Illustrated by Laura Lacámara
*Publisher: Lee & Low Books
*Language: English, Spanish
*Print length: 32 pages
*ISBN-10: 1643797778
*ISBN-13: 978-1643797779
Mamá the Alien is now available in paperback edition!
In this lighthearted bilingual story, a young girl sees the word alien on her mother's immigration card and concludes that her mother must be from another planet.
When Sofia gets a peek at Mamá's Resident Alien card, she wonders: Is Mamá an alien from outer space? Sofia heads to the library to learn about aliens. Some have four fingers on each hand, and some have blue or green skin. But to Sofia, Mamá looks like a human mother!
Sofia is stuck figuring out this mystery until she sees her mom getting ready for her citizenship ceremony. That's when Sofia realizes that in English, an alien can be someone from another planet, and it can also be a person from another country.
Filled with imagination and humor, Mamá the Alien is a sweet and timely celebration of family, no matter where that family comes from. Even if it's outer space!
¡Mamá la extraterrestre ya esta disponible en edición de pasta blanda!
En esta alegre historia bilingüe, una niña ve la palabra alien en una tarjeta de imigración de su mamá y concluye que su madre debe ser alienígena.
Cuando Sofia ve una tarjeta de su mamá que dice Resident Alien, se pregunta: ¿podría ser mamá un alienígena, de otro planeta? Sofia va a la biblioteca para aprender sobre los extraterrestres. Algunos tienen cuatro dedos en cada mano y algunos tienen piel azúl o verde. ¡Pero para Sofia, mamá parece una madre humana!
Sofia se queda atascada con este rompecabeza hasta que ve a su mama preparandose para su ceremonia de ciudadania. Y es entonces que Sofia se da cuenta que en inglés, un alien puede ser alguien de otro planeta y también puede ser una persona de otro país.
Lleno de imaginación y humor, este dulce libro es una oportuna celebración de la familia, no importe de donde vienen sus miembros. ¡Hasta si vienen del espacio sideral!
Review
"A delightful, original, clever, purposeful, multicultural alien tale." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"This heartfelt and humorous story is perfect for primary-school readers, as well as a useful way for parents or educators to introduce the topic of immigration. An author's note further explains the meaning of resident alien and will help readers understand the humor behind Sofia's misunderstanding. Acrylic-and-collage illustrations in cheery saturated tones showcase Sofia's wild imaginings and the story's joyful conclusion." -- Booklist
"Playful.... The pictures are pleasant-looking, the subject is important to address with young children, and the story makes for very easy reading in both languages." -- School Library Journal
René Colato Laínez was born in El Salvador. He is an award-winning author who holds an MFA in Writing for Children from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Críticas has called René's characters "immigrant heroes." He currently lives in Los Angeles, California.
Laura Lacámara is both an author and illustrator of children's books. She is a popular presenter at schools, book festivals, libraries, and conferences, and is an active member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. A native of Cuba, she now lives in Venice, California, with her husband and their daughter.
Author René Colato Laínez has organized a two-week virtual book tour for his book, 