National Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month is a period from September 15 to October 15 in the United States for recognizing the contributions and influence of Hispanic and Latinx Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States.
Continuously reading stories that honor cultures establishes an inclusive environment where every child feels seen. The more we learn about all cultures in classrooms or our homes, the more knowledge and understanding we provide for everyone within our communities.
Reading the story My Two Border Towns by David Bowles (Author), Erika Meza(Illustrator) is about a boy who lives on the U.S. Mexico border. In the book he visits his favorite place on the other side with his father where they eat their favorite meal, visit his Tío Mateo at his jewelry store, eat a cold delicious treat from the paletero, and pickup up items at the pharmacy. Their final stop is the checking in with their friends seeking asylum where they provide much needed supplies to the families. This book is the story of many, and sharing the care for the community, exploring the culture and life of another country, and opening the discussion of the complexity of the reality of our world is a great way to expose children.
To extend this literacy experience a STEM invitation is great way to make the story come to life. You will need wooden block homes, magnetic tiles, wooden peg dolls, and a truck. If the child is old enough invite them to recreate the two cities and a bridge and let them reenact the story through play. This process will deepen their comprehension of the placement of the two border towns as well as connect and act out what happened in the story.
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