Author Alexandra Alessandri has a new PB: Isabel and Her Colors Go To School.

Last week I had the pleasure of participating in the second virtual #nerdcampPA, where I shared discussions with some amazing children’s book authors from all over the country. One of these authors was Alexandra Alessandri who shared her new picture book ISABEL AND HER COLORS GO TO SCHOOL. (illustrated by Courtney Dawson)

English, with its blustery blues and whites, just feels wrong to Isabel. She prefers the warm oranges and pinks of Spanish. As she prepares for class at a new school, she knows she’s going to have to learn–and she would rather not! Her first day is uncomfortable, until she discovers there’s more than one way to communicate with friends. This is a universal story about feeling new and making new friends.

 

I enjoyed this beautiful and poetically written story so much, I wanted to share my review here.

“Written in English and Spanish and told in a lilting and lyrical voice that describes Isabel’s feelings using the colors she loves. “Mama’s voice, soft and amber like a ripened mango.”

Vibrant and fluid illustrations add another layer of depth to a simple but power story of friendship and connection that transcends language.”

The text and illustrations show the range of emotions that come into play with being in a new school where the language is different, but we learn that we also have many things in common that help us connect to one another.

This is a perfect book to begin a new school year and would make a wonderful addition to a young child’s library.

Alexandra Alessandri is the author of Feliz New Year, Ava Gabriela! (Albert Whitman) and the forthcoming Isabel and Her Colores go to School (Sleeping Bear Press). The daughter of Colombian immigrants, she is also an Associate Professor of English at Broward College and a poet, with some of her work appearing in The Acentos Review, Rio Grande Review, Atlanta Review, and Young Adult Review Network. Alexandra lives in Florida with her husband and son.