Language Lizard Archives - Multicultural Children's Book Day

Multilingual StoryWalks | Bilingual Children’s Books about Nature

July 22, 2021 by Rebecca Flansburg Leave a Comment

{Guest Post by Language Lizard}

Have you ever walked through a park and thought, “Wow! This reminds me of a book I read when I was a kid!” but you can’t be sure which one? With a StoryWalk®, you don’t have to rely on nostalgia because the book joins you on your stroll. You can even expose yourself to a new language with a Multilingual StoryWalk®.

What is a StoryWalk®?

The StoryWalk® program, created by Anne Ferguson in Vermont in 2007, involves taking pages from a children’s book and posting them around a park or nature area. By creating a short route to follow, families are able to explore nature and develop their children’s early literacy skills. Anne wanted to promote, “early literacy, physical activity, and family time together in nature.” With the support of the Kellogg-Hubbard Library, she was able to put this idea into motion.

Since 2007, over 303 libraries around the country have implemented StoryWalk® programs. Another organization, The Children & Nature Network, created a model for Nature-Smart Libraries. They operate in a similar way, helping libraries connect their communities to nature via storytelling.

Most recently, the City of Boston featured Language Lizard’s bilingual books in their Multilingual StoryWalk®. The program ran from April 20th until May 10th and concluded with a giveaway. In fact, The Multilingual StoryWalk® was such a success that Boston hopes to have another one in the fall.

These programs are organized by community partnerships. In the case of Anne Ferguson, she was able to collaborate with the Vermont Arts Council and her local library. In Boston, the StoryWalk® resulted from the cooperation of both public and private organizations. If you are interested in putting together a StoryWalk®, consider connecting with state and local parks, schools, nature centers, child care centers, farmers markets, walking path promoters, special event promotions, and most of all, libraries.

Multilingual Children’s Books

A StoryWalk® is most successful when the book connects with the community. According to Anne, these books must be elementary yet interesting, so families of all ages can engage in the activity. Books with simple language and beautiful illustrations ensure that you can fit a StoryWalk® into any busy schedule.

In Boston, the Boston Parks and Recreation Department collaborated with the Boston Public Library and the Highland Street Foundation, the New England Patriots Foundation, and Xfinity to create their Multilingual StoryWalk®. This is an exciting expansion upon the traditional StoryWalk® program because it affirms the diverse communities within Boston. Multicultural families can enjoy nature walks while reading in their native language and native English speakers can learn a new language at the same time.

For this particular Multilingual StoryWalk®, Language Lizard provided bilingual stories in six different languages:

Augustus and His Smile by Catherine Rayner

Augustus goes on a journey to find his lost smile and discovers so much about the natural world: shiny insects, birds, mountains, fish, and even a rainstorm. This beautifully illustrated story celebrates a great connection to nature.

Let’s Go to the Park by Kate Clynes

This multicultural board book lets young children explore the area in which they live. The bold illustrations show the people and animals they will meet, and objects that they will see and hear. The simple text is just right for young readers who are starting to recognize words.

Errol’s Garden by Gillian Hibbs

Errol loves gardening and has filled his home with beautiful plants, but he does not have a real garden. He dreams about an outdoor space where he can grow things.

Listen, Listen by Phillis Gershator

This beautifully illustrated story explores the different seasons, and the amazing sights and sounds of nature. The effective use of rhyming, alliteration and onomatopoeic words makes this book especially enjoyable to read aloud.

All these stories connect with nature while also exploring multicultural themes. Not only can families enjoy nature, but they can learn a new language at the same time!

Language Lizard provides educators, librarians, and parents with resources that develop literacy skills among language learners, build inclusive classrooms, and celebrate cultural diversity.

Language Lizard offers bilingual books and audio resources in 50+ languages, multicultural book sets, posters, and other culturally responsive teaching resources for diverse classrooms. Educators may download free multicultural lesson plans at LanguageLizard.com/LessonPlans.htm. In addition, the company’s blog and free newsletter provide valuable information and special offers to educators and parents working with diverse children (sign up at LanguageLizard.com/Newsletter).

The company is running a giveaway of bilingual and multicultural books to newsletter subscribers and has already given away over $3,000 worth of bilingual books. Anyone interested in supporting multiculturalism can enter their current giveaway at LanguageLizard.com/Win-Bilingual-Books.

