books, etc. These have less broad appeal forolder ages, of course, but many can serve in a variety of ways for older readers, particularly as mentor text.

Cantacos First Concepts, 2020

Boardbooks, not so much. Even so, babies and toddlers are a very important part of "everyone".  That's why I read and enjoyed the original sample bilingual boardbooks and wrote a post about them here. At the time I was especially impressed with the well-developed online resources related to the books, the text, and the recurring characters, including songs and videos. 

Their promise at that time was that there would be more to offer, and that has now happened. Their books now include concepts like opposites, feelings, shapes and patterns, alphabet, etc. They are tot-friendly sized, very sturdily bound, with interiors including lift flaps, folds, and even a few books that fully extend. The characters are appealing and recurring throughout the series, providing effective repetition that leads to vocabulary development, both oral and word recognition. Most importantly, the bilingual pairings are simple and consistent, with that potential musical link to trigger memory. 

The website offerings include plush toys and other related materials, and an app has been developed to make it easy to use musical links on mobile devices. 

Aside: let me mention here that putting mobile devices into kids' hands is NOT my recommendation. Putting actual books into their hands IS ALWAYS a better choice. Kids, especially babies, value most what their loved adults value. They will choose books, if that is what those loved ones value. 

In this case, the books themselves are colorful, durable, and engaging, including fine motor interactions. Core book concepts related to top/bottom, front/back, page turns, concepts of words, and language patterns will develop with shared and independent use. In this case, the bilingual aspect is an enormous benefit for English and Spanish audiences. While language is developing in the first three years, growing brains are particularly able to expand the neural pathways that enhance learning of MANY languages. If these books are used and paired with the musical options they could even be used effectively into early childhood to begin bilingual reading, writing, and speaking. 

These latest books were sent to me with no promise of a review of any kind, but I don't hesitate to say that they offer valuable tools for entertainment, learning, and love of books in the youngest audiences. Take a look at these and related materials HERE, at CanticosWorld.com.

Keep in mind that you can access some of their materials for free, including downloadable files. These books are now on their way to my local public library to include in their baby/family collection.

More About Board Books: Bilingual!

Two notes to launch this post:
1) I received this set of bilingual board books from a publisher with no promise of a review of any kind. 
2) That delivery was a welcome surprise on yet another COVID19 Safer-At-Home day. I've had a long-standing friendship with our mail person for the many years, enjoying conversations that have ceased in these days in order to sustain physical/social distance. She knows me well. Through the window she smiled, shook the box, and mouthed: "BOOKS! It's a good day!"

I was not familiar with CANTICOS, a YouTube Channel for bilingual nursery rhymes and kids' songs (HERE). Their short English/Spanish videos incorporate adorable animal characters and one cardboard cutout who comes to life, Pin Pon. They populate the various short features, singing songs in both English and Spanish, delivered at a pace that sustains attention and allows for little ones to participate spontaneously. 

Now these characters, stories, and words are featured in a series of early concept board books. In case you missed it, I hope you'll read my recent post about an outstanding board book offering, EGG. In it, I mentioned some of the essential qualities of board books: durability, size, age-appropriate content, long-lasting appeal. 
The board books in this new series have those features and add several forms of interactivity (flaps, tabs, sliders, fanfolds, magnets, etc.). These elevate the appeal, although such features can make it challenging to prevent damage from little hands with unrefined motor control and unbridled enthusiasm. But these are made of sturdy materials and bindings, so I'm betting this set of books will survive repeated handling by eager little fingers. 

The publisher's materials enclosed with the books didn't state this, but I'm guessing that parent/caregivers of little video fans may have asked for books related to the series. These certainly should make preschoolers (and adults who care for them) happy with the effort. Tots will read/play/sing along with numbers, letters, colors, and nursery rhymes with monthly releases throughout the spring and summer. In the process, little ones will develop reading and speaking skills in both languages, fostering early literacy and exercising brain cells at a crucial time in their development. Engaged adults may also learn a thing or two!

These are not the types of books I typically feature, but several factors moved me to share them here. First, the overall design has been thoughtfully executed, with consistency of images and labels, font choices, and pacing to convey content effectively. Additionally, but not secondarily, I found these to be exciting offerings in early childhood bilingual language and literacy development. I readily admit that I am NOT an expert in this specialized area, and I view them from an English-speaker's perspective. As such, I feel confident in recommending the books to those whose primary language is English. 
I'll never stop advocating for increasing bilingualism in ALL children, but especially in typically monolingual American children. When additional languages are introduced through musical, visual, and engaging experiences, young minds absorb, expand, and retain languages with lifelong benefits,

I'd welcome insights and reactions from those whose primary language is Spanish.

Meanwhile, I can't resist a reference to Covid19 Homeschooling experiences. Teachers, students, and caregivers are gradually developing a new-normal approach to delivery of instruction. Even so, there's no doubt that some days (most days?) require doses of "out-of-the-box" approaches, time spent away from assignments. Exploring activities involving other languages could be exactly the kind of challenge to energize and engage when exhaustion and/or frustration loom. These little board books reminded me of how much FUN it can be to learn a new language, and how many resources exist to do so. Why not give it a try?