Little Elena’s papa is a glassblower.  Elena wants to be just like him.  But Elena is too little and moreover, a girl.  “Who ever heard of a girl glassblower? ” Papa says.  Little Elena gets mad.  She decides she will prove her father wrong.  And so begins the story of Elena’s Serenade by Campbell Geeslin.  Elena dresses up as a boy and heads off to Monterrey where all the great glassblowers are to learn the craft of her father.   Along the way, she meets some interesting characters — burro, coyote, and roadrunner — who encourage her in her quest.  Above her are the movements of  the heavens embodied in the beautifully illustrated figures of the sun, El Sol, and the moon, La Luna.

Elena’s Serenade is the story of a girl’s quest for a vocation.  A not atypical motif, the book however, stands out for its wonderful and evocative illustration, reminiscent of the work of Mexican artists such as Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.  Illustrator Ana Juan depicts the Mexican landscape with startlingly vivid and colorful imagery.  The repeated reading of this story to my daughter — she liked this book and wanted it reread to her often — served to enhance my appreciation of this illustrator’s art.  Elena’s Serenade was published in 2004 and received a Parent’s Choice Recommended Award.  Judging from my own daughter’s reception of this book and my delight in repeated readings of it, I can see why this book has such appeal.  I hope you can find it in your local library for I, too, recommend it as a parent’s choice!  Incidentally, this book fits in well with other Hispanic-themed children’s books and if you are looking for more titles in this vein, please do check out PaperTiger’s Hispanic Heritage Month reading list for 2008.

November 12-18 celebrates the 88th Children’s Book Week in the United States.

The ability to read and understand complicated information is essential to success in school and in the workplace. So much of today’s information is only available through the written word – in books, newspapers, magazines, the Internet, etc. Unfortunately, the statistics are staggering: analysis of the National Assessment of Educational Progress long-term trend reading assessments reveals that “by age 17, only about 1 in 17 seventeen year olds can read and gain information from specialized text, for example the science section in the local newspaper.”

During Children’s Book Week, parents, educators and caregivers are encouraged to face the challenge and take a stand: children cannot “Rise Up” to this challenge without first developing a love of reading.

A poem by Pam Munõz Ryan is featured on this year’s bookmark. Special publicity displays were created by various illustrators, including Ana Juan and Jon J. Muth. Proceeds from the sale of materials help support CBC‘s literacy efforts.