JUDY NEWMAN at Scholastic
  • Life of a Reader
  • Book Boys
  • Book Talks
  • Behind The Scenes
  • Cooked Up From A Book
  • SRC
  • Life of a Reader
  • Book Boys
  • Book Talks
  • Behind The Scenes
  • Cooked Up From A Book
  • SRC
To add your reviews or comment, sign in using your social account.
Life of a Reader

An Ear for Language

by Judy Newman with Alexie Basil

W01-01-LOAR-apr17-header-1030x580

While I love the English language, there’s always been something about other languages that I find intriguing.

 

In New York City, I have plenty of opportunities to listen in on people having conversations in other languages. Even though I can’t understand what they’re saying (which relieves some of my guilt about eavesdropping), I love listening to the unique rhythms, inflections, and timbres.

 

When I was in seventh grade, we hosted a French foreign exchange student named Sophie who lived with us for one month during the summer. I was so impressed by her ability to speak English, and it made me wish I could speak a second language too. But I was definitely self-conscious about my American accent.

I’ve had the incredibly good fortune of traveling to many places over the years. In the process, I have been exposed to numerous languages. Sometimes, when I’m in a non-English-speaking country, I become hyperaware of the fact that I am the one who is speaking a foreign language with my family and I wonder how we sound to non-English speakers.

file How did it sound to the locals when my family and I chatted about our trip?

One of my favorite things about traveling is discovering words that don’t exist in English (but should, in my opinion). Like l’esprit de l’escalier in France, which is definitely relatable.

file

Greng-jai in Thailand.

file

Fremdschämen in Germany, which explains how I feel when watching awful American Idol auditions.

file

Boketto in Japan.

file

Or estrenar in Spain, which reminds me of my experience during our weekly Life of a Reader photo shoots.

file

I would love to use these phrases (and more!) in my daily life, but I have a feeling I’d be met with many confused looks and would then be required to provide more of an explanation than if I just described what I was talking about in English to begin with. But I don’t think it’ll always be that way.

 

We live in such a multicultural world that’s getting more and more interconnected by the day. Over time, I bet we will become even more familiar with words in other languages and will start to understand each other better—and appreciate the colorful sentiments that new words add to our language.

 

This is one of the reasons I was really captivated by Lola Levine from this week’s Dollar Deal book, Lola Levine Is Not Mean! by Monica Brown, illustrated Angela Dominguez. Lola’s father is Jewish and her mother is Peruvian, so she has picked up Yiddish and Spanish vocabulary, like shalom and diario, which she naturally incorporates into her daily life.

file

What People Are Saying

“Brown introduces a smart, young protagonist with a multicultural background in this series opener for chapter-book readers. Celebrate a truly accepting multicultural character.” ―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Lola is a great example of how embracing aspects of different cultures can make us stronger. And the book overall is a fantastic celebration of a young girl who is proud of all the parts that make up her background because they define who she is.

 

Lola Levine Is Not Mean! is the first installment in the Lola Levine series. Lola’s problems start when one day, while playing soccer at school, she accidentally hurts a classmate. The accident prompts everybody to call her “Mean Lola Levine.” The story follows Lola as she tries to fix her reputation and survive second grade.

 

After reading Lola Levine Is Not Mean!, my friend and colleague David Vozar was reminded of the emotional roller coaster he experienced while watching his daughter play soccer.

“On Wednesday nights, I would take my daughter to the PAL fields in Hightstown, New Jersey, and watch her and her elementary school friends compete. I was not one of those dads who needed to see his daughter win, but it was a very emotional experience for me nevertheless. I just did not want her to be involved in a play that would upset her afterward. Every time the ball would come to her, my heart would stop. I felt that I was living every play. When the ball was kicked away from her position, I could relax again.”

file Illustrated by David Vozar.

In the spirit of celebrating cultures and languages everywhere, I’m proud to share that we are also offering a Spanish edition of the book for $1: Lola Levine ¡no es mala!

file

The blog team has prepared lots of fun ways for you to share Lola Levine Is Not Mean! with your class this week. Second grade teacher Taquisia Jones expresses how she uses Lola Levine as a role model in Book Talks. Monica Brown and Angela Dominguez offer a Behind the Scenes look into their creative process. The Book Boys debate: Is Lola mean? And in Cooked Up from a Book, we present a creative classroom activity on writing convincing notes like Lola.

 

We hope you and your students enjoy Lola Levine Is Not Mean! and that it inspires you to think of the many wonderful ways our cultures intersect and make us who we are.

 

XX,
Judy

This Book Is Available from Scholastic Book Clubs    

Frederick-mar18-170x140

Lola Levine Is Not Mean!

by Monica Brown, illustrated by Angela Dominguez

Grades 2–3 | Ages 7–9

SEE DETAILS

LOLA-sp-apr18-170x140

Lola Levine ¡no es mala!

por Monica Brown, ilustrado por Angela Dominguez  

Grados 2–3 | Edades 7–9

SEE DETAILS

Angela Dominguez,Chapter Books,Lola Levine Is Not Mean,Memoirs,Monica Brown
related posts

Life of a Reader

  • Let’s Taco About Dragons

  • Dear Teachers,

  • Birds of a Feather Read Together

  • Let’s Taco About Dragons

  • Dear Teachers,

  • Birds of a Feather Read Together

See More
  • Life of a Reader
  • Book Boys
  • Book Talks
  • Behind The Scenes
  • Cooked Up From A Book
  • SRC
SIGN IN

A Note from Judy

Dragons are huge fans of tacos—as long as they don’t have one secret, spicy ingredient! The Book of the Week is the laugh-out-loud, fun-to-read-together picture book Dragons Love Tacos, written by Adam Rubin and illustrated by Daniel Salmieri!

Dance to an original song with the Book Boys; discover the many ways that one first grade teacher uses Dragons Love Tacos with her students in Book Talks; read an exclusive interview with Adam Rubin in Behind the Scenes; and download a free printable “Dragons Love My Tacos!” recipe activity in Cooked Up from a Book that also helps students practice sequencing.

We hope that your younger readers have a blast with Dragons Love Tacos—and remember: no salsa!

Judy Newman

President and Reader in Chief
Scholastic Book Clubs

Book of the Week

Dragons Love Tacos

by Adam Rubin, illustrated
by Daniel Salmieri
_______________________


To order the Book of the Week, you must be a Scholastic Book Clubs teacher, or the parent/guardian of a student in the classroom of a Scholastic Book Clubs teacher (sign up at scholastic.com/bookclubs).

 

Don’t Miss the Book of the Week! Get a Free Newsletter

Don’t Miss the Book of the Week! Get a Free Newsletter

Thank you for subscribing
  • SCHOLASTIC BOOK CLUBS
  • CONTACT US
  • Follow Us:
PRIVACY POLICY - Terms Of Use - TM � & � 2019 Scholastic Inc. All Rights Reserved.
back to top