I knew I would be impressed with the Chorrito series by Pacific Learning before it even arrived in the mail, but it was better than I expected. I cannot express how impressed I am with these books. The Chorrito I package comes with 20 excellent, entertaining, and well-illustrated stories and a Cuentos y canciones CD that includes story audio plus adorable sound effects and the songs whose lyrics are at the end of each book. The stories are about everything from helicopters to hippopotamuses, and each silly situation teaches an important lesson. Chorrito is a funny little guy who asks comprehension questions at the bottom of each page.
Preschoolers and early elementary readers will benefit the most from these stories, given the research that forms the basis for the series. Pacific Learning provides parents and educators with a summary of why “¡Leer es divertido y educativo!” at the end of each story, along with tips for reading that particular story with your niños.
I like that these stories are useful even for parents and teachers who are not fully fluent in Spanish. Using the CD and the suggested questions to ask little readers, parents can improve their own Spanish skills. For a nonnative speaker like myself, this provides unmatched support in how to guide a child through the learning-to-read phase in my second language. Pacific Learning aims Chorrito at children whose first language is Spanish because it has been proven that literacy in the mother tongue is critical to transferring literacy to a second language. This is especially true for English and Spanish, since they require similar reading skills.
No matter your specific language abilities or use, this book set and all available add-on packages are of incredible quality. These books are the kind that you will keep for your grandchildren to read!
If you like Chorrito, also check out the Hopscotch books from Pacific Learning, which are fun readers that introduce multicultural topics, written in both English and Spanish.
Pacific Learning wants to offer you a 40% discount on any of the Chorrito or Splash items on their on-line store with the discount code: SBCHR4. All you have to do is apply this code during the cheek out process. The discount will be active from November 2 to January 31st, 2012.
THE GIVEAWAY!
This giveaway is now closed. Congratulations to the winners: Cindy Lou and Siobhan !
We’re giving away one Chorrito I Student Book Set and one Chorrito I Lap Book Set (pictured above) to two lucky winners {Approximate value of $400 per prize pack!}.
To enter, just leave a comment about why you want your children to achieve literacy in Spanish.
That’s all you have to do to enter this giveaway. If you want to up your chances at winning, then this is how you can get additional entries (only after you’ve completed the step above):
**Please leave a separate comment for each so we can count them and avoid mistakes.
1. Subscribe to receive blog updates and subscriber-only content via email and leave us an extra comment letting us know you did so or that you’re already a subscriber. Make sure to leave the comment using the same email you subscribed with.
2. Follow us on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway including a link to the post @PacificLearning and @SpanglishBaby. Copy the link to the tweet in an additional comment on the giveaway’s post.
Sample tweet: Visit @SpanglishBaby for a chance to win two @PacificLearning Spanish-literacy sets for your kids http://su.pr/1GJTvf
3. Like SpanglishBaby on Facebook and join a thriving community of parents.
This giveaway ends Thursday, Nov. 10th at midnight PST and is open to everyone over 18 years of age in the continental U.S. Check out the Giveaway Rules.
Disclosure: We received a sample to review the product. All opinions are our own.
I just found out last night that my daughter, who is a 1st grader in a DL immersion school, is doing so well in her English Language arts class that they are moving her to Spanish Language Arts. I am worried she will get frustrated at first, so this may be the perfect too to help with that. Thanks for posting!
I’m already a subscriber. But I will blog about it too…
I am a Bilingual Literacy Teacher and my objective in this field is to teach children to read in their first language FIRST! I work with lots of children in the primary grades and try to foster a love of reading in Spanish! (I do the same with my own preschool aged children at home too!) Love Your BLOG!!!! Gracias!
I also ‘Like’ Spanglish Baby on Facebook!!!
Two of my children are in dual language programs and I am the facilitator for the program in our district. It is my goal for children to be bilingual and biliterate. These books are great!
I am now a subscriber. I give your website out to my parents as a resource. Love it.
I also follow you on Facebook as well.
In our house, my little daughter feel more comfortable speaking English, we want her to be bilingual and speak very well and dominate Spanish and English,( We are latinos) I love this series because Chorritos through the songs is easier to learn Spanish.
