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Waiting for the Biblioburro/Esperando el Biblioburro

(Spanish-English bilingual edition)

Illustrated by John Parra
Translated by Adriana Dominguez
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A remarkable tale of books and reading, now in a bilingual Spanish-English edition.

On most days, teacher and librarian Luis Soriano Bohórquez packs his two burros, Alfa and Beto, with books and makes his way over mountains and through valleys to visit children in far-flung villages in rural Colombia—all for the sake of literacy and culture. Based on the work of a remarkable man and his intrepid burros, this bilingual English and Spanish edition celebrates the impact that a special mobile library—called the “biblioburro”—has had on the lives of real children.
 
About the author:
 
Monica Brown’s Peruvian American heritage has inspired in her a desire to share Latino stories with children. Her books have garnered starred reviews, the Américas Award, two Pura Belpré Author Honors, and the prestigious Rockefeller Fellowship on Chicano Cultural Literacy. Monica is currently Professor of English at Northern Arizona University, specializing in U.S. Latino and Multicultural Literature. Visit her at monicabrown.net.
© Don Unser
Monica Brown’s Peruvian-American heritage has inspired in her a desire to share Latino/a stories with children. Her books have garnered starred reviews, The Américas Award, and a Pura Belpré Honor. In addition, she received the prestigious Rockefeller Fellowship on Chicano Cultural Literacy from the Center for Chicano Studies at the University of California. Monica is currently Professor of English at Northern Arizona University in U.S. Latino and Multicultural Literature.
www.monicabrown.net. View titles by Monica Brown
© Maria Parra
John Parra is an award-winning illustrator, designer, teacher, and fine art painter whose work is avidly collected. John’s books have received starred reviews and have appeared on the Texas 2x2 Reading List. He has received the SCBWI Golden Kite Award for illustration, the 2006 International Latino Book Award for Best Children’s Book Interior Illustrations, and the 2010 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Award for Gracias/Thanks, written by Pat Mora. View titles by John Parra
”Who are you? Who are they?” the children ask.
 
The man says, “I am a librarian, a bibliotecario, and these are my donkeys, Alfa and Beto. Welcome to Biblioburro, my biblioteca.”
 
“But, Señor,” Ana says, “I thought libraries were only in big cities and buildings.”
 
“Not this one,” says the librarian. “This is a moving library.”
 
Then he spreads out his books and invites the children to join him under a tree.
Educator Guide for Waiting for the Biblioburro/Esperando el Biblioburro

Classroom-based guides appropriate for schools and colleges provide pre-reading and classroom activities, discussion questions connected to the curriculum, further reading, and resources.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

  • WINNER
    Christopher Award
Review, School Library Journal, June 1, 2011
"The pleasure and love of reading are joyfully brought forth in this simple, happily rendered tale."

Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, June 15, 2011
"Parra’s colorful folk-style illustrations of acrylics on board bring Ana’s real and imaginary worlds to life...The book is perfect for read-alouds, with occasional, often onomatopoeic Spanish words such as “quiquiriquí,” “tacatac” and “iii-aah” adding to the fun."

Review, Publishers Weekly, May 9, 2011
"Parra's naïve-styled acrylics brim with scenes of country life. A palette of salmon pinks and turquoise and sky blues, painted on board, give the book a rough-hewn, handmade quality and an innocent, childlike appeal (with her wide face, delicate features, and rouged cheeks, Ana even resembles a porcelain doll). In a metafictional ending, readers will notice that the book Ana hands the bibliotecario upon his return is this very book--fitting, as this truly is Ana's story."

Review, The Horn Book, July/August 2011
“This sample of the impact of traveling librarians on rural children, inspired by a Colombian teacher-librarian, not only celebrates their work but eloquently portrays a matchless way to inspire learning: by feeding the natural hunger for story....Small, brown-faced Ana’s enthusiasm is contagious, and the satisfying denouement, in which she donates her homemade book to the traveling collection, is just right."

