SATA
ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: WE PLAY SOCCER / JUGAMOS EL FÚTBOL
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://renecolatolainez.com/
CITY: Arleta
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: SATA 304
http://www.papertigers.org/interviews/archived_interviews/rcolato.html
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born May 23, 1970, in San Salvador, El Salvador; son of Fidel Colato and Juana Laínez.
EDUCATION:California State University Northridge, B.A. and teaching credential, 1993; Vermont College of Fine Arts, M.F.A. (writing for children and young adults), 2005.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Educator and author. Fernangeles Elementary School, Sun Valley, CA, bilingual teacher, beginning 1993.
MEMBER:Authors Guild, Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, U.S. Board on Books for Young People, California Association for Bilingual Education, California Readers, Children’s Literature Council of Southern California.
AWARDS:Orgullo Salvadoreño Honor designation, El Salvador Consulate Texas, and Southwest Books of the Year selection, both 2005, Tejas Star Book Award finalist, 2007-08, and Best Children’s Book designation, New Mexico Book Award, 2008, all for Playing Lotería/El juego de la lotería illustrated by Jill Arena; special recognition, Los Angeles Unified School District, 2006; Best Bilingual Picture Book selection, International Latino Book Award, and special recognition, Paterson Prize for Books for Young People, both 2006, and Tejas Star Book Award finalist, 2008-09, all for I Am René, the Boy/Soy René, el niño illustrated by Fabiola Graullera Ramírez; honorable mention, International Latino Book Award, and Américas Book Award commended title, both 2010, and Tejas Star Book Award finalist, 2010-11, all for René Has Two Last Names/René tiene dos apellidos illustrated by Ramírez;Premios Actitud El Salvador, 2015.
WRITINGS
Contributor of poems and articles to children’s magazine Revista Iguana; contributor to blogs Labloga and Los Bloguitos.
SIDELIGHTS
A native of El Salvador, writer and educator René Colato Laínez is the author of bilingual picture books such as I Am René, the Boy/Soy René, el niño, winner of the International Latino Book Award. “I write from my own personal experiences, which seem to mirror those of many immigrant children in the United States,” Colato Laínez remarked to Aline Pereira in a PaperTigers online interview. “Identity issues, separation from a loved one, fear of speaking/learning a new language, embarrassment of speaking their native language in their new country: these are all problems that immigrant children deal with … . I write from my heart, and always try to send a message of hope to my readers.”
Colato Laínez’s debut children’s book, Waiting for Papá/Esperando a Papá, centers on the long-distance relationship between a young boy and his father. While living in the United States with his mother, eight-year-old Beto writes a stirring tribute to his Papá, who remains in El Salvador. When Beto’s letter is read on the radio, it jumpstarts a school fundraiser organized to purchase a much-needed gift for the far-away dad. “Laínez’s child-centered words make the concept of refugees more approachable and sympathetic,” wrote a critic in Kirkus Reviews, and Ann Welton asserted in School Library Journal that Waiting for Papá/Esperando a Papá “offers a sound introduction to the many issues surrounding immigration and its impact on families.”
In Playing Lotería/El juego de la lotería, another of Colato Laínez’s original self-illustrated stories, an American youngster bonds with his Mexican grandmother while playing lotería, a form of bingo. “This is a warm and reassuring story of a boy’s involvement not only with his family but also his culture,” Welton commented. (open new)In an interview with Aurora Anaya-Cerda, which appeared on the Mommy Maestra website, Laínez explained that he was inspired to write the book by “the students at the school where I work. Most of them come from Latino families but they have trouble speaking Spanish. I wanted to write a story where these students can discover that it is possible to speak two languages and that we need to be proud of our culture.”(close new—more below)
A semi-autobiographical tale illustrated by Fabiola Graullera Ramírez, I Am René, the Boy/Soy René, el niño concerns a Salvadoran immigrant who discovers, somewhat embarrassingly, that his first name is pronounced the same as that of a female classmate. According to Welton, Colato Laínez’s story “will prompt discussion and empathy for students struggling with language acquisition and cultural change.” In a companion volume, René Has Two Last Names/René tiene dos apellidos, a youngster creates a family tree to aid him in explaining his heritage to several aprehensive schoolmates. A contributor in Kirkus Reviews praised the author’s “sincere, earnest voice” here and described the tale as an “easily understood example of cultural differences.”