Bilingual Books are available in English with Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Bengali, Bulgarian, Burmese, Cherokee, Chinese, Croatian, Czech, Dari, Dutch, Farsi, French, German, Greek, Gujarati, Haitian Creole, Hebrew, Hindi, Hmong, Hungarian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Karen (Sgaw), Korean, Kurdish, Latvian, Lithuanian, Malay, Malayalam, Nepali, Norwegian, Oromo, Panjabi, Pashto/Pashtu, Patois, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Scottish Gaelic, Shona, Slovakian, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Tagalog, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Tigrinya, Turkish, Twi, Urdu, Vietnamese, Welsh, Yiddish, and Yoruba.

Women in World Folktales and Fables

March 25, 2021 by Rebecca Flansburg

Guest post from Language Lizard

Historically, fables often feature talking animals in a short story format that teaches a simple lesson. The most well-known creator of fables is Aesop, a Greek slave believed to have lived around 560 BC. Some of his most popular fables are “The Tortoise and the Hare,” “The Goose that Laid the Golden Egg,” and “The Lion and the Mouse.” There are also more modern-day fables, like Dr. Seuss‘s The Lorax.

Folktales are a little different. With folktales, children can explore various cultures because these stories have been passed down through generations by diverse groups of people. Folktales and fables provide an excellent way to teach kids about the consequences of good and bad behavior, the importance of cooperation, and the rewards of courage and ingenuity. Bilingual editions of these traditional stories allow parents and teachers to expose children not only to a different culture but also to another language.

This year, Language Lizard is highlighting three books from our collection that celebrate clever women from three different cultures. As a woman-owned small business, Language Lizard is committed to making sure young readers see themselves represented in the books they read. When learners more closely identify with characters, they make deeper connections to the material and can build effective literacy skills.

World Folktale Stories from Language Lizard | Strong Women Around the World

Yeh-Hsien: A Chinese Cinderella

-Retold by Dawn Casey

You’ve heard of Cinderella, but what about the story of Yeh-Hsien? Believed to be the original Cinderella story, Yeh-Hsien is a girl raised by a wicked stepmother, living a hard life with the most difficult chores. The stepmother kills her favorite fish, but Yeh-Hsien is amazed to discover that the fish bones are magical! Her greatest wish is to attend the village festival, but she loses her slipper there.

Mamy Wata and the Monster
– Véronique Tadjo

Mamy Wata is the queen of all the water. One day, when she is swimming peacefully in a big river, she hears the news: a terrible monster has been scaring the nearby villagers. So Mamy Wata lies in wait near the monster’s cave. But, to her great surprise, instead of finding a monster, she finds a sad and lonely man who has been bewitched. This colorfully illustrated book brings African culture to life on each page.

Buri and the Marrow
– Henriette Barkow

This entertaining Bengali story is about an old woman who travels through the forest to meet her daughter. The woman meets many creatures along the way – and they all want to eat her! She makes a plan to outsmart them, with the help of her daughter. But will the sly fox be fooled?

Language Lizard’s bilingual version of the Indian folktale Buri and the Marrow (in which Buri wears an Indian sari) exposes children to traditional Indian stories and foreign-language scripts. These are just a few examples of how you can use this week’s celebration to explore unfamiliar stories with universal themes.

To celebrate World Folktales and Fables Week, Language Lizard is offering a 10% discount through March 31, 2021, on these three books. Use coupon code WFF2021!

Language Lizard wishes you an exciting World Folktales and Fables Week, exploring new characters, adventures, and cultures from far away lands!

New Picture Book About A Child’s Immigration Experience

March 3, 2021 by Rebecca Flansburg

{Guest post by Language Lizard}

Migration, immigration, refugee: these words are familiar to us all. But how does it feel for a child to leave behind family, friends, and everything loved and familiar that comprise the word home? While immigrant children enjoy the many benefits of their new countries, it’s hard to forget the faces of loved ones, and the memories that follow them into their new lives.

The Language Lizard team is very excited to announce the release of a new (and much-needed) book that shares the story of the immigration experience through the eyes of a child. In Happy After All, the young narrator must adapt to her changed circumstances—while feeling the sad pangs of homesickness. Through her father’s encouragement, and her own willingness to enjoy new things, the girl learns that she can find pleasure again, and begins to thrive.

Written by Anneke Forzani, and illustrated by Alex Jarman, this picture book offers hope and empowerment to any child dealing with challenging changes. It encourages readers to empathize with the difficult internal journey that immigrant children face and offers the comfort of a hopeful ending. Vivid illustrations add a high visual impact to the girl’s reflective and bittersweet narration.

Highly recommended for diverse classrooms, this realistic picture book is a wonderful tool for fostering reflection and insight among students.

This title is available in many bilingual editions and includes a free downloadable multicultural lesson plan.

