ABOUT WE LAUGH ALIKE / JUNTOS NOS REÍMOS
Six kids are ready to play: three speak English. Y tres hablan español [and three speak Spanish]. But all of them laugh alike and together! This clever playground adventure weaves together bilingual English and Spanish conversations, allowing two groups of children to express similar thoughts in their own languages.
A brand new barrier-breaking and friendship-affirming bilingual picture book from award-winning author Carmen T. Bernier-Grand (Diego: Bigger than Life). Three kids are playing at the park when three more arrive. The groups can’t understand each other because one trio speaks only English and the other only Spanish. But they can express similar thoughts in their own languages. Aquí interactúan el inglés y el español. Can they find a way to play? Of course they can! By watching each other, both groups learn that they are more alike than different and end up discovering new words and making new friends in this adventure propelled by clever integrated Spanish dialogue.
Published by Charlesbridge
Apr 13, 2021 | 32 Pages | 10 x 10 | 5-8 years | ISBN 9781623540968
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“The cheery art using scanned textures and bold colors highlights the activity, setting it in a city park in the shadow of numerous skyscrapers.”
Kirkus Reviews: “A sweet demonstration of how friendship can transcend language barriers.”
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In this playful spin on the bilingual format, three English-speaking friends go to play at the park, where a Spanish-speaking trio soon shows up. Each group is curious about the other, but for the first half of the story, they keep to different sides of the park, saying the same things in their respective languages, thus naturally incorporating the translation into the text. For example, when the English-speaking kids say, “They know how to jump rope! But we don’t understand their rhyme,” the Spanish-speaking kids also say, “Nuestro rima los invita a saltar con nosotros, pero no now hacen caso.” Before long, kids from both groups are gesturing to one another to come play, bringing everyone together. Colorful illustrations showcase the similarities among the racially diverse kids, who easily find ways to connect that go beyond language. Yet, the kids don’t stop there; they spend time learning each other’s songs and rhymes. A glossary and author’s note rounds out this encouraging demonstration of overcoming language barriers.
—Booklist