Another work based on Colato Laínez’s childhood experiences, My Shoes and I, describes a boy’s difficult journey from El Salvador to the United States. “This inspiring tale soars with real emotions, even as it celebrates the resiliency of children,” Marilyn Taniguchi maintained in School Library Journal. (open new) A bilingual version of the book, called My Shoes and I: Crossing Three Borders/Mis zapatos y yo: cruzando tres fronteras, was released in 2019. A Kirkus Reviews critic suggested that the book represented “a crucial, insightful, and timely light shone on a sensitive, highly relevant subject.” Lucia Acosta, contributor to School Library Journal, called it “a must-read.”(close new—more below)
In a lighter vein, The Tooth Fairy meets El Ratón Pérez focuses on a confrontation between the Tooth Fairy and her Latin-American counterpart, a brash rodent. Brought to life in artwork by Tom Lintern, Colato Laínez’s story here introduces the “topic of cultural identity with humor and grace,” in the words of a Publishers Weekly critic.
In his sensitively handled and reassuring From North to South/Del norte al sur , Colato Laínez depicts the daunting gray-zone realm of those awaiting deportation back to a country they hoped to leave for good. Young José is fortunate: although his mother was detained at the U.S.-Mexico border for an immigration violation, he has made his way to the home of his father, who has been living in the United States. They visit José’s mother in a detention camp where she awaits the legal outcome of her case in a story that manages to “appropriately capture a child’s perspective on the not-so-pretty impact of immigration policies,” according to School Library Journal writer Rhonda Jeffers.
Taking a more lighthearted approach to legal documentation status, Mamá the Alien/Mamá la extraterrestre presents the story of Sofia, a little girl who is astonished to discover that her seemingly normal mother may be from another planet. Sofia remains only half-convinced after her mother explains why “Alien” is written on the identification card she carries in her purse. “The subject is important to address with young children, and the story makes for very easy reading in both languages,” remarked Jessica Espejel in School Library Journal, while a Kirkus Reviews writer commended in Mamá the Alien/Mamá la extraterrestre for presenting a “delightful, original, clever, [and] purposeful” Spanish/English “primer on the immigration process.”
Colato Laínez gives a humorous and bilingual twist to a familiar nursery rhyme in Señor Pancho Had a Rancho, a riff on “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.” Illustrated by Ellwood H. Smith, his appealing text shows the sometimes comical variances in the way each language reproduces barnyard-animal sounds. Citing “the overall joy” captured in Señor Pancho Had a Rancho, a Kirkus Reviews writer predicted that curious readers “will enjoy learning the names of the animals in both English and Spanish.” (open new)Colato Laínez takes on another classic kid’s song, “The Wheels on the Bus,” in ¡Vamonos!/Let’s Go! The book features other vehicles in addition to the bus, such as a train, a fire truck, and an ambulance. “Though the book is unquestionably well-meaning, it just doesn’t work except as a vocabulary builder,” remarked a Kirkus Reviews critic.
Colato Laínez’s first biography for children is Telegrams to Heaven: The Childhood of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero. The book, which features Spanish translations, finds Romero growing up in Ciudad Barrios, El Salvador. As a child, he works at the post office, where telegrams were also sent. Romero desires to send messages to God, and his father tells him that praying from his heart is like sending telegrams to heaven. A Kirkus Reviews contributor described the volume as “an engaging tale of a boy’s spiritual awakening.”
Colato Laínez collaborated with illustrator Nomar Perez on the bilingual books, Let’s Be Friends: In English and Spanish and We Play Soccer: In English and Spanish. In the former, Joe, who speaks English, and José, who speaks Spanish, are in the same class. They bond by painting together. A Kirkus Reviews writer described the volume as “a joyful story gently highlighting the power of art to connect communities and individuals.” Joe and José return in We Play Soccer. They put on their soccer gear and practice together before their match begins. They both initially sit on the sidelines but are called onto the field toward the end of the match. A contributor to Kirkus Reviews called the book “a bright, sweet story about friendship, teamwork, and the joy of soccer.”
In an interview with Laura Duncan on the Los Angeles Public Library website, Colato Laínez summed up his intentions for his writing, stating: “It is my goal to write stories where minority children are portrayed in a positive way, where they can see themselves as heroes, and where they can dream and have hopes for the future.”(closed new)
Colato Laínez once told SATA: “I was born in El Salvador. When I was a boy, every Saturday my mom and I went to her uncle’s house to wash his clothes. It was in this house, the house of Jorge Buenaventura Laínez, where I learned the word escritor (writer). My mom’s uncle was a famous writer whose poetry and prose is popular in Central America. I wanted to be like him. He is still my inspiration.
“I have been writing all my life. As a child I wrote about my toys and school. As I grew older, El Salvador was involved in a civil war. My father and I had to leave the country and come to the United States. We had hard times on our way to Mexico City. My father lost all his money. He had to work to get more money and I was left alone in an old trailer that became our home. In that old trailer, I wrote and wrote in notebooks about my dreams, desires, adventures, etc. It was there that I realized that I could be a writer. Four months later, we reached the city of Los Angeles.
