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Author Kevin Gerard generously donated 50 copies of his book, El Dragón de Diego, for our library reading programs. We purchased more than 75 additional copies for a six week reading program in April and May, 2017. 5th and 6th grade students were invited to read about a young Latino boy who wins the statue of a dragon in a school writing contest. The dragon, whom he names Magnifico, comes to life the moment Diego touches it. What unfolds is a magical and mystical journey exploring the themes of family, trust, connections to the past, and spirituality.
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FOL program directors, Allan Browne and Elizabeth Carbajal Browne, visited schools accompanied by artist Janine Richardson, who created and donated the dragon you see in the slideshow above.
Participants raced to sign up and read about th young Latino boy and his dragon. |
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Each week, students - assisted by Spanish-speaking volunteers - read and discussed the book, had a snack and worked to create their own papier mache dragons. Non-Spanish speaking volunteers had worked behind the scenes to create the dragon skeletons which formed the basis of the amazing creations you see below.
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A panel of judges selected 3 winning entries for awards at the program finale at IMAC on the afternoon of May 20, where the young readers met the author in person.
The author; his delightful translator Jennifer Bustamente; the artist; the FOL member, Yolanda Espinoza, who introduced us to Diego's Dragon; the volunteers - Spanish-speaking and not; the librarians; our Program directors and Board members who planned and executed the program.... this is the village - dedicated to promoting reading in our community - that made it happen.
The author; his delightful translator Jennifer Bustamente; the artist; the FOL member, Yolanda Espinoza, who introduced us to Diego's Dragon; the volunteers - Spanish-speaking and not; the librarians; our Program directors and Board members who planned and executed the program.... this is the village - dedicated to promoting reading in our community - that made it happen.