![]() In this delightful picture book, Julian loves mermaids and dreams of becoming one. After he sees a group of women dressed as mermaids, Julian pulls some ferns off a plant and ties a curtain around his waist. When his abuela finds him, instead of fussing at him, she embraces him and takes him to see some others dressed in fantastical mermaid and sea creature costumes. This is a lovely story of love and acceptance, and it is absolutely enhanced by the beautiful and fanciful illustrations. There are more illustrations than text, and I think students will enjoy looking at the beautiful illustrations. Approximate Reading Level - Kindergarten-2nd grade (there is no heavy LGBTQ+ stance in this book; this story could help introduce a discussion on gender norms)
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![]() I absolutely adored this book for children, and although the intended audience is ages three-six, I believe it could definitely be used with older students as well. The story is told through short and repetitive phrasing such as “Fry bread is food” and “Fry bread is history” as it takes the reader through the sounds, sights, taste, and tradition of fry bread. And while the writing is catchy and informative, it is the illustrations that sell this book. Juana Martinez-Neal does an amazing job of illustrating characters of all ages interacting and enjoying the fry bread. The faces in the illustrations depict Native Americans and friends of varying ages, sizes, colors, and with hair of different textures and colors; the illustrations definitely provide a mirror for students to see themselves reflected within the story. All of the faces look to be enjoying the tradition of making fry bread and interacting with each other. The reader can feel the joy radiate from the illustrator’s colorful pictures, and the readers are given a small window into the tradition and importance of fry bread to the Native American culture. While the story is light-hearted and touching, it also includes some deeper messages such as how fry bread became part of the Native American diet because of being forced from their native lands by the United States government. Maillard also gives voice to many of the Native American tribes by including them within the story itself and then listing the names of many Indigenous communities and nations within the U.S. on the book’s end pages. Fry Bread is a great balance of information and entertainment with beautifully illustrated characters and scenes that children will enjoy. The author also includes an author’s note with his own recipe for fry bread so students can make it with their families. Approximate Reading Level: K-2nd grade |
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