Advanced Praise for Happy After All

“Happy After All is a delightful read. The story of a newcomer missing her home country will help students grow empathy and knowledge of another culture. The words and pictures are authentic and will surely touch the hearts of children experiencing a big move like this or knowing someone who has. We glimpse the beauty and warmth of the character’s original home and still feel the hope for her new beginning. It is a welcome addition to all classrooms that value diversity.”~Mary Karen Engel, 2nd Grade Teacher, Clayton School District

“Happy After All provides a uniquely profound glimpse of how the characters are processing their feelings of longing, angst, and fears when arriving in a new country. This emotional connection can facilitate meaningful classroom conversations about facing life’s challenges. Happy After All also showcases the main character’s native customs and traditions, giving readers an opportunity to acquire new cultural perspectives and insights. I highly recommend Happy After All for all types of classroom settings.”~José J. Riera, Washington State University, College of Education

“This book could be used as a tool to encourage a child that happiness awaits them in their new home. It could also help inspire empathy in children with a classmate who has recently moved from another country.”~Rachel Funez, RachelFunez.com

About Language Lizard

Author Anneke Forzani is the President and Founder of Language Lizard, which provides multicultural resources in over 50 languages to schools, libraries, and literacy organizations. Anneke is also the author of the teaching manual Building Bridges with Bilingual Books and Multicultural Resources, and the children’s books Who Are We? and With Flying Colors: Color Idioms.

Language Lizard, LLC (www.LanguageLizard.com) is a leading supplier of bilingual products in over 50 languages. The company provides award-winning bilingual books and audio resources to schools, libraries, literacy organizations, and bilingual families. Language Lizard offers culturally responsive teaching materials, multilingual posters, and free multicultural lesson plans to support diverse classrooms and homeschooling families.

Happy After All is available at www.LanguageLizard.com

Available in bilingual editions with English and Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, Farsi, French, Haitian Creole, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Somali, Spanish, Turkish, Urdu, and Vietnamese

Read Your World!

Multicultural Book Series Celebrates Diversity, Kindness, and Friendship

February 27, 2021 by Rebecca Flansburg

{Guest post by Language Lizard}

The Language Lizard team is very excited to announce the release of a new series of children’s books in many languages that Celebrates Diversity, Kindness, and Friendship!

Language Lizard Living in Harmony Books use colorful multicultural illustrations and simple text to explain concepts of diversity, kindness, and friendship. The books come with free multicultural lessons and activities to support diversity education.

The Language Lizard Living in Harmony Book Series consists of three titles:

Be Kind by Livia Lemgruber shows many ways to help others with simple acts of kindness.

We Can All Be Friends by Michelle Griffis shows how much we have in common even though we are all different.

Who Are We? by Anneke Forzani, illustrated by Maria Russo helps us to understand and appreciate the diversity in our community.

Language Lizard Living in Harmony Books are currently available in English and in bilingual editions with the following languages:

Amharic, Arabic, Burmese, Chinese (with Pinyin), German, Haitian Creole, Hmong, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Swahili, Telugu, and Vietnamese.

(More languages will be coming soon.)

All books include access to free multicultural lesson plans and activities, as well as English audio of the book.

Praise for Language Lizard Living in Harmony Book Series:

“The Living in Harmony series of books teaches kids to embrace diversity and act kindly toward others. With its central theme that we all have more similarities than differences, this deceptively simple and endearing series is a valuable resource to cultivate compassion in our children.” ~Zeynep Erdil-Moody, Ph.D. , Language Acquisition Specialist

“Beautifully illustrated and strategically organized to honor and leverage linguistic and cultural diversity via representation and inclusion. True ‘windows and mirrors’ books that promote unity amongst diversity!” ~Kelly Aldinger, ESL Teacher

“The Living in Harmony books captivate the essence of American diversity. The book’s beautifully crafted illustrations represent the faces of ALL my students and the simple words teach powerful lessons of kindness, acceptance, understanding, and friendship. Teachers looking to introduce diverse texts for young readers in their classroom libraries, look no further!” ~Nikolette Trofa, 4th Grade Teacher

About Us

Language Lizard Living in Harmony Books are available as English and bilingual paperbacks at www.LanguageLizard.com, Ingram, and bookstores worldwide.

Be Kind by Livia Lemgruber

We Can All Be Friends by Michelle Griffis

Who Are We? by Anneke Forzani, illustrated by Maria Russo

Bilingual editions currently available in Amharic, Arabic, Burmese, Chinese (with Pinyin), German, Haitian Creole, Hmong, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Swahili, Telugu, and Vietnamese.

