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Pat Mora

Author, Presenter, Literacy Advocate

Pat Mora
 
 
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The Gift of the Poinsettia/El regalo de la flor de nochebuena

Pat Mora

Perhaps because I grew up in El Paso on the U.S. Mexican border, I have always been interested in cultural traditions. This bilingual book set in Mexico describes las posadas, a Mexican, Catholic Christmas tradition. We also see how a gift need not be expensive to be special.

Pat

Activities for The Gift of the Poinsettia/El regalo de la flor de nochebuena.

Gift of the Poinsettia/ El Regalo de la Flor de Nochebuena

Posted in holidays, Pat's books | Leave a reply

Gracias for Gracias~Thanks

Pat Mora

Gracias/ThanksWhat a lovely note to receive at this time of year!

Dear Mrs. Mora,

We hope to find you well! We are writing to say THANK YOU! My class recently read your story, Gracias~Thanks, and my students were inspired by all the things we could say “thank you” for, so we wanted to give our very own “thanks”. Your writing has kept us grounded in the classroom each day and humbles our day to day experience as we say “thank you” to the many things and people that deserve it. Here are some photos of student work for you to enjoy.

These are from 1st-3rd graders at Uplift Heights Primary School in Dallas, Texas and are also a part of the non-profit program that I work for, Readers 2 Leaders. I recently came across your work as I have been expanding my library to include more bilingual titles, and your stories continue to be our favorites. With the majority of my students coming from Spanish-speaking homes, your stories take on new meaning and cause for celebration in our classroom. Thank you for inspiring theses young minds and for the beautiful stories you have given us.

Gracias,

Rachael McNeely

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November is National Adoption Awareness Month

Pat Mora

Pablo's Tree"Five-year-old Pablo can hardly wait to see how Abuelito, his grandfather, has decorated Pablo’s tree for his birthday. When Mamá first told her father that she was going to adopt a baby…Lito went out and bought the tree for his grandson…A lovely and resonant picture book that, like the tree that Pablo discovers decked with bells and wind chimes, rings with happiness and family love."—Booklist

Activities for sharing Pablo’s Tree in the classroom:

  • Using branches, have students create their own tree for a special person or to remember a specific birthday of their own. Teaching origami or making clay wind chimes are possibilities.
  • A number of Pat’s books describe relationships between children and an older relative. Invite students to share traditions from their families. Invite grandparents or older relatives and friends to visit the class and perhaps to share a memory, game, tradition, or song in their native language.
  • Students can make items for Pablo’s sixth birthday.
  • Using “dress-up props,” children can stage a scene about an event with an older relative or friend.
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Traditions: Oct. 31, Halloween, Nov. 2, Remembering Day

Pat Mora

Oct. 31, Halloween. It’s debated whether this began as a Christian tradition, All Hallows’ Eve on the night before All Saints’ Day, or as Celtic tradition. In the United States, it inspires costumes for all ages and candy for the little ones—and not so little ones. Many of us have happy memories including Trick-or-Treating for UNICEF.

El día de los muertos, observed on Nov. 2 as a day for remembering our departed is NOT the same as Halloween. Many countries have traditions for remembering their loved ones. In Mexico, there can be a mix of a religious observance and prayers for the departed, and a commercial opportunity to sell small sugar skull figures and emphasize skeletons.

The Remembering Day/El dia de los muertos by Pat MoraI wrote my book, The Remembering Day/El día de los muertos, to share a story I created about a family years ago in, perhaps, what is now Oaxaca, and how a grandmother might have instructed her granddaughter to start a remembering day. I so hope that the author note and book will be helpful to families, libraries, schools and all who work with children.

Posted in Day of the Dead, holidays, Pat's books | Leave a reply

Happy Book Birthday to My Singing Nana!

Pat Mora

My Singing NanaOctober 15, 2019 is the official publication date for My Singing Nana, published by Magination Press.

Billy is close with his Nana. But Nana is starting to forget things and Billy is worried. When Billy’s sister is too sick to sing in their family summer show, Billy and Nana work together to come up with an act that saves the performance! Billy learns that no matter what happens, he and Nana are “always amigos!”

This story celebrates the ideals of family, heritage, and happy memories, showing kids that no matter how their loved one might change they always have ways to maintain their special connection.

"A winning story that also serves as a useful family resource."—Publishers Weekly

"A tender tribute to families who have loved ones suffering from dementia."—Kirkus Reviews


Read Pat’s Author Note
Families savor happy memories. A number of the women in my family were wonderful cooks, and I enjoyed having my three children help me bake. Soon, my granddaughter will be my helper. Baking memories and family gatherings are happy memories for us. All families, of course, confront challenging realities too including aging.

How do children respond to grandparents or other seniors who may begin to experience memory loss, and where do children have opportunities to share and discuss their confusion, worries, and feelings?

In their eighties, both of my parents suffered from dementia. Alzheimer’s, named for the German physician, Dr. Alois Alzheimer, who first identified the brain disorder that now bears his name, is the most common form of dementia. Not a normal part of aging, Alzheimer’s is regularly in the news, since an estimated 5.8 million Americans are confronting this disease, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

I was encouraged to write this book by my sister, Stella Henry, who cared for our parents at the end of their lives. For over thirty years, as a nurse, administrator, and co-owner of a nursing home, she helped thousands of families deal with challenging health issues.