I am subscriber Spanglishbaby
carmenortegan@yahoo.com
I send my Tweet about giveaway
http://twitter.com/#!/CarmenEOrtega1
I Like SpanglishBaby on Facebook too!!
carmenortegan@yahoo.com
I think it is so important to learn a second language. I was fortunate enough to have my parents speak only spanish at home. However, since my husband and I go back and forth from English and Spanish, I feel it would be so beneficial to have something like this to reinforce what we are trying to teach our kids at home.
I’m an email subscriber!
We would LOVE these books! My son is attending a Spanish immersion charter school and this is his second year.
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I also follow you on Facebook.
Here’s my blog post: http://arcoirisschool.wordpress.com/2011/11/03/fun-extra-chorrito-spanish-literacy-series-giveaway/
Ay Dios Mio!!! This is just what we need right now!!! My reason: My children’s names are Joaquin Santiago Clavijo and Casimiro Jesus Clavijo and I’ll be damned if they grow into adulthood with names like that and aren’t functionally bilingual!!!
I am all for my son learning my native language, Spanish, first. Literature is a wonderful way to learn new words and a means of expression and discussion.
Oh my goodness this has me excited! I want my girls to achieve literacy in Spanish because I think it is absolutely improtant for them to learn something other than their native tongue. We also live by a Spanish community and them learning Spanish in literacy could help them expand their friendships, businesses, etc.
I’m already a subscriber via email!
I’m following on Twitter and here is my Tweet: https://twitter.com/#!/jewelsntreasure/status/132185541507686400
I liked Spanglishbaby on fb (Vanessa J)
I would love to win these for mmy emergent Spanish readers!
I “liked” you on Facebook!
I subscribed to the blog updates also!
I started to followed you on Twitter and tweeted about the giveaway (although I hope I win!!)
I want my son to be bilingual so he’ll have better job opportunities and able to compete in the global economy. These books would be great to help him along the way. Thanks so much for a great site!
I also subscribe to the newsletter. Gracias!
I want my children to be literate in Spanish because it will open up their world.
I “like” spanglishbaby on facebook.
I have subscribed to receive blog updates. Thanks!
I have two children that I am homeschooling and are bilingual. We definitely need good quality Spanish books. I want them to have good reading and comprehension skills in both languages.
I “like” SpanglishBaby on Facebook.
I subscribe to SpanglishBaby via e-mail.
I teach in dual language classroom. I think this series would be a great addition to our small classroom library!
I want both of my girls to learn Spanish because I think it is important to know another language. I have one daughter in an immersion preschool and the other in a dual language program. My husband and I are also learning the language. These books would help us all.
I am already an email subscriber.
I am already a fan on facebook.
WoW!! What an AMAZING give away!! I would LOVE to use these with my 3 boys!!
I “LIKE” you on Facebook!
I subscribe on Google Reader!
I want my son to achieve literacy in Spanish because it’s so good for his sponge-like brain! Why wouldn’t I? It will help him in so many areas of his life not only now but for his future. Plus, my husband is fluent in Spanish and this is something special that they could share together. Thanks for the opportunity.
My daughter is now 4 and I chose to keep her at home until she attends preschool for fear of her losing her spanish, which has been a focal goal for both of my children (ages 4 and 3). I have no idea how to help her start to read, and I know she is more than ready. (i.e. she pretends to read, and talks about “what words start with what letters” etc.) This set of books sounds like a perfect tool to get started! I would love for her to attend a dual immersion school out of our area when she turns 5 but they will only take her if she continues to be a “fluent” spanish speaker…which solidifies my desire of continuing to engage her in as many fun educational spanish activities as possible…and how wonderful would it be to teach her how to read in Spanish! It would be a dream for me. I just need the guidance from this type of program!
I am already an e-mail subscriber.
I LIKE you on Facebook!
ooops …I meant “I chose to keep her at home (and sacrifice an extra income) until she attends KINDERGARTEN.”
All 3 of my kids are half puertorican and I’d love them to be trilingual..I myself learned Spanish on a 3 mnth stay in PR and continued self-educating myself through books,music and telenovelas..its really great to be able to communicate with people through another language..and Id love for my kids to become interested in that as well.
I like you on facebook!
Hijole! Que libros tan padres! I’d love to get my hands on them y leerselos a mis hijos. Gracias por toda la informacion tan buena que dan en este website!
