Tarde de invierno / Winter Afternoon is a charming bilingual story which introduces readers to illustrating their own stories. A little girl sits at a frosty window, drawing pictures in the condensation, as she waits for her mother to return. Her drawings tell of adventures as her mother approaches down the road. This delightful book from author Jorge Elias Lujan accompanied with illustrations from Mandana Sadat beautifully captures the atmosphere of a gloomy winter day along with the anticipation of a child anxiously awaiting the return of a loved one.
Practice this Comprehension Strategy-Making Connections:
After you read Tarde de invierno / Winter Afternoon talk with your child about how the girl in the story is feeling. Was she lonely when her mother was not yet home, sad that she missed her mother, excited upon her mother’s return? Then talk with your child about their own feelings. Has your child been away from their parents before? Do they go to daycare or school or stay with a babysitter while you go to work or run errands? Were they sad or anxious or scared when they were left without you? Were they excited to see you at pickup or when you got back home? This book is a great mirror for lots of children to know their feelings are valid and that they are not alone!
Do this with your child:
The girl in Tarde de invierno / Winter Afternoon draws stories in the condensation in her window. Do you have any foggy windows or even foggy mirrors after bath time? Draw stories on these surfaces with your child!
If you’re interested in sharing Tarde de invierno / Winter Afternoon with your child you can find it from Groundwood Books, an imprint of House of Ansani Press, here. You can like them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter for more inspiration.
