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Deep Dive Into Nonfiction

2024

California: Los Angeles County

Young René’s mother has sent him a new pair of shoes from the United States. He loves his new shoes. “They walk everywhere I walk. They jump every time I jump. They run as fast as me. We always cross the finish line at the same time.”René—with his new shoes—and his father set off on the long journey to meet his mother in the United States. He says goodbye to his friends in El Salvador, and “Uno, dos, tres, my shoes and I are ready to go.” The trip is difficult. They take buses and walk across El Salvador, into Guatemala and then into Mexico. His brand-new shoes lose their shine, turning dirty and gray. They become elephants, pushing against the wind; race cars, fleeing hungry dogs; swim shoes, escaping floods; and submarines, navigating through sticky mud. When holes appear on the soles of his shoes, his father won’t let him give up. “René, my strong boy, we want to be with Mamá.”Sharing his own experiences, René Colato Laínez’s moving bilingual picture book brings to life the experiences of many young children who make the arduous journey from Central America to the United States in search of a better life.

My Shoes and I/ Mis zapatos y yo: Crossing Three Borders/Cruzando Tres Fronteras

Telegrams to Heaven, recounts the moving childhood of Archbishop Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez, who from an early age discovers the candor, light and power of the word, which he uses to pray and to write poetry, sending telegrams to heaven from his heart. René Colato Laínez, the renowned Salvadoran writer, has written a touching story about the great Salvadoran prophet who dreamed from his childhood of being a priest, and became not only a priest, but also a bishop, an archbishop, and the great orator of his country. His word remains for the Salvadoran people and the world  a prayer, a poem, a sweet telegram that Archbishop Romero continues to send in the name of his people to the heart of heaven.

Telegramas al cielo/Telegrams to Heaven: La infancia de monsenor Oscar Arnulfo Romero/The Childhood of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero

¡Vámonos! Let's Go!

When René learns that in the United States his name is also a girl's name, he does some research and relates the name's meaning and letters to his homeland of El Salvador and the things that make him special.

I Am Rene, the Boy/ Soy René, el niño

When a young boy and his mother come to the United States from El Salvador, leaving his father behind, the boy misses his father very much and wants to do something special to show him how much he cares.

Waiting for Papá/ Esperando a Papá

Young René is from El Salvador, and he doesn't understand why his name has to be different in the United States. When he writes Colato, he sees his paternal grandparents, René and Amelia. When he writes Laínez, he sees his maternal grandparents, Angela and Julio. Without his second last name, René feels incomplete, "like a hamburger without the meat or a pizza without cheese or a hot dog without a wiener."His new classmates giggle when René tells them his name. "That's a long dinosaur name," one says. "Your name is longer than an anaconda," another laughs. But René doesn't want to lose the part of him that comes from his mother's family. So when the students are given a project to create a family tree, René is determined to explain the importance of using both of his last names. On the day of his presentation, René explains that he is as hard working as Abuelo René, who is a farmer, and as creative as his Abuela Amelia, who is a potter. He can tell stories like his Abuelo Julio and enjoys music like his Abuela Angela.

Rene Has Two Last Names/ Rene tiene dos apellidos

A little boy visits his grandmother in Mexico, and with the help of la lotería, learns a new language and how special the bond between a boy and his grandmother can be.

Playing Loteria/ El juego de la loteria 

Carlos is not sure that football can be played with an oval-shaped ball. Chris is not sure that it can be played with a round ball.It may not be a good idea to play with a kid who is so different... He doesn’t even know how to play this game!Wait. It looks kind of fun... Let’s give it a try!Enjoy and celebrate the encounter of two cultures through their favorite sports. ;-)

¡Juguemos al fútbol y al football! /  Let's Play Fútbol and Football!

Carlos no cree que se pueda jugar al fútbol con una pelota ovalada. 
Chris no cree que se pueda jugar con una pelota redonda.
Quizás no es buena idea jugar con un niño tan diferente... 
¡Ni siquiera sabe cómo se juega!
Un momento. 
Se ve como divertido... 
¡Vamos a probar!
Disfruta y celebra el encuentro de dos culturas a través de sus deportes favoritos. ;-)

Juguemos al Fútbol y al Fooball

The Tooth Fairy has some competition. 
 
Meet El Ratón Pérez, the charming and adventurous mouse who collects children’s teeth in Spain and Latin America.
 
When both the Tooth Fairy and El Ratón Pérez arrive to claim Miguelito’s tooth, sparks fly under the Mexican-American boy’s pillow. Who will rightfully claim his tooth? 
 
This magical tale introduces a legendary Latino character to a new audience and provides a fresh take on the familiar childhood experience of losing one’s tooth.

The Tooth Fairy Meets El Raton Perez

A timely and inspiring story. Mario is leaving his home in El Salvador. With his father by his side, he is going north to join his mother, who lives in the United States. She has sent Mario a new pair of shoes. He will need good shoes because the journey north will be long and hard. He and his father will cross the borders of three countries. They will walk for miles, ride buses, climb mountains, and cross a river. Mario has faith in his shoes. He believes they will take him anywhere. On this day, they will take him to the United States, where his family will be reunited.

My Shoes and I

José loves helping Mamá in the garden outside their home in California. But when Mamá is sent back to Mexico for not having citizenship papers, José and his Papá face an uncertain future. What will it be like to visit Mamá in Tijuana? When will she be able to come home? Award-winning children’s book author René Colato Laínez tackles the difficult and timely subject of family separation with exquisite tenderness. He is donating a portion of his royalties to the Centro Madre Assunta, a refuge for women and children who are waiting to be reunited with their families in the United States. Joe Cepeda’s bright and engaging illustrations bring this story of hope to vivid life.

From North to South/ Del norte al sur

"Old MacDonald Had a Farm" goes multicultural in this rollicking Spanish-English rendition.

The barnyard animals on Old MacDonald's and Senor Pancho's farms have a hard time communicating. MacDonald's rooster says cock-a-doodle-doo! While Senor Pancho's gallo says quiquirquí. The English-speaking chick says peep, peep, but el pollito says pio, pio. Then the cow says moo and la vaca says mu! Maybe they're not so different after all! So all the animals come together for a barnyard fiesta, because dancing is a universal language.

Señor Pancho Had A Rancho

Rene Colato Lainez