Gracias/Thanks

PreS-Gr 2—In Mora's lovely Pura Belpre Honor Book, a young boy of Mexican-American heritage is thankful for many things in his life. Chocolate poured over ice cream, worms that help us catch fish, siblings who make us laugh—all these give the child reason to say, "Thanks!" The vivid Spanish text is ably translated into spirited English, with the narrative beautifully enhanced by John Parra's vibrant acrylic paintings. Full of color and activity, the illustrations create a picture of a happy family, highlighting things that they do that make the boy grateful. The CD offers several listening options: English only, Spanish only, and both English and Spanish. The text is read clearly and slowly, so that young readers can follow along. Page-turn signals are optional. The pairing of text and narration enhances the impact of the reminder that even the youngest child can find things in their life for which they are thankful. An excellent tool for inspiring writing projects, this is most appropriate for ELL classrooms or for use in stations in bilingual classrooms.—Ann Welton, Stafford Elementary, Tacoma, WA