Elba
well, i would love to read this book to my 4yr old and my 5mo old. I think its sooo important for my kids to learn spanish because thats my 1st leguage and i would love for my kids to bilingual. thank you!!
I subscribe to SpanglishBaby via e-mail.
i like u on FB
Pick me! I would love to use these books with my students at My Escuelta: Spanish for Kids! Gracias!!
I just think it’s important for kids to be well rounded, and language is a big part of that
My daughter is adopted and hispanic; I don’t know spanish but I want her to be bilingual.
I just subscribed to your blog; thanks for the info!
I liked you on facebook!
It is so important for my son to learn to read in Spanish so he can be truly biliterate!
I am a fan on facebook!
So they can talk to grandma
I am an email subscriber with email nclaudia25 at yahoo dot com
I like your blog on facebook Claudia N.
http://twitter.com/#!/Dealsfan32/status/132712936438366208
I follow you on twitter dealsfan32
It is important for my children to achieve literacy in Spanish as it allows them to truly embrace there heritage.
I am a subscriber
I am a bilingual teacher that mentors bilingual teachers in a bilingual school. Watching the teachers and their students perform beautifully in two languages increases the pride they have for themselves and each other. Not only do we all maintain both cultures, but reap all the advantages of being bilingual.
bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com
I’m an email subscriber.
bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com
Sin tu cultura (toda tu cultura) tienes una indentidad a medias. Para ser un real ciudadano del mundo, primero nuestro hijo tiene que saber su idioma perfectamante y despues aprender varios mas.
My girl is already reading in English and can read simple sentences in Spanish too. This would help us take things to another level and help her truly become fluent in reading Spanish.
I receive your newsletter via email.
Tweeted https://twitter.com/modernmami/status/133551254646427648
Already like on facebook
I am thrilled about the existence of a Spanish Literacy Series. It is so important for my children to have a strong first language foundation in order to continue to learn English and become fluent bilingual and not just semi-bilingual. Learning English should not make my children forget Spanish, but learn and mantain both languages. I will defenitely use these books to promote Spanish literacy with my children and continue to embrace our first language.
Thanks
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I want my son to know Spanish so that he can connect with his extended family, take pride in his culture and to give him advantages he might not otherwise have as a monolingual. I think it is also important to know additional languages to be more competitive in this global world in which we live. Most of all so we can speak from el corozan in a colorful way that I can not do in English the same way.
I have a son who’s father speaks only Spanish and my first language is English. Since my son was a baby I tried to speak to him in Spanish (the little I know). It is very important to me that my son achieves literacy in Spanish because his father is no longer around, and I want him to be able to understand both languages. Especially so when he talks to his father’s side of the family he will be comfortable. Also, I believe that being able to understand two languages will help him when he gets older.
I don’t facebook, but I JUST SUSCRIBED and am excited to have found your website!
I am a homeschooling mom and I’m currently studying Spanish (through Pimsleur). My children are learning a little through Drive and Learn Spanish. I also recently ordered some Spanish immersion videos for them.
I believe that knowing more than one language is essential to my family’s educational experience because we will be more able to meet and socialize with an entire community of people living in America and around the world.
My goal for both myself and my children is total fluency in Spanish. I think the books offered in this giveaway would help me reach that goal. (After that, “Bonjour Francais”!)
I “Liked” this on Facebook. (Paul is my hubby, we have one family facebook page.)
My little one has been learning the basics at school and I try to help(i know just a little) but I would like her to be fluent in Spanish so that she can communicate more with her fathers side of the family who speak 98% Spanish when she is at his house…
It would be a given in my home. As a teacher, I love reading and why not both languages? Reading will allow my children to continue learning about whatever they are interested in and continue their Spanish even when I’m not around.
I subscribe via e-mail.
I like Spanglishbaby on Facebook!!
I tweeted at assiduous.
Great giveaway. We are a bilangual family. My little girls understand Spanish and will speak it, but not as often as I would like. I think it is important especially to keep connected with our Spanish and Latin Culture. This would be a great way to continue teaching them and learning through books. They love books.
I am an email susbscriber.
I follow on twitter. https://twitter.com/#!/yourpotofgold/status/134748852501753856
I like SpaniglishBaby on Facebook
If I get the books, I will be able to enrich my Spanish class!