“In Los Angeles High School, my Spanish teacher read one of my short stories and invited me to participate in the Spanish-language school newspaper La Voz Estudiantil (‘The Student’s Voice’). My articles and poems were published for three years. During high school and college, I wrote seven novels for adults, intending them for my friends and relatives.
“While earning a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies from California State University Northridge, I read my short story ‘Lágrimas de sangre’ (‘Blood Tears’) to a group of theatre students. One of the students approached me after my reading and told me that she had been looking for a story to perform for high-school students, and that mine was perfect. It was a great sensation to watch my own story on stage. Later on, another group of college students performed my story ‘Black Sheep among White Lambs.’
“I have been a teacher for many years in a bilingual classroom at Fernangeles Elementary School. I have written many books for my students. Children at school know me as ‘the teacher full of stories/el maestro lleno de cuentos.’
“My goal as a writer is to write good multicultural children’s literature. Stories where minority children are represented in a positive way. Stories where they can see themselves as heroes. Stories where children can dream and have hopes for the future. I want to show readers authentic stories of Latin-American children living in the United States.”
Colato Laínez continues his work with young children as he inspires them with the power of stories. Given a question by a group of elementary-school students from Denver, Colorado, who asked him where he read his picture books as a child, he responded: “When I was a child, my favorite place in the house was a corner where I always found a rocking chair. I rocked myself back and forth while I read a picture book. Soon the rocking chair became a magic flying carpet that took me to many different places. I met new friends. I lived great adventures. On many occasions, I was able to touch the stars. All the picture books I read transported me into the entire universe.
“Books inspired me! I also wanted to write about the wonderful world that I visited in my readings. I started to write my own stories, poems, and adventures in my diary. Every time I read and revised my stories, I found new adventures to tell about. Now, I write children’s books and it is an honor to share my books with children around the world. I invite you to travel with me. Pick up a picture book and you will find wonders. Picture books are full of adventures, friends, and fantastic places. Read and reach for the stars.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, February 1, 2010, Linda Perkins, review of My Shoes and I, p. 46.
Kirkus Reviews, November 15, 2004, review of Waiting for Papá/Esperando a Papá, p. 1091; April 15, 2005, review of I Am René, the Boy/Soy René, el niño, p. 476; October 1, 2009, review of René Has Two Last Names/René tiene dos apellidos; February 15, 2010, review of The Tooth Fairy Meets El Ratón Pérez; August 1, 2013, review of Senor Pancho Had a Rancho; June 1, 2015, review of ¡Vamonos!/Let’s Go!; May 1, 2016, review of Mamá the Alien/Mamá la extraterrestre; February 1, 2018, review of Telegrams to Heaven: The Childhood of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero; March 15, 2019, review of My Shoes and I: Crossing Three Borders; December 1, 2021, review of We Play Soccer: In English and Spanish; December 1, 2021, review of Let’s Be Friends: In English and Spanish.
Publishers Weekly, March 15, 2010, review of The Tooth Fairy Meets El Ratón Pérez, p. 52.
School Library Journal, January, 2005, Ann Welton, review of Waiting for Papá, p. 120; May, 2005, Ann Welton, review of I Am René, the Boy, p. 118; October, 2005, Ann Welton, review of Playing Lotería/El juego de la lotería, p. 148; October, 2009, Diana Borrego Martinez, review of René Has Two Last Names, p. 116; March, 2010, Marilyn Taniguchi, review of My Shoes and I, p. 122, and Mary Landrum, review of The Tooth Fairy Meets El Ratón Pérez, p. 124; November, 2010, Rhonda Jeffers, review of From North to South/Del norte al sur, p. 96; August, 2013, Ted McCoy, review of Senor Pancho Had a Rancho, p. 69; June, 2016, Jessica Espejel, review of Mamá the Alien/Mamá la extraterrestre, p. 72; May, 2019, Lucia Acosta, review of My Shoes and I, p. 85.
ONLINE
California Readers website, http://californiareaders.org/interviews/ (February 15, 2011), Bonnie O’Brian, “Meet René Colato Laínez.”
Criticas online, http://www.criticasmagazine.com/ (March 1, 2007), interview with Colato Laínez.
Los Angeles Public Library website, https://www.lapl.org/ (September 17, 2020), Laura Duncan, author interview.
Mommy Maestra, https://www.mommymaestra.com/ (December 10, 2019), Aurora Anaya-Cerda, author interview.
PaperTigers.org, http://www.papertigers.org/ (September, 2006), Aline Pereira, interview with Colato Laínez.
