A Surprise for Mother Rabbit
La sorpresa de Mamá Coneja
BOOK DESCRIPTION
When the bunnies decide to help their mother gather eggs for Easter, they discover the richness of diversity. Each of the eight bunnies bring an egg, a gift of a different bird.
Bird lovers will appreciate the opportunity to familiarize their students with many different kinds of birds and their eggs, and everyone will welcome this celebration of diversity and multiculturalism.
One of the beloved titles of the series Stories the Year ‘Round, or in Spanish, Cuentos para todo el año. The complete stories of the series are:
SPRING
A Rose with Wings
A Surprise for Mother Rabbit
The Empty Piñata
PRIMAVERA
Rosa alada
La sorpresa de Mamá Coneja
La piñata vacía
SUMMER
How the Rainbow Came to Be
After the Storm
In the Cow’s Backyard
VERANO
Cómo nació el arco iris
Después de la tormenta
La hamaca de la vaca
FALL
The Kite
What Are Ghosts Afraid Of?
“Turkey for Thanksgiving?” “No, Thanks!”
OTOÑO
El papalote
El susto de los fantasmas
–¿Pavo para la Cena de Gracias? –No, gracias.
WINTER
The Golden Cage
I Don’t Want to Melt
It Wasn’t Me
INVIERNO
La jaula dorada
¡No quiero derretirme!
No fui yo
CDS AND CASSETTES DESCRIPTION
Facilitating that children listen to the stories as recorded by the author has a special value. They can hear in the author’s voice just exactly how exactly the author wished to convey the stories feelings and emotions, emphasis and suspense. I particularly like to read aloud and to record my readings so, for me, it was particularly joyful to record these twelve stories in English and Spanish.
The stories can be found in individual cassettes in English and Spanish, one for each book of the series, or in CDs in English and Spanish versions. Each of the CDs contains the twelve stories of the series.
A Special Bonus
Because these stories have been so beloved by children, I conceived the idea of given them an extra dimension. I have rewritten the 12 stories in Spanish in verse format. And Suni Paz, with her incomparable creativity, has put them to music. So the Spanish cassettes and CD contain not only the story as published in the book told by me, but also the story retold in verse form and sang by Suni.
AUTHOR’S NOTE
The twelve books of this series are some of my best well known books among bilingual teachers and their students. They are also very dear to my heart since the inspiration for most of them comes from my own children’s childhood.
The major source of inspiration for this book comes from the fact that my children were constantly looking for ways to help me, like the bunnies in this story. While we lived in Detroit, the children and I spent many wonderful Saturdays at the Children’s Museum. One of the activities we learned there was to color Easter eggs the Ukranian style. And coloring eggs was a fun pastime.
Finally, my son Miguel was a passionate bird watcher. So I delighted in getting him books about birds and then listening to all his explanations about the birds habitats, their eggs, their individual characteristics and peculiarities.
So these things combined to create this book. I always tell children, when sharing this story, that even though my children were four – as they appear in I Don’t Want to Melt and in The Kite – I made them here eight bunnies because being bilingual they could be twice as helpful!
READERS’ RESPONSES
If you have enjoyed reading or sharing this book, I would very much like to hear from you. Please click here to send your comments.
