The Spanish language has a rich and vibrant history, spanning centuries and continents. It has endured a tumultuous history, including attempts to silence its use and erase its past. Despite these dark moments, the Spanish language has triumphed and emerged as a global language with a rich and vibrant heritage.
And so, inspired by the Spanish language, one KidLit storyteller is teaching kids to celebrate their cultural identity and build a lifelong appreciation for diverse cultures to help kids enhance their confidence, strengthen their connection to their ancestors, and create a bridge between generations.
Award-Winning Artist and Children’s Author, John Parra, joins our John Masiulionis and Little Forrest for Episode #179 of PR From The Heart’s Children’s Books Spotlight Series to share the release of his newly-illustrated book, Spanish is the Language of My Family (written by Michael Genhart, published by Neal Porter Books/Holiday House Publishing, Inc.), the struggles faced by Spanish-speaking individuals in the past, the importance of celebrating and appreciating the precious heritage of the Spanish language, how books and stories can connect families and multiple generations, the benefits of learning another language, how to guide our children to find their soul signature, his feelings on helping to bring Fernando Valenzuela’s phenomenal journey to life through the pages of ¡Viva Valenzuela! (releasing in Spring 2026), plus much more.
We encourage you, our fellow neighbors, to support John by grabbing your copies of Spanish Is the Language of My Family and enjoying this empowering read with your little ones: https://bit.ly/3ZENQjq.
Spanish is the Language of My Family Text copyright © 2023 by Michael Genhart • Illustrations copyright © 2023 by John Parra. Courtesy of Neal Porter Books/Holiday House Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
PR From The Heart has grown and evolved over the years alongside John, so we invite you to enjoy his five previous trolley stops on The Children’s Books Spotlight Series, where he talks about several of his other award-winning books:
Episode #2 (Hey Wall: A Story of Art and Community): https://bit.ly/3znZlk
Episode #27 (One Is a Pinata: A Book of Numbers): https://bit.ly/3906wUZ
Episode #49 (Little Libraries, Big Heroes): https://bit.ly/3znGkhO
Episode #68 (The Power of Her Pen: The Story of Groundbreaking Journalist Ethel L. Payne): https://bit.ly/3zvEPy2
Episode #150 (Growing an Artist: The Story of a Landscaper and His Son): https://bit.ly/3rAwWFM
Stay connected with John online and on social media:
Official Website: https://bit.ly/3xqh1K
Facebook: https://bit.ly/3xhxSyd
Instagram: https://bit.ly/3Q9ny3V
Twitter: https://bit.ly/3x8BAKi
Children’s Books Spotlight Series Episode #179: John Parra (Illustrator) | Spanish Is The Language Of My Family