René Colato Laínez website, http://www.renecolatolainez.com (April 27, 2022).
My name is René Colato Laínez. I was born in El Salvador. Every Saturday, my mom and I went to her uncle’s house to wash his clothes. It was in this house, the house of Jorge Buenaventura Laínez, where I learned the word “escritor” (Writer). My mom's uncle was a famous writer, his poetry and prose is popular in Central America. I wanted to be like him. He is my inspiration.
I have been writing all my life. As a child, I wrote about my toys and school. As I grew older, El Salvador was involved in a civil war. My father and I had to leave the country to come to the United States. We had hard times on our way to Mexico City. My father lost all his money. He had to work to get more money and I was left alone in an old trailer that became our home. In that old trailer, I wrote and wrote in notebooks about my dreams, desires, adventures, etc. It was there, that I realized that I could be a writer. Four months later, we reached the city of Los Angeles.
Picture
In High School, my Spanish teacher read one of my short stories and invited me to participate in the Spanish school paper “La Voz Estudiantil” (The Student’s Voice). My articles and poems were published for three years. During High School and my college years, I wrote seven novels for adults: Lucia, Uncle, Crisis Times, Living in Another Life, Honey Moon in the Caribbean, Blessing or Sin, and Going North. All of them are in their first drafts. I wrote them for my friends and relatives.
When I was in college, I read my short story “Lágrimas de Sangre” (Blood Tears) to a group of theater students. One of the students approached me after my reading and told me that she had been looking for a story to perform to High School Students and that story was the perfect one. It was a great sensation to watch my own story on stage. Later on, another group of college students performed my story “Black Sheep Among White Lambs”. I have been a teacher for many years in a bilingual classroom. I have written many books for my students. Children at school know me as “the teacher full of stories.”
Picture
I wondered what I needed to do to publish my work. In 1996, I took the course “Writing for Children and Teenagers” with The Institute of Children’s Literature. But it was not until April 2001 that I started to submit my work. In the mean time, I have taken creative writing classes with Highlights Foundation, California State University at Northridge, UCLA, SCBWI, as well as with renowned bilingual children’s literature authors Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy. I am a graduate of the Vermont College MFA program in Writing for Children & Young Adults.
My goal as a writer is to produce good multicultural children's literature; stories where minority children are portrayed in a positive way, where they can see themselves as heroes, and where they can dream and have hopes for the future. I want to write authentic stories of Latin American children living in the States.
Hi! I am Rene Colato Lainez, and I write bilingual picture books for children. I am also a bilingual teacher at Fernangeles Elementary.Come on in and celebrate the pleasure of reading in English and Spanish. My goal as a writer is to produce good multicultural children's literature; stories where minority children are portrayed in a positive way, where they can see themselves as heroes, and where they can dream and have hopes for the future. I want to write authentic stories of Latin American children living in the States.
René Colato Laínez
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Colato Laínez at the 2016 Texas Book Festival.
René Colato Laínez (born in San Salvador, El Salvador on May 23, 1970) is a Hispanic educator and author of several bilingual/multicultural award winning children's books. His books reflect the Hispanic immigrant experience from a child’s point of view, covering topics such as cultural identity issues, the difficulties of learning a second language, and missing a loved one. Most of his books are based in his own experiences. [1][2]
Contents
1 Early life
2 Career
3 Themes
4 Bibliography
5 References
6 External links
Early life
As a child, Colato Laínez was inspired to write by his maternal granduncle, Jorge Buenaventura Lainez, a famous writer in El Salvador.[3] Colato Laínez left his country at the age of 14 during the Salvadoran Civil War, settling in Los Angeles, California where he entered high school and became an active contributor to the school’s Spanish-language newspaper.[3]
Career
In 1993, Colato Laínez received a B.A. and teaching credentials from California State University, Northridge and became an elementary school teacher in Sun Valley, California.[4] While in college, he wrote short stories. In 2005, he earned an M.F.A. from the Vermont College of Fine Arts.[4] He started submitting his stories to publishers in 2001 and his first book, Waiting for Papá/Esperando a papá got published in 2004.[5] Along with his literary career, Colato Lainez continues to teach elementary school in Los Angeles.[2]
Themes
Colato Laínez examines themes of immigration, family, names, and language in his works.
