Family Spanish Storytime—Sat., 10/16, 11/6, 12/11, 11:00—11:30 a.m. Es una hora de cuentos para los niños en la biblioteca de Ridgefield Park Public Library! Bring your whole family out to enjoy a story & craft that supports early literacy development and help foster a love of books and reading. Sharing the wonders of books with your family helps increase children's learning and reading skills. For children of all ages and their parents or caregivers. This program includes a story in Spanish and English. Registration is required.
10/16/2021: Book shared, Lola por Junot Diaz and Islandborn by Junot Diaz.
After reading the story, children and their parent/caregiver will enjoy creating a craft.
Book Synopsis and Review
At little Lola’s school, every child is from a faraway place~ home to them is a different county~ they are a class of immigrant children. So when Lola’s teacher announces the next assignment~ to draw a picture of where their family is from~ all the students are thrilled…except for Lola, who left her Island home when she was just a baby, too young to have any of her own memories about the Island. But, with the help of her neighborhood community of family and friends, all of whom are from the island and share their memories and tell their stories to Lola, Lola will soon find her imagination whisking her back to her Island. Through an intertwining of memories and imagination, Lola will discover that even if she may not remember her Island, the *Island is me!* and she will always carry a part of her homeland with her. Through her family and friends’ memories, she has found a way to connect with her past and embrace a home she may not clearly remember, but loves all the same. Credit: (2018, March 23). Retrieved from https://maistorybook.com/2018/03/23/maistorybook-library-islandborn-island-paper-flowers-craft/
This book highlights the strength and love of an immigrant community, and the power of memory and imagination to keep the homeland alive and in your heart. According to the most current statistics from Data USA, "Ridgefield Park, NJ is home to a population of 12.9k people, from which 86.8% are citizens. As of 2019, 98.7% of Ridgefield Park, NJ residents were born outside of the country (12.8k people)." Data USA. (2019). Ridgefield Park, NJ. Retrieved from https://datausa.io/profile/geo/ridgefield-park-nj. In addition, today, almost 29% of children in Ridgefield Park public schools primary language is Spanish. (State of New Jersey, Department of Education. 2020. Demographics. Retrieved from https://rc.doe.state.nj.us/district/detail/03/4380/demographics?lang=EN . For these reasons, this story can be deeply appreciated by many children from our village. Just as Lola’s abuela says “Just because you don’t remember a place, doesn’t mean it isn’t in you.” This story showcases the need to, and the importance of, embracing where you come from. Where you come from is an integral part of who you are, and it will always be a part of your heart.
Craft:
Materials:
For One Flower:
3 sheets of different color tissue paper
Scissors
Pipe cleaner
Directions
Cut tissue paper into 6" x 8".
Layer and stack the 3 pieces of rectangular tissue paper on top of each other
Accordion Fold the tissue paper
Lay your pipe cleaner down. Place the center of the accordion rectangle about 2 inches down from the top of the pipe cleaner
Fold the pipe cleaner over the folded tissue paper, making a tight fit around the tissue paper
Twist the pipe cleaner several times, so that the middle of the accordion fold is pulled together and bunched up
Twist the pipe cleaner several times, so that the middle of the accordion fold is pulled together and bunched up
Now, carefully start pulling up the tissue paper sections from the center to the outside, one at a time
Now, carefully start pulling up the tissue paper sections from the center to the outside, one at a time
Credit: Kid Friendly Things to Do. 2018, June 9. DIY Tissue Paper Flowers for Kids to Make. Retrieved from https://kidfriendlythingstodo.com/tissue-paper-flowers-for-kids-to-make-with-pipe-cleaners/
Credit: Monkey See. 2009, June 16. Kids’ Crafts – How to Make a Tissue Paper Flower. Retrieved from https://monkeysee.com/kids-crafts-how-to-make-a-tissue-paper-flower/
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