Multicultural Book Talk
By: Audrey Boring
Sundays on Fourth Street
Los dominos en la calle Cuatro
Book Introduction
Illustrated by / Ilustraciones de Elaine Jerome
Sundays on Fourth Street is a bilingual picture book for young children, with both english and spanish text. It is a story that shares the memories of a family's time spent on Fourth street with cousins, aunts, uncles and parents.
This book has not received or been nominated for any awards at this time.
Meet the Author: Amy Castales
Meet the Illustrator: Elaine Jerome
Cultural Accuracy
The narrator's cousin, Edgar, is dreaming of birthday party activities when he finds a piñata at the grocery store. Piñatas are used in the Mexican culture during times of special celebration. Since Edgar is found dreaming about piñatas, the audience knows that the children don’t get them very often. This situation clues the audience in on the economic status of the characters and we see the adults’ caution with their recreational spending.
Cultural Details
The narrater is on Fourth Street with her extended family, when they encounter folk dancers on the plaza. The whole family is silent while they watch the beautiful dancers in their colorful outfits. The clothing and mariachi style music is customary to the mexican culture.
Unique Language
When the family was eating tacos on Fourth Street, the narrator announced that she shared her horchata and chair with her cousin Pepe. The word horchata is a traditional mexican drink made of ground almonds, sesame seeds, rice, barley, or tigernuts.
Español Voice Thread
English Voice Thread
Classroom Teaching Application
Common Core ELA Standard: 3.RL.1
Reading: Literature
Key Ideas and Details
1. Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as a basis for the answers.
Objective: The students will be able to correctly identify activities from the story that the narrator did with her family, while on Fourth Street.
Common Core ELA Standard: 3.RL.6
Reading: Literature
Craft and Structure
6. Distinguish their own point of view from that of the narrator or those of the characters.
Objective: The students will determine how the narrator felt about spending time with her family on Fourth Street.
Classroom Application Explanation
I would create an example picture book to model my expectations for my students.
APA Citation
Costales, A., and Elaine Jerome. Sundays on Fourth Street. Houston, Tex.: Piñata Books, 2009. Print.