Squawk of Spanish

Genres

Fiction > Contemporary

Content

Grandparents, Bilingualism, Arts > Food & Culture

Central Theme

Learning Concept

Race / Culture

SEL > Identity, Perseverance

Author & Illustrator: Gabriella Aldeman

Publisher: Romina Galotta

*Spanish version available: Un graznido en español

Summary

Max loves his weekends cooking with his Abuelo, but one thing always getting in the way: his Spanish! His tongue trips when rolling his r’s, and his cousins won’t let him forget it. Though speaking with his Abuela can be challenging, they get by with the help of Abuela’s parrot, Lolita, who translates each recipe. That is, until one morning, something prevents Lolita from joining, leaving Max to face his fear of embarrassment and try, try, again on his own. “Max sí puede!” – his Abuela encourages – and with this support, he learns that sometimes, the truest expressions of love are shown through actions, not words.


Review

This story likely rings true for many children, who may live in the middle of cultures and languages. Max’s frustration with speaking Spanish “correctly” prevents him from truly connecting with his Abuela, but I love when the story turns the perspective and encourages the consideration of Abuela’s attempts with English. Though she struggles for words, it doesn’t stop her from trying – emphasizing the love that triumphs all fears of failure. Accent is so miniscule when thinking of communication as a whole. It’s about shared connection and the sentiment of a message, over pronunciation. Having pride in your family heritage and knowing it’s a journey to learning a language is important to keep at the forefront of time spent with loved ones.


Extend the Learning

Check out the author’s website for an excellent free download activity kit, which includes discussion questions, Arroz con Leche recipe, and a word search with key vocabulary.