Waiting for the Biblioburro - Read Aloud | Brightly Storytime

About

A remarkable tale of books and reading, now in a bilingual Spanish-English edition.

On most days, teacher and librarian Luis Soriano Bohórquez packs his two burros, Alfa and Beto, with books and makes his way over mountains and through valleys to visit children in far-flung villages in rural Colombia—all for the sake of literacy and culture. Based on the work of a remarkable man and his intrepid burros, this bilingual English and Spanish edition celebrates the impact that a special mobile library—called the “biblioburro”—has had on the lives of real children.
 
About the author:
 
Monica Brown’s Peruvian American heritage has inspired in her a desire to share Latino stories with children. Her books have garnered starred reviews, the Américas Award, two Pura Belpré Author Honors, and the prestigious Rockefeller Fellowship on Chicano Cultural Literacy. Monica is currently Professor of English at Northern Arizona University, specializing in U.S. Latino and Multicultural Literature. Visit her at monicabrown.net.

Author

© Don Unser
Monica Brown’s Peruvian-American heritage has inspired in her a desire to share Latino/a stories with children. Her books have garnered starred reviews, The Américas Award, and a Pura Belpré Honor. In addition, she received the prestigious Rockefeller Fellowship on Chicano Cultural Literacy from the Center for Chicano Studies at the University of California. Monica is currently Professor of English at Northern Arizona University in U.S. Latino and Multicultural Literature.
www.monicabrown.net. View titles by Monica Brown
© Maria Parra
John Parra is an award-winning illustrator, designer, teacher, and fine art painter whose work is avidly collected. John’s books have received starred reviews and have appeared on the Texas 2x2 Reading List. He has received the SCBWI Golden Kite Award for illustration, the 2006 International Latino Book Award for Best Children’s Book Interior Illustrations, and the 2010 Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Award for Gracias/Thanks, written by Pat Mora. View titles by John Parra

Excerpt

”Who are you? Who are they?” the children ask.
 
The man says, “I am a librarian, a bibliotecario, and these are my donkeys, Alfa and Beto. Welcome to Biblioburro, my biblioteca.”
 
“But, Señor,” Ana says, “I thought libraries were only in big cities and buildings.”
 
“Not this one,” says the librarian. “This is a moving library.”
 
Then he spreads out his books and invites the children to join him under a tree.

Guides

Educator Guide for Waiting for the Biblioburro/Esperando el Biblioburro

Classroom-based guides appropriate for schools and colleges provide pre-reading and classroom activities, discussion questions connected to the curriculum, further reading, and resources.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

Awards

  • WINNER
    Christopher Award

Praise

Review, School Library Journal, June 1, 2011
"The pleasure and love of reading are joyfully brought forth in this simple, happily rendered tale."

Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, June 15, 2011
"Parra’s colorful folk-style illustrations of acrylics on board bring Ana’s real and imaginary worlds to life...The book is perfect for read-alouds, with occasional, often onomatopoeic Spanish words such as “quiquiriquí,” “tacatac” and “iii-aah” adding to the fun."

Review, Publishers Weekly, May 9, 2011
"Parra's naïve-styled acrylics brim with scenes of country life. A palette of salmon pinks and turquoise and sky blues, painted on board, give the book a rough-hewn, handmade quality and an innocent, childlike appeal (with her wide face, delicate features, and rouged cheeks, Ana even resembles a porcelain doll). In a metafictional ending, readers will notice that the book Ana hands the bibliotecario upon his return is this very book--fitting, as this truly is Ana's story."

Review, The Horn Book, July/August 2011
“This sample of the impact of traveling librarians on rural children, inspired by a Colombian teacher-librarian, not only celebrates their work but eloquently portrays a matchless way to inspire learning: by feeding the natural hunger for story....Small, brown-faced Ana’s enthusiasm is contagious, and the satisfying denouement, in which she donates her homemade book to the traveling collection, is just right."

Media

Waiting for the Biblioburro - Read Aloud | Brightly Storytime

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