Caring adults know that children are capable of compassion and thoughtfulness. A few reminders:

  • Be truthful with children. Share age-appropriate information.
  • Encourage children to share their worries with parents and trusted family members or teachers. Children’s questions provide clues about appropriate issues to address with a child and her or his level of understanding.
  • Remind children to be polite and patient with their family member or friend.
  • Model loving, thoughtful behavior that strengthens family bonds.

I often smile at many happy memories of my parents and think of my teasing dad and my mom’s fabulous laugh.
Pat

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Celebrating the 2019 Mora Award Honor Winners

Pat Mora

There were two Mora Honor Awards given this year to recognize literacy activities during the month of April in celebration of Children’s Day, Book Day; also known as El día de los niños, El día de los libros; or Día. The Mora Award is given annually by Pat and her sister, Stella Mora Henry, in partnership with First Book.

These two honor winners received $500 in credit to the First Book Marketplace: Andress High School Library in El Paso, TX and the Anaheim Central Library Children’s Room in Anaheim, CA.

At Andress High School Library, the theme was “Reading is Magical!” They had over 700 attendees and gave away over 850 free, brand-new books. The local public library brought their bookmobile, and the fiesta featured paper circuits, origami, rock painting, a bookmark station, plus lots of other free arts and crafts. They partnered with the El Paso Public Library, Barnes & Noble, the Army, the National Guard, the Marines, United Way, and the Sherriff’s department to put on the celebration.

free books

A table full of books to choose from at the Andress High School Library celebration.

At the Anaheim Central Library Children’s Room, the theme was “Be a Superhero and READ! / ¡Se Superheroe y LEE!” About 250 kids and parents came, some dressed in superhero costumes. The goal for the event was to make kids understand that reading books will make your brain grow just like a superhero!

District librarians made this wonderful promotional video and it was shared to 30,000 students:

Posted in Día | Leave a reply

Alive: September 2019

Pat Mora

Yum! ¡Mmm! ¡Qué Rico! America's SproutingsEach of the four seasons brings us memories. Some years back, I enjoyed writing haiku about the foods of the Americas in Yum! ¡Mmm! ¡Qué Rico! America’s Sproutings, illustrated by my talented friend Rafael López.


Autumn is often a season of counting our blessings including family, health, education and our beautiful planet. Each of our blessings makes us more alive and, ideally, prompts us to share what we’ve been given.

Pat

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Congratulations to the 2019 Mora Award winners!

Pat Mora

The Boys & Girls Clubs of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama have received the 2019 Estela and Raúl Mora Award, an honor given by Pat and her sister, Stella Mora Henry, in partnership with First Book. The award recognizes literacy activities during the month of April in celebration of Children’s Day, Book Day; also known as El día de los niños, El día de los libros; or Día. The Boys & Girls Clubs will receive a $1,000 credit for brand new books from the First Book Marketplace.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of South Alabama hosted the The Gulf Coast Children’s Book Festival, created to help ignite a greater love of reading in the children of the area. Over 3,000 children, teachers and parents attended and enjoyed a variety of activities for children to immerse themselves in surrounding books. They were able to give each child at least two books.

The festival featured seven storyteller stages, two illustrator workshop areas, a hands-on STEM games area and a bookstore. Local high school students circulated in costumes and interacted with the children dressed as an assortment of book characters. Alabama Public Television (PBS) hosted a children’s hands-on area with tablets and illustration opportunities. Eighteen children’s authors attended and did book signings with the children and participated on the storyteller stages. They had over forty different exhibitors from educational organizations.

Gulf Coast Children's Book Festival
There were also two Mora Award honor winners that will receive $500 in credit to the First Book Marketplace: Andress High School Library in El Paso, TX and the Anaheim Central Library Children’s Room in Anaheim, CA.

Young Pat and family

Pat’s parents, Estela and Raúl Mora, her sister Cissy and Pat

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Featured Books

A Piñata in a Pine Tree: A Latino Twelve Days of Christmas by Pat Mora
The Beautiful Lady: Our Lady of Guadalupe by Pat Mora
The Gift of the Poinsettia/El regalo de la flor de nochebuena by Pat Mora
La hermosa Señora: Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe by Pat Mora
Abuelos by Pat Mora
The Bakery Lady/La señora de la panadería by Pat Mora
Adobe Odes by Pat Mora

Download these free mini-posters!

Growing a Nation of Readers Mini-Poster

Dia Advocates Mini-Poster

Let's Nurture Our Creative Selves Mini-Poster

Pat Mora

Read! Book Fiesta by Pat Mora

Sharing Bookjoy

Bookjoy! I coined the word years ago and readers always smile when I say it. They know the private pleasure of settling down with a good book. I began this blog in spring 2008.

Alegria en los libros

Be creative!

Zing Seven Creative Practices for Educators and Students

This month’s Zing!

“Dear teacher, our stories and poems are not complete without yours. Practice exploring your creative talents.”

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