Disclosure: I was provided a copy of the #LaFamiliaCool book but all opinions are 100% my own.
Those who have been reading MommyTeaches for a while now know that I LOVE reading and I try to read to and with my children as much as possible. I am SUPER excited and proud of friend (who I have called “Prima” for years now) Dania Santana for publishing her very first book, “La Familia Cool: El Tesoro Más Valioso” (La Familia Cool: The Most Valuable Treasure). I was immediately able to relate to it as a reader and I knew my boys would too. This is one book that made me think about my own familia as we read it together.
Dania did a great job making the characters appear relatable. There were many times as I grew up when I didn’t see characters like myself in the books I read. It was a bit discouraging because I wasn’t blonde with blue eyes like so many ingénue. I was that light brown haired girl with curls and a different shade of white skin, coming from a multicultural family. Reading La Familia Cool: The Most Valuable Treasure, it was nice for my boys to see themselves in the book – there were boys who looked just like them. It was also great for them to make the connection in seeing that their family members come in all different shapes and colors, just like in the book.
My husband, being of Dominican and Spaniard decent, has an array of colors in his family. My boys don’t place much emphasis on color but of course they have heard others mention color and race so they aren’t oblivious to it as they get older. They do know that neither color, race, nor ethnicity has anything to do with character so they don’t judge. They know we are filled with diversity and they are proud of their heritage!
Our visit to Puerto Rico this past summer was even more of an eye opener as they again were introduced to the variety in the Latino community and they embraced it all. This book is sure to spark great conversations about family and the beauty of our history. My boys became even more interested and wanted to learn more about the history on their dad’s side as well as my side this time. This is a great opportunity to explore ways that they can learn a little bit more about their culture and their own family treasure, as stated in the book. It’s a perfect read to remind children that, in more ways than one, we are family, regardless of our color, ethnicity and culture. We all have a connection and what makes us family, more than anything, is the love and loyalty that we have for one another!
Order your copy over on Amazon, share a review and tell them Eileen from MommyTeaches sent you!
Disclosure: I was provided a copy of the #LaFamiliaCool book but all opinions are 100% my own.
I have so many feelings going through right now; seeing the completion of a personal dream and the beginning of a new stage on my career, However, I’m also so happy that many Latino kids will be able to identify with this story and how that can change the way they see themselves and impacts how they show up in the world. Thank you Eileen for your support, I really value your opinions as a teacher and a mom.
It is today with all the social media and loss of identity all kids should know about their culture.