Read Your World!

Multicultural Idiom Learning Fun: A Language Lizard Giveaway

December 5, 2020 by Rebecca Flansburg

{Guest Post from Language Lizard}

Congratulations to Mindy R. from Rachel Kohl Community Library in Glen Mills, PA who won a set of Language Lizard Idiom Books in English and Simplified Chinese!

These colorful books come with free teaching resources are a great way to teach English idioms in a multicultural context. Use them during Idiom Week (Jan 24-30)!

Multicultural Idiom Learning Fun

Language Lizard is kicking off the holiday season with a special December giveaway, just for Multicultural Children’s Book Day readers! Read on to learn about the Language Lizard Idiom Book Series, and how to enter for a chance to win a FREE set of your own.

What is an Idiom?

An idiom is a phrase with an underlying meaning that’s generally agreed upon by a large group of people. The meaning of the phrase can’t be understood by understanding the words alone.

Some common English language idioms in the US are:

A breath of fresh air
A piece of cake
Over the moon
When pigs fly

Thanks to familiarity, these phrases are easily understood by a native English speaker in the US. But we can see they are indeed idioms, because their meanings are more than the sum of their words.

Look up idioms from other cultures, and you can see their meanings are not immediately discernible. For example, it wouldn’t be obvious that the Russian phrase “to hang noodles on someone’s ears” means that you are fooling them.

Multicultural Learning With Idioms

Learning idioms is a great way to celebrate diversity and bring multicultural learning to students. It’s also a great way to enhance the school-home connection. Students can ask their parents for strange or funny idioms in their home languages to share with the class. Classmates can try to guess the meanings, or compare idioms from different languages. Some examples:

In English, a sad person may “have the blues,” but in French, that person would “have the cockroach.” Or, in English, a practical person is “down to earth,” and in Spanish, that person would be described as having their “feet on the earth”.

Idioms Are Especially Important For Language Learners

Idioms are an important part of language learning, too. Every language and culture has thousands (maybe even tens of thousands) of them, so there’s a significant amount of casual communication conducted by way of idioms.

Without lessons in local idioms, communicating effectively is going to be more difficult. Plus, learning idioms is one of the most fun parts of learning a new language!

Remember to have students practice how to use each idiom properly since this type of communication can be very nuanced. It’s best to teach idioms verbally, and have students practice by role-playing.

Language Lizard Idiom Books Support Virtual & In-Person Learning

Language Lizard Idiom Books are a great resource for teachers in virtual, in-person, or blended classrooms, as well as homeschooling families. They are available in English and 9 language editions, offering literal translations and meanings in a second language. Illustrations show characters and settings from around the world, providing an opportunity to teach children about other cultures and communities.

Free Multicultural Lesson Plans

Language Lizard Idiom Books come with links to 3 free lesson plans:

Understanding Idioms and Figurative Language
Learning Color, Nature, Food, and Animal related Idioms
Understanding the History and Context of Idioms

The lesson plans include an exploration of idioms in a multicultural context and provide exercises that students can do with their families, even those that speak a language other than English at home.

Idiom Activities & Resources

Language Lizard Idiom Books come with many fun, free activities. Here are just a few of them:

Animals in Mexico: fill-in-the-blank short story using animal idioms
Hindu Holi Festival: fill-in-the-blank short story using color idioms
Hanami “Flower Viewing” in Japan: fill-in-the-blank short story using nature idioms
Guess the National Animal Activity
Animal Idiom Games Video
Multicultural Street Foods Activity
Favorite Foods Activity

Each Idiom Book also includes resources and links to learn the in-depth history and background information about all the idioms that are featured in the books.

Perfect for Take-Home Learning Packs

Teachers can create “learning packs” for students to take home that include idiom books in their home language, along with the free included activities. It’s a great way to strengthen school-home connections, and non-English speaking parents will appreciate being included in their child’s learning.

eBook versions of Language Lizard Idioms Books are also available, to make sharing online even easier. They are available through most major eBook platforms, including Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and Overdrive.

Enter to Win a Set of Language Lizard Idiom Books

Enter for a chance to win a FREE set of Language Lizard Idiom Books! Head to our Giveaway Page and include “MCBD” in the comments section. A winner will be selected at the end of December. (As a bonus, you will be included in our other Language Lizard book giveaways, too!)

Free Bonus: Idiom Word Searches

To help jump-start the Idiom learning fun, MCBD readers can access our FREE Idiom Word Searches now!

What are the strangest or most amusing idioms you’ve heard in any language? Share them here, or on social media and tell us why #IdiomsRock!