La Casa Azul Bookstore celebrates the launch of its website in East Harlem! La Casa Azul Bookstore celebrated the launch of its website on April 24th at Net Plaza, in the heart of El Barrio. Book lovers and supporters attending the event had the opportunity to be the first to browse the website. The website is bilingual and the online store is set up for national orders and shipping within the continental United States. ============================================== Barrio Book Club La Casa Azul Bookstore is proud to feature The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao as the first book in the Barrio Book Club series. Meetings are once a month at local restaurants in El Barrio. The first meeting is Sunday June 8, from 4pm - 6pm. RSVP required. Purchase your copy of the book by visiting www.lacasaazulbookstore.com ============================================= Author highlight: Pat Mora Pat Mora, award-winning author of many children's books, enjoys writing for young readers, teens and adults. A literacy advocate excited about sharing what she calls "bookjoy," Pat founded the family literacy initiative, El Día de los Niños / El Día de los Libros, Children's Day / Book Day ("Día"), now housed at the American Library Association. The year-long commitment to daily link all children to books, languages and cultures culminates in celebrations across the country on April 30th. Her new book, Sweet Dreams, Dulces Suenos will be available in June. Purchase your copy online at www.lacasaazulbookstore.com. Pat answered questions for La Casa Azul Bookstore about her new book and her plans for El Dia de Los Ninos/El Dia de los libros: 1. Can you describe your latest book? Sweet Dreams / Dulces sueños is a bilingual bedtime book for little ones, nuestros chicos.  It's the second book in a series of bilingual easy-reads about the Rosas family.  In this book, Abuelita is putting her three grandchildren to bed, quieting the children by reminding them of the squirrels, bunnies and birds--las ardillas, los conejitos, y los pajaritos, who are also drifting off to sleep outside. 2. What/Who is the inspiration behind your new book Sweet Dreams, Dulces Suenos? This series was initially inspired by a fine woman in Fort Worth who gives away thousands of bilingual books.  A few years back, she sat me down and made me aware that such bilingual easy-reads weren't available in trade books.  At first, I couldn't believe what she was saying, but I visited book stores, and she was right. I decided to add my Fort Worth friend's idea to the list of books I wanted to write. 3. El Dia de los Ninos/El dia de los Libros celebrated its 12^th year last month, what is your vision for the future of the celebration? Since literacy is essential for the success of our young, I'd like to see Día on all school and public library planning calendars and thus see it institutionalized as an annual celebration that brings communities together to honor their children and to link them to literacy.  I hope that state library associations and state libraries will annually offer Día training to create more and more partnerships between libraries, schools and homes, and with the media and funders. These partnerships strengthen communities. 4. How can parents encourage their children to celebrate and embrace their Latino roots? No child is born embarrassed at her skin color, home language or culture.  Sadly, through the media and through societal patterns that teach children-and all of us-that certain languages and cultures are better than others, children consciously and sub-consciously begin to believe this lie.  To significantly help create a country in which all cultures are respected and valued, as parents, whether we speak English or not, we need to participate in our children's schools and libraries to ensure that Latino culture is included and valued.  We can be volunteers and school/library leaders. We teach by example. We need to have positive examples of Latino culture and achievements in our homes and to discuss this rich heritage with our children.  We also need to speak up when, for example, we don't see books by Latinos at our book stores, libraries and school rooms.  I'm committed to Gandhi's notion that we must be the change we wish to see in the world. Sweet Dreams, Dulces Suenos will be available in June. Purchase your copy online at www.lacasaazulbookstore.com

La Casa Azul Bookstore offers online, and later this year at its very own shop, an opportunity to share the richness of the Latino experience in writing, art and culture. Latino authors, poets and cultural products will find a community at La Casa Azul Bookstore. Sign up for our list serve to receive our monthly newsletter with updates on events, book club meetings, and book news. Visit our website to sign up: www.lacasaazulbookstore.com ========================== Support independent/locally owned businesses Buy local whenever possible. Every time you spend a dollar at local, independent businesses you not only have an impact on the cultural vitality of our community, but you also help build a stronger local economy. By preserving what is unique about our neighborhood, we avoid becoming another 'Anywhere USA.' =========================== Our mission La Casa Azúl Bookstore is a place of knowledge, art, creativity and culture. Our mission is to provide the community with contemporary bilingual literature, featuring works by Latino authors. Saludos muy atentos, Aurora Anaya-Cerda La Casa Azul Bookstore East Harlem, New York Website:    www.lacasaazulbookstore.com My Space  www.myspace.com/lacasaazulbookstore ============================= Summer Reading Tips for Parents Summer shouldn't mean taking a break from learning, especially reading. Studies show that most students experience a loss of reading skills over the summer months, but children who continue to read actually gain skills. Following are a few tips to make reading enjoyable for your children this summer: 1. Read aloud together with your child every day. Make it fun by reading outdoors on the front steps, patio, at the beach or park. Also, let your children read to you. For younger children, point out the relationship between words and sounds. 2. Set a good example! Parents must be willing to model behavior for their children. Keep lots of reading material around the house. Turn off the TV and have each person read his or her book, including mom and dad. 3. Read the same book your child is reading and discuss it. This is the way to develop habits of the mind and build capacity for thought and insight. 4. Let kids choose what they want to read, and don't turn your nose up at popular fiction. It will only discourage the reading habit. 5. Encourage children to keep a summer scrapbook. Tape in souvenirs of your family's summer activities picture postcards, ticket stubs, photos. Have your children write the captions and read them and read them aloud as you look at the book together.