Waiting for Papá/Esperando a papá, which follows a child whose father cannot come to the United States because of immigration issues, honors similar situations that many of his students had experienced, and he says that when he does public readings of the book, "there is always more than one person crying."[6] Teachers have used this book to teach primary school students about immigration issues and connect with students who are experiencing hardships like those of the book's protagonist.[7][8]
Immigration status also plays a role in Mamá the alien/Mamá la extraterrestre. In this book, a Latina girl suspects that her mother is an extraterrestrial, because of the dual meaning of the word alien.[9]
Family, tradition, and language are central to Playing Lotería, which describes the relationship of a boy and his grandmother, who teach each other English and Spanish. Teachers have incorporated Playing Lotería into curricula to introduce a culturally-specific fund of knowledge.[10] Family is also foregrounded in From North to South/Del norte al sur, as a boy travels with his father to visit his deported mother. Ghiso and Campano write that the book expresses a "message about the human dignity of families and their rights to be together."[11]
Names are at the center of I Am René, the Boy/Soy René, el niño and René Has Two Last Names/René tiene dos apellidos. In René the Boy, the eponymous protagonist adjusts to having a classmate named Renee and learns more about his own name.[12]
The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Latino Literature considers his works representative of an emergent Central American children's literature.[13]
Bibliography
Waiting for Papá/Esperando a papá, illustrated by Anthony Accardo, Arte Público Press (Houston, TX) 2004.
I Am René, the Boy/Soy René, el niño illustrated by Fabiola Graullera Ramírez, Arte Público (Houston, TX) 2005.
Playing Lotería/El juego de la lotería illustrated by Jill Arena, Luna Rising (Flagstaff, AZ) 2005.
René Has Two Last Names/René tiene dos apellidos illustrated by Fabiola Graullera Ramírez, Piñata Books (Houston, TX) 2009.
From North to South/Del norte al sur illustrated by Joe Cepeda, Children's Book Press (San Francisco, CA) 2010.[14]
The Tooth Fairy Meets El Ratón Pérez illustrated by Tom Lintern, Tricycle Press (Berkeley, CA) 2010.
My Shoes and I illustrated by Fabricio Vanden Broeck, Boyds Mills Press (Honesdale, PA) 2010.
Señor Pancho Had a Rancho illustrated by Elwood Smith, Holiday House (New York, NY) 2013.
¡Juguemos al Fútbol y al Football! Illustrated by Lancman Ink, Alfaguara (Doral, FL) 2013.
Vamonos/Let’s go! Illustrated by Joe Cepeda, Holiday House, (New York, NY) 2015.
Mamá the alien/Mamá la extraterrestre illustrated by Laura Lacámara, Children's Book Press (San Francisco, CA) 2016.
QUOTED: " It is my goal to write stories where minority children are portrayed in a positive way, where they can see themselves as heroes, and where they can dream and have hopes for the future."
L.A. Libros Fest: Interview With René Colato LaínezLaura Duncan, Librarian, Children's Literature Department, Thursday, September 17, 2020
René Colato Laínez and 2 of his books on a colorful tropical background
René Colato Laínez
René Colato Laínez es el premiado autor salvadoreño de muchos libros bilingües y multiculturales para niños. Él obtuvo su maestría en creación literaria para niños y jóvenes en la Universidad de las Artes de Vermont y es maestro en la escuela primaria Fernangeles.
René Colato Laínez es uno de los autores invitados de Los Ángeles Libros Festival, un festival literario bilingüe para toda la familia. L.A. Libros Fest se presentará virtualmente por Facebook y YouTube el 26 de septiembre.
René Colato Laínez is a Salvadoran award-winning author of many bilingual and multicultural children's books. He has a master's degree from Vermont College of Fine Arts in Writing for Children & Young Adults, and he is an elementary teacher at Fernangeles Elementary School.
René is one of the featured authors at this year's Los Angeles Libros Festival, a free bilingual book festival for the whole family. L.A. Libros Fest for Kids & Families will be streamed live on Facebook and YouTube on Saturday, September 26.
What does heritage mean to you? How do you identify and why?
Heritage for me is language, culture, and family. I identify myself as a Salvadoreño, Central American, Hispanic, Latino.
¿Piensas regularmente en inglés o en español? ¿Cuál prefieres?
Mi lengua nativa es el español. Es lo que más hablo diariamente. De preferir de comunicarme en un idioma sería español, pero también puedo comunicarme en inglés.
Mi herencia aparece en mi obra como la experiencia del inmigrante, la dificultad de hablar un segundo idioma y la experiencia de vivir en dos culturas.
How does your heritage inspire your creativity?
My picture books are full of heritage. It is my goal to write stories where minority children are portrayed in a positive way, where they can see themselves as heroes, and where they can dream and have hopes for the future.
¿Cómo aparece tu herencia en tus obras?
Mi herencia aparece en mi obra como la experiencia del inmigrante, la dificultad de hablar un segundo idioma y la experiencia de vivir en dos culturas.
¿Cuál es el regalo más grande que te ha brindado tu herencia?
