About This Book:
Gibberish meets Alma and How She Got Her Name in a celebration of language and how the words we use connect us with the people we love most!
Words are like magia—magic!
When her Spanish teacher asks the class to share the words that spark the most magic for them, Karena knows exactly what’s at the top of her list:
¡Poloché!
But when she’s told that it’s not a real word, she’s thrown for a loop. Her mami said it just that morning, whispered under her breath like a spell to make every wrinkle in Karena’s shirt disappear. So begins her mission to prove that there is more to language than what can be found in a dictionary. After all, her mami’s words are full of love and memory—what could be more magical than that?
Kiara Valdez’s singular text and Richy Sánchez Ayala’s vibrant illustrations celebrate the different ways that families keep language alive by bringing their own history and traditions to the table.
*Review Contributed By Adrien Carter, staff Reviewer*
Beauty of Language and Culture
Karena’s Spanish teacher asks the class to share words that spark magic for them and Karena knows just the word, Poloché. Karena is confused once she is told that its not a real word because her mami said it that morning. Karena is now on a mission to show that there’s words that aren’t captured in a dictionary like her mami’s words that are full of love and memories, and for her that’s magic.
What I Liked: If you’ve grown up with family members where English is their second language, this book will bring back memories of your childhood with them. You’ll be pausing to remember all the words that yuou grew up with and how you never second guessed it they were real. It’s fascinating to see how these words bring back memories, and how we should learn to embrace those words.
The illustrations throughout this book are vibrant helping to celebrate the ways that families keep language alive, and the beauty in the language that they make. Each moment of this story is full of joy especially as the children come together and when Karena shares that these words are a part of her history and culture. It’s interesting to see the teacher’s response and how Karena manages to teach her teacher something new.
Final Verdict: Mami’s Magic Words is perfect for English Language Learners to learn about the beauty that comes from the words that their parents use, and how those words are magical. Children ages 4 and up will enjoy seeing all the words that the children come up with and being able to think of their own words. This book feels like getting a warm hug from your loved ones and it’s one that you’ll return to time and time again.
