How to Speak in Spanglish

June 15, 2023
A Latine child speaks both Spanish and English. Sometimes, Sami speaks both at the same time! Sami uses Spanglish--a blend of English and Spanish--at home and at school. The child runs into trouble, however, when Abuela voices her disapproval of combining the two languages--she thinks that Spanish should be reserved for home and English for la escuela; otherwise, Sami will get confused. After being misunderstood by others and then being marked down for using Spanglish on a school assignment, Sami starts to think Abuela might be right. Though the teacher should know better than to criticize a multilingual student for not using "proper English," Sami decides to listen to Abuela. But this new, self-imposed one-language-at-a-time rule makes Sami unhappy. A chat with brown-skinned neighbor Mrs. Bell reminds Sami that two languages can be more expressive than one. Suddenly, Sami is teaching Mrs. Bell and other community members how to speak in Spanglish, and, just like that, Sami's confidence returns. Sami is instantly likable; this depiction of the challenges of feeling understood will resonate with many children, particularly those who speak two languages. Bold, lively illustrations bring to life Sami's uncertainties and eventual triumph. Sami's family is brown-skinned; the cast is diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A celebration of a bilingual childhood. (author's note, glossary) (Picture book. 4-8)

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August 1, 2023
Grades K-2 Seamlessly blending languages, Mancillas tells the story of bilingual Sami and his family, all of whom (except Abuela) regularly like to use Spanglish. Readers meet Sami as he and his family prepare for the school day ahead of them. In this family- and language-centered book, Spanglish is the primary language, in both the dialogue and Sami's narration, immersing readers in a story that allows for educators to provide language exposure and learning moments on each page. In De Castro's lively cartoon illustrations, readers get a wide view of Sami's life, including many culturally specific background details and context clues for conversations. Sami's community is realistically diverse--in addition to Sami and his family, the kids and adults at school, the rec center, and a charming picnic in the closing pages are mostly POC. With a warm emphasis on visibility through language, how we sound to one another, and many kinds of diversity within our communities, this playful picture book will resonate with kids in multilingual families.

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