Sin mi experiencia, no hubiera podido escribir muchos de mis libros. Me ha tocado como el título del libro de Gabriel García Márquez: Vivir para contarla.
How do you preserve your heritage as a writer?
By presenting my heritage with love and mucho orgullo.
QUOTED: "the students at the school where I work. Most of them come from Latino families but they have trouble speaking Spanish. I wanted to write a story where these students can discover that it is possible to speak two languages and that we need to be proud of our culture."
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Playing Lotería: And Interview with Author René Colato Laínez
Yesterday, I shared a post about Google's Doodle celebrating the popular game from Latin America: LOTERÍA! Today, I'm sharing an interview with author René Colato Laínez that was originally published 11 years ago(!) on the Latin Baby Book Club by Aurora Anaya-Cerda founder of La Casa Azul Bookstore.
La bandera! El sol! La chalupa! La sirena!.. LOTERIA!!!
Loteria is one of my favorite childhood games. It brings back so many memories of Mexico…everyone sitting around the front porch, children laughing, everyone using frijoles or bottle caps to cover their cards. I remember being in awe of one of mi tias, who would play 4 cards at a time! Loteria is a fun game for the entire family, and if you have a ‘caller’ who says dichos…it’s 10 times more fun!
This month I bring you an interview with Rene Colato Lainez and his book is Playing Loteria / El Juego de la Loteria.
In this charming story, a little boy visits his grandmother in Mexico, and with the help of la loteria, learns a new language and how special the bond between a boy and his grandmother can be. Together they discover a world of language and come to realize that loved ones truly do have special ways of understanding each other. Accompanied by vibrant illustrations, this story also offers a Spanish lesson. The rules of the game are included so you can play and learn at home, too.
1. What was the inspiration behind "Playing Loteria/ El Juego de la Loteria"?
Part for the inspiration was my love for the Lotería. I grew up in El Salvador saying the phrases: “El arbol”, “El gallo”, “El corazón.” The Lotería was the most popular spot at the fairs and festivals. Every time, we went to la feria, I had my favorite places to visit: the circus, the rides, and of course the lotería stand.
The other part for the inspiration was the students at the school where I work. Most of them come from Latino families but they have trouble speaking Spanish. I wanted to write a story where these students can discover that it is possible to speak two languages and that we need to be proud of our culture.
2. Each family has their own version of how to play Loteria, how/when did your family play the game?
At home, we played the traditional way. We had to cover all the pictures in order to win and yell “Lotería”. My older brother was always, the caller. He was very funny and said a lot of dichos and play of words every time he called the cards. All the family kids and neighbors sat in a circle on the patio and began to play. We played on weekends and after school.
3. Tell us about your experience at "La Voz Estudiantil"I always received very positive feedback from my teachers, every time I wrote a poem or short story. I enjoyed reading the Spanish paper at school “La Voz Estudiantil” and I actually envisioned myself writing on the paper. After writing a poem in my Spanish class, I was invited to join “La Voz Estudiantil.” It was a wonderful experience, I remembered the time when I wrote a long story. The editor said that it was too long but that we could publish it in chapters. After the first chapter, I had many students asking me “What will happen next, please tell us.” They could not wait for the next issue.
4. How can parents encourage their children to celebrate and embrace their Latino roots?The Latino culture is rich in language, dances, and games. Parents can embrace their Latino roots to their children by dancing and singing songs (I love Cri Crí’s songs), playing clap hand games, saying dichos and refranes, telling family and folktale stories, playing traditional games like la lotería, and by reading Bilingual, Spanish and English books that celebrate the wonderful of the Latino culture and language.
QUOTED: "an engaging tale of a boy's spiritual awakening."
Lainez, Rene Colato TELEGRAMAS AL CIELO/TELEGRAMS TO HEAVEN Luna's Press (Indie) $None 8, 14 ISBN: 978-0-9641203-2-7
A bilingual picture book focuses on the childhood of Salvadoran Archbishop Aoscar Arnulfo Romero.
In easy-to-understand English and accurate translations of Spanish, this work revisits the events that solidified a Noble Peace Prize-nominated archbishop's faith at a young age. As a boy growing up in Ciudad Barrios in El Salvador, Aoscar works at the telegraph and post office. One day, Aoscar asks his father how he can send a telegram to heaven. "Pray from your heart and you can send God all the messages you want," his father says. Aoscar also worships by playing his bamboo flute and reciting poetry. He wears his mother's apron and walks through town pretending to be a priest, blessing children and pets alike. Though his father nudges him toward carpentry, Aoscar can't be dissuaded from his desire to be a man of the cloth. The book concludes with the realization of this dream when Aoscar officiates at his first Mass in his hometown. (The author's note discloses that, years later, Romero was assassinated during Mass in 1980.) Colato LaA nez's (A VA monos! Let's Go!, 2016, etc.) story is straightforward and inspiring. He injects sufficient details into the heartwarming tale without slowing the narrative's momentum. "When he wrote poems, his eyes would shine like stars. He read them in his best melodic voice, gesturing with his arms," the author writes. The skillful illustrations by Hunt (Zhakanaka the Word, 2006) evoke Disney animation and add visual vibrancy to the story.
