Book Event in Ventura for Arty's Amazing Accordion

Melinda Palacio 

Arty's Amazing Accordion/El Acordéon Assombroso de Arty
by Amada Irma Perez 

Award-winning author Amada Irma Perez has worked with traditional and non-traditional publishers. Lately, she has been self-publishing and owning all of the laborious creative process. You wouldn't know the books were self-published, based on the professional quality of her new book, Arty's Amazing Accordion/El Acordéon Assombroso, illustrated by Lili Sosa. 

Ever since her college days, Amada knew that she would write the story about her husband's journey as an accordion player. Dating a a college student and musician, who played in several bands meant little time for their romance. However, 50 years later, their children and grandchildren are often regaled with Arty's world class playing. In college, he was in a Norteño band but played music from all over the world and was sought after for celebrations. 

Gifted from the start, his farm working parents picked lemons in Upland and grapes further north. Music classes were a luxury that his parents struggled to afford, but they didn't spare their son. Amada says his mother saved to buy the best accordion money could buy. "They sacrificed for him to play music. His mother would rush home from the packing house to get him to his lesson. If she was late, she would get a taxi." The sacrifice paid off, in Junior High and High School, Arty won talent shows and he became a much sought after accordion player for his ability to play musical styles from all over the world.

Although a back injury caused him to trade the accordion for the piano for ten years, his students appreciated his piano playing. Several on facebook have thanked him for playing Happy Birthday for them. And much to his relief, he was able to return to his beloved accordion after the long decade of healing.  

Amada surprised him with the book for his 78th birthday. The delightful bilingual children's book tells the story of his love for music. The gorgeous book is endorsed by Sandra Cisneros who writes: "Arty reminds us that we all need art to feed our hungry hearts, especially if we are amazing children."

Everyone is invited to Amada's book signing, Saturday, February 4 at 2pm at Timbre Books in Ventura, 1924 E. Main Street. You can meet the real life Arty who will play some songs, along with their son. 

Workshops at CABE 2015 (California Association For Bilingual Education)

Many children's book writers will be presenting at CABE.  This is a partial list of author's workshops in English and Español. If you are at CABE, please come and meet them. 

■Two Languages on My Tongue, Twice the Pleasure and Twice the Fun: U.S. Spanish in the Classroom- Thursday, March 5

10:30 AM - 11:45 AM Room: Clarendon

Amy Costales,
 Connecting Authors/University of Oregon

■Setting Up a Writers Workshop in the Common Core Classroom- Thursday, March 5

10:30 AM - 11:45 AM Room: Crescent

James Luna, Riverside USD

■ Cuentos de abuelitas- Thursday, March 5,

10:30 AM - 11:45 AM Room: Royal Palm Salon Five

Mara Price,  San Diego County USD


René Colato Laínez, Los Angeles USD/Author

■ Mis Quince: A celebration of my first book, “My Very Own Room/Mi propio cuartito” and writing strategies for dual language and all classrooms

1:30 PM - 4:30 PM Room: Crescent

Amada Irma Pérez, Writers Groups of Ventura & Beyond

■ Creating Art with Children’s Books- Thursday, March 5,  
1:30 PM - 2:45 PM Room: Tiki Pavillion

René Colato Laínez, Los Angeles USD/Author

Mara Price, San Diego County USD


Amy Costales, Connecting Authors/University of Oregon

James Luna, Riverside USD

■ De niño immigrante a autor publicado: Los sueños se pueden cumplir. –Friday, March 6

1:30 PM - 2:45 PM
 Room: Royal Palm Salon Five

René Colato Laínez, Los Angeles USD/Author

Authors James Luna, Mara Price and René Colato Laínez at CABE 2014

My very own room

Review by Ariadna Sánchez

Abraham Lincoln was a great man with a strong spirit. On January 1, 1863, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation that declared forever free those slaves within the Confederacy. Lincoln was the 16^th President of the United States. His legacy will last forever, and it will be an inspiration to new generations of Americans. To learn more about Lincoln and the rest of the US presidents visit 

http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/

Speaking of freedom, today’s book review presents a very unique experience where a little girl wants to have a special place where she can be herself.

My very own room is a fascinating story written by Amada Irma Pérez and with attractive illustrations by Maya Christina Gonzalez.

The book is a beautiful childhood memoir of Amada Irma Pérez. By sharing her adventures through her book, the author allows us to learn about her family’s struggles and her love for books. The story portrays a nine year old Mexican American girl who is tired of sharing a room with her five little brothers. The girl wants to have her very own room. She wishes for a place where she could let her imagination fly.

The house has 2 bedrooms and one bath, and it’s always noisy and crowded.  Relatives and friends coming from Mexico to look for a job in the United States are always coming in and out. One day, the girl discovers a storage closet and decides to use it as her own place. However, her mother did not agree with the idea of using the storage closet as her own room. The girl was determined to have her own room, so she convinced her mother to allow her to use the storage room as her own room. The entire family helped to empty the storage closet and convert it into a nice and cozy bedroom.

Visit your local library this afternoon and check out more stories by Amada Irma Pérez and Maya Christina Gonzalez.  Remember reading give