Marvelous Maravilloso: Me and My Beautiful Family

by Carrie Lara, Christine Battuz (Illustrator)

Overview

The world is full of different colors . . . hundreds of colors, everywhere. People are different colors too.

Our colors make us beautiful and unique. Mommy says it is part of our culture and the big word diversity—diversidad. Marvelous Maravilloso follows a young girl as she finds joy in the colors of the world all around her, including the colors of her own family. Included is a Note to Parents and Caregivers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781433828560
Publisher:	Magination Press, American Psychological Association
Publication date:	05/14/2018
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	8.20(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Carrie Lara, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist who has worked with a range of clients, from children and families to adults with severe mental illness. She is also an award-winning children’s book author.

Christine Battuz studied drawing and painting in Italy. Her many illustrated children's books include Something New for Rosh Hashanah. Working internationally, she speaks both English and French. She lives in Quebec.

Editorial Reviews

Second Place Winner for Best Educational Children’s Picture Book in the 2019 International Latino Book Awards

NCSS-CBC 2019 Notable Social Science Trade Book for Young People

2018 National Parenting Product Award Winner (NAPPA)

"Short, easy to read, poetic sentences accompany marvelous illustrations that cover every part of the pages. The topic of diversity and differences in skin color is touched upon with elegance and care, and one particular illustration, which depicts flowers in black-and-white, illustrates how without colors, everything (and everyone) would look the same....A wonderful choice for introducing the beauty of diversity to young children, perfect for read-alouds, and recommended for all children's picture book collections." —School Library Journal

"A wonderfully presented picture book story from the point of view of a young interracial child about what color means within the dynamics of race, ethnicity, and culture." —Midwest Book Review

"I absolutely fell in love with the simple and beautiful way that readers are introduced to different cultures and skin colors. There is a sprinkle of Spanish words throughout the story which allows readers to get a glimpse of the Spanish culture. The authors note in the back of the book discusses the importance of teaching children about culture and about celebrating the different kinds of people and families there are in the world. A must read for all classroom and home libraries." —picturebooks4learning

From the Publisher

06/01/2018
PreS-Gr 1—A young girl explores the colors all around her. She admires the hues of the flowers, the sea, the trees surrounding her grandmother's house, and the colors of the city where her abuela lives. She admires the difference in the people around her, her mother, who is white like crema, and her father, who has brown skin like smooth leather. She thinks about her own color, which is like café con leche, and is a mezcla—a mix—of her mother and father. She shares with readers that all the different colors of the people of the world are part of diversity—diversidad—and that they all have beautiful families. Short, easy to read, poetic sentences accompany marvelous illustrations that cover every part of the pages. The topic of diversity and differences in skin color is touched upon with elegance and care, and one particular illustration, which depicts flowers in black-and-white, illustrates how without colors, everything (and everyone) would look the same. Ending pages illustrate the diversity of different families, and how this diversity is not only okay—it's maravilloso! A note to parents and caregivers discusses how children understand skin color and how best to discuss diversity and discrimination with children. VERDICT A wonderful choice for introducing the beauty of diversity to young children, perfect for read-alouds, and recommended for all children's picture book collections.—Selenia Paz, Harris County Public Library, Houston, TX

School Library Journal