Family Pictures Cuadros de Familia

Author/Illustrator:  Carmen Lomas Garza

About the Author:

http://www.askart.com/AskART/artists/biography.aspx?searchtype=BIO&artist=101344

Carmen Lomas Garza was born in Kingsville, Texas. At 13, she made a commitment to pursue a career in art and taught herself elements of drawing. Her works of art depict childhood memories of family and friends in a wide range of activities from making tamales to dancing to Tejano music.

Garza has a bachelor’s degree in science from Texas A&I University (currently Texas A&M University, Kingsville) where she studied art education and studio art. 

Genre: Non-Fiction, Foreign Language
Grade Level: K-2
Theme: Family Traditions

Synopsis:

This is the story of Carmen Lomas Garza's childhood and different things that she remembers. Some of these include celebrating birthdays, making tamales, finding a hammerhead shark on the beach, picking cactus, going to a fair in Mexico, and talking to her sister about her dreams of becoming an artist. This story is told through pictures that show daily activities in the life of a traditional Hispanic community through the perspective of a child.

Pre Reading Activity:

Activity:

Have the class draw a picture of their family.

Post Reading Activity:

Activity:

After reading the story, have the students write about some special things they do with their family and draw a picture of something they like to do with their families.

Reflection:

I think this is a cute book!  It talks about different things that families do together and shows how families are different.  I think the Spanish and English versions in the book are very beneficial because as teachers we can teach children different words in different languages.