Gato, Pato and the very small mouse... Go for a Ride! is the first bilingual children's book by Latinx author Kevin Ray Brown. The story follow three friends, Gato, Pato and the very small mouse as they go for a ride through the United States and get lost in the desert where they meet Sanchito el burro. The book uses a familiar Suess-like rhyming scheme and is infused with code switching from English to Spanish Gato, Pato and the very small mouse are friends who have been enjoyed by children of all ages for over twenty years.
Gato, Pato and the very small mouse...
Go for a Ride!
Paperback
Gato, Pato and the very small mouse...
Go for a Ride!
Kindle Edition
Gato, Pato and the very small mouse...
Go for a Ride!
Coloring Book
"I have worked with preschool children for many years and this is the kind of story they enjoy, relatable characters, a little dilemma followed by a satisfying resolution/conclusion. And the inclusion of Spanish words and phrases makes it even more fun, kids will enjoy learning and repeating the Spanish."
-Xenofon Xenofontos
"Gato, Pato, and the very small mouse go for a Ride! is a wonderful short story about the universality of friendship. Animal friends share an adventure on their road trip, express their feelings, and solve a problem together. This book is a delight to both English and Spanish speakers or those trying to learn the first few words in the other language. I highly recommend."
-Shane Armstrong
Kevin R. Brown is a Salvadoran American Educator, Author & Illustrator. He holds a Master's Degree in Teaching, with an emphasis in second language acquisition fron Trinity University and a Bachelor's degree in Spanish from Brescia University. Kevin lives with his family in Nicosia, Cyprus.
Benefits of Bilingual Children’s Books
Gato, Pato and the very small mouse… is an excellent way to introduce children to the Spanish language. The book can help children develop language skills, improve their cognitive abilities, and broaden their horizons. Here are some factors to consider when choosing a new book:
Language Development
Books can help children develop language skills in two languages. They can learn new words, phrases, and sentence structures in both languages. This can help them become more proficient in both languages and improve their communication skills.
Reading is an essential activity that has a positive impact on language development. It can help with language acquisition and stimulate the part of the brain that processes language. Reading aloud exposes children to a range of new vocabulary and phrases that they may not have heard otherwise. Reading helps children to develop their understanding of the world and empathy for others. It is also intrinsically enjoyable and feeds imaginations.
Research on literacy development has shown that reading is crucial for long-term literacy development. The language competencies that literacy builds upon begin to emerge as soon as children begin acquiring language; thus, the period between birth and age three is important to later literacy. Book reading consistently has been found to have the power to create interactional contexts that nourish language development.
Cognitive Development
Books can also help children develop cognitive skills. Studies have shown that bilingual children have better problem-solving skills, memory, and attention span than monolingual children. Reading bilingual children’s books can help children develop these skills and improve their academic performance.
Reading is an essential activity that has a positive impact on cognitive development. It can help with language acquisition and stimulate the part of the brain that processes language. Reading aloud exposes children to a range of new vocabulary and phrases that they may not have heard otherwise. Reading helps children to develop their understanding of the world and empathy for others. It is also intrinsically enjoyable and feeds imaginations.
Research on literacy development has shown that reading is crucial for long-term cognitive development. The language competencies that literacy builds upon begin to emerge as soon as children begin acquiring language; thus, the period between birth and age three is important to later cognitive development. Book reading consistently has been found to have the power to create interactional contexts that nourish cognitive development. Programs implemented in different countries that put books in the hands of parents and young children and that equip parents with effective strategies for using books consistently have been found to be effective methods of fostering language acquisition and improving children’s early cognitive success.
Cultural Awareness
Books can help children learn about different cultures. They can learn about the customs, traditions, and beliefs of people from different parts of the world. This can help them develop empathy and respect for people from different backgrounds.
Reading is an essential activity that has a positive impact on cultural awareness. It can help with language acquisition and stimulate the part of the brain that processes language. Reading aloud exposes children to a range of new vocabulary and phrases that they may not have heard otherwise. Reading helps children to develop their understanding of the world and empathy for others. It is also intrinsically enjoyable and feeds imaginations.
Literature is seen as a reflection of culture and society, portraying people’s ideas and dreams set in certain time and space frameworks in the most creative and imaginary way. Adequately selected literary texts provide language learners with access to cultural knowledge of the target language community. Reading literary texts can help develop cultural awareness in ESL reading classes. The study presented in one research paper attempts to verify the effectiveness of Hanauer’s method of reading literary texts Focus-on-Cultural Understanding in developing cultural awareness, focusing on gender perception as one of fundamental aspects of culture. The study tested the participants’ attitudes and motivation before and after the controlled reading activity of a culturally loaded text. Despite its limitations, the study confirmed the effectiveness of Hanauer’s method in developing cultural understanding.
Conclusion
Bilingual children’s books are an excellent way to introduce children to new languages and cultures. They offer several benefits to children, including language development, cognitive development, and cultural awareness. We hope that this blog post has provided you with some useful information about bilingual children’s books and some recommendations for books that you can read with your child.