An engaging tale of a boy's spiritual awakening.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Lainez, Rene Colato: TELEGRAMAS AL CIELO/TELEGRAMS TO HEAVEN." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Feb. 2018. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A525461410/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=a4efa850. Accessed 31 Mar. 2022.
QUOTED: "a crucial, insightful, and timely light shone on a sensitive, highly relevant subject."
Colato Lainez, Rene MY SHOES AND I / MIS ZAPATOS Y YO Pinata Books/Arte Publico (Children's Fiction) $17.95 5, 31 ISBN: 978-1-55885-884-8
A pair of shoes serves as the constant in a grueling trek across three borders.
Young Rene and Papa together begin a northbound journey, by foot and bus, away from their native El Salvador. As they cross into Guatemala, then Mexico, and finally the United States, the story repeats a chorus of "Uno, dos, tres," representing the number of borders they must cross. It is uncertain whether the father-son team is crossing these borders with required documentation until they are waist-deep in a rushing river before joining Mama on the other side. If there's a moment when readers realize the perils of their journey, it's here. Nevertheless, Colato Lainez handles the narration gently. Framing the narrative deliberately and at the center of Vanden Broeck's illustrations are Rene's shoes, often depicted from low angles or bird's-eye views. Brush-stroked spreads depicting various landscapes--lush, green scenes, muddy trails, mountains, cities, the river--are reminiscent of Central American artwork often depicted on murals, souvenir trinkets, or postcards. Not until the last spread does Vanden Broeck finally unveil Rene's smiling face in its entirety. The bilingual narrative is told in short sentences and enlivened with repetition, running metaphors, and sound effects, easily engaging readers.
Inspired by the author's own story, this tale of a young boy's arduous escape serves as a crucial, insightful, and timely light shone on a sensitive, highly relevant subject. (author's note) (Bilingual picture book. 6-10)
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"Colato Lainez, Rene: MY SHOES AND I / MIS ZAPATOS Y YO." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Mar. 2019. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A578090659/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=5a49af7e. Accessed 31 Mar. 2022.
QUOTED: "a bright, sweet story about friendship, teamwork, and the joy of soccer."
Colato Laínez, René WE PLAY SOCCER / JUGAMOS EL FÚTBOL Holiday House (Children's None) $18.99 1, 11 ISBN: 978-0-8234-4506-6
On a beautiful sunny day, two young boys experience the twists and turns of a soccer game.
Joe warmly greets Jos� as he walks onto the soccer field. They eagerly show off their red uniforms and cleats, then practice keep-ups, juggling soccer balls on their knees. Their enthusiasm is palpable, but when the match begins, they aren't chosen as starting players. A female coach benches the boys, and though they're sad at first, the game soon absorbs their attention as they cheer on their teammates. Only when it begins to look like their team might lose are they called onto the field, much to their delight, and the match draws to an exciting conclusion. The story is told entirely through the boys' dialogue, which appears in speech bubbles. Joe speaks exclusively in English and Jos�, exclusively in Spanish. It's not clear whether the boys can also speak each other's languages, and poignantly, it doesn't matter. The kids clearly understand each other, using body language and context to bolster verbal communication. The bilingual sentence repetition ("I pass the ball to Jos� / Goal! / Gol! / Le paso la pelota a Joe") creates a realistic and seamless narrative that young children can easily follow while developing both English and Spanish skills. The illustrations are vibrant, and characters are depicted as having various shades of light brown skin. Backmatter helpfully provides direct translations of words that appear in the story.
A bright, sweet story about friendship, teamwork, and the joy of soccer. (glossary) (Picture book. 3-7)
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"Colato Lainez, Rene: WE PLAY SOCCER / JUGAMOS EL FUTBOL." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Dec. 2021, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A684108394/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=4c4d2bca. Accessed 31 Mar. 2022.
QUOTED: "a joyful story gently highlighting the power of art to connect communities and individuals."
Colato Laínez, René LET'S BE FRIENDS! / SEAMOS AMIGOS Holiday House (Children's None) $18.99 12, 14 ISBN: 978-0-8234-4505-9
Two boys, an English speaker and a Spanish speaker, form a friendship as they paint together at school.
