I Don’t Want To Melt
¡No quiero derretirme!
BOOK DESCRIPTION
Sometimes fate seems inevitable, as in the case of the snowman who must melt when Spring arrives. But his friends, the birds, the squirrels, and the mice family, all come up with a special plan to help the snowman. A delightful and moving tale in its own right, the story is also a vivid portrayal of the water cycle and the cycle of the seasons.
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 my children, which are depicted as the four children in the story. One winter, while we were living in Detroit, they made a snowman. We were about to leave for Florida, to spend Christmas with my mother, when I saw my youngest son, Gabriel, approached the snowman and whisper: “Please, do not melt.” It was for me a very tender moment.
Remembering that delightful instant years later inspired me to write I don’t want to melt.
Many of the details, in the story, like using small coconuts gathered in Miami for the snowman’s buttons are true.
This story has been a favorite of many teachers who welcome being able to explain the cycle of water through a meaningful story. It has also been appreciated by children who have to undergo moving or other sorts of major change in their lives.
READERS’ RESPONSES
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