My Name is Gabriela/Me llamo Gabriela: The Life of Gabriela Mistral/la vida de Gabriela Mistral by Monica Brown, illustrated by John ParraLast week, I posted about Waiting for the Biblioburro, so it seemed right to follow with another favorite book from the same writer and illustrator team.
Monica Brown tells the story of Gabriela Mistral, a world-renowned poet and the first Latin American writer to win the Nobel for literature. Beginning with her childhood and emphasizing her love of words, it's an inspirational biography wonderfully illustrated.
It's bilingual, which is fun for those of us who took enough Spanish in college to be able to read children's books aloud in the language, and lovely for those who are latina (or latino). It's difficult for those of us who are white to fully appreciate how meaningful and essential it is for children to see people who look and sound like themselves in picture books.
We read this book while Reading Around the World but it is also, of course, a perfect choice if you want to read a picture book about Gabriela Mistral with your children. I love most how it fosters treasuring words and recognizing the power they can have in the world.
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