Joe and Jos� are all smiles from the second they first meet in their cheerful yellow classroom, invitingly equipped with easels, art supplies, and boxes full of toys and musical instruments. A female teacher warmly beams at the boys as they introduce themselves to each other. Jos�, who presents as Latinx, and Joe, whose ethnicity is ambiguous, first decide to paint the sun and the sky. The winsome pair then propose and agree on additional ideas--such as mixing primary colors together to create new colors--before ultimately deciding to be friends. The story is sweet and bright, with the boys constantly and excitedly complimenting each other's artwork; however, the plot lacks substance and punch. Joe speaks only in English, and Jos� speaks only in Spanish, their words and actions exactly mirroring each other ("I have an idea! / Tengo una idea!"), making it easy for young readers to build vocabulary in both languages.
A joyful story gently highlighting the power of art to connect communities and individuals. (Spanish-English glossary) (Picture book. 3-7)
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"Colato Lainez, Rene: LET'S BE FRIENDS! / SEAMOS AMIGOS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Dec. 2021, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A684108279/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=f3c20d74. Accessed 31 Mar. 2022.
QUOTED: "a must-read."
LAINEZ, Rene Colato. My Shoes and I/Mis zapatos y yo: Crossing Three Borders/Cruzando tres fronteras. illus. by Fabricio Vanden Broeck. 32p. Pinata. May 2019. Tr $17.95. ISBN 9781558858848.
Gr 2-5--Wearing the new shoes his mother has sent, a young boy and his father embark on a difficult journey across three countries to reach her in the United States. The story is based on the author's own experience of leaving El Salvador and going across Guatemala and Mexico with his father in 1985. Wearing his new shoes, young Rene leaves his home and friends on a windy day. In Guatemala he is chased by hungry dogs, and in Mexico City Papa loses his wallet. They take buses, walk for miles, sleep in a dilapidated trailer, climb mountains, and finally swim across a river. Meanwhile, his shoes get dusty, soaked, muddy, and develop round, horrible holes in the soles. Finally, when they come out of the river, Mama is there waiting for them and his shoes are with him. Together, they cross the border. Vanden Broeck's color saturated, textured illustrations capture the long and arduous journey in all its harshness and reality. First published in 2010, this new edition comes in bilingual format. The Spanish translation reads as well as its English counterpart. Pair this book with Somos como las nubes/We Are Like the Clouds by Jorge Argueta. VERDICT Sadly, this topic continues to be as heartbreaking and important today as when the author first undertook his trip 34 years ago. A must-read.--Lucia Acosta, Children's Literature Specialist, Princeton, NJ
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Acosta, Lucia. "LAINEZ, Rene Colato. My Shoes and I/Mis zapatos y yo: Crossing Three Borders/Cruzando tres fronteras." School Library Journal, vol. 65, no. 4, May 2019, pp. 85+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A584328829/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=0dd5fb2f. Accessed 31 Mar. 2022.
QUOTED: "Though the book is unquestionably well-meaning, it just doesn't work except as a vocabulary builder."
Colato Lainez, Rene VAMONOS! / LET'S GO! Holiday House (Children's Picture Books) $16.95 9, 15 ISBN: 978-0-8234-3442-8
This bilingual spinoff of "The Wheels on the Bus" features many of the vehicles associated with community helpers. In addition to the titular (school) bus, readers are introduced to the Spanish-language names for "ambulance," "fire truck," "train," and so on. It works pretty well in English: "The alarm on the fire truck goes woo-ooo-ooo," etc. Unfortunately, the nearly total lack of meter in the Spanish verses makes them awkward to sing: "La alarma del camion de bomberos hace uuuah uuuah uuuah." A superfluous bus screech at the beginning and end also detracts from the song's rhythm. A suspension of disbelief is necessary when the driver drops the children off not at school or even back at their homes, where they were first picked up, but at the park--where the children play at driving the vehicles they have just seen at a carnival. Except for substituting "all through the park" for "all through the town" in the recapitulation of verses near the end, the transition from school-bus ride to carnival rides is too abrupt. The story continues for four additional pages with the song all but forgotten as the children run to buy ice cream. Cepeda's lively and familiar illustrations are the highlights in this multicultural neighborhood excursion. A musical score and nonphonetic glossary are included. Though the book is unquestionably well-meaning, it just doesn't work except as a vocabulary builder. (Bilingual picture book. 3-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Colato Lainez, Rene: !VAMONOS! / LET'S GO!" Kirkus Reviews, 1 June 2015. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A415493807/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=5394c6d0. Accessed 31 Mar. 2022.