His grandmother tells him stories of her youth when she was not allowed to speak Spanish in school. It was against the rules.

There were punishments. The children who spoke the language of their family were made to feel bad. For the young boy, this provides even more reason to do well now. He will participate in his school’s Spanish Spelling Bee. His abuela helps him practice.

The excitement, the effort, the pride of the Spelling Bee is portrayed in the emotional writing and the illustrator’s brightly colored, thoughtful scenes.

The author’s note explains the history of language suppression and subsequent efforts to re-establish pride in the language spoken at home.

The National Spanish Spelling Bee is explained along with El dia de los niños / El dia de los libres.

What a marvelous way to celebrate that day, April 30th, by reading this book out loud, engendering discussion about why it is respectful and crucial to be respectful of the languages we speak.