Tag: Andes

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Alpacas Here, Alpacas There… so much fun to read and share!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

Alpacas Here, Alpacas There, by Carrie Tillotson/Illustrated by Elisa Chavarri, (Feb. 2025, Beach Lane Books), $18.99, ISBN: 9781665942027

Ages 3-8

This delightful illustrated rhyming book went over very well at storytime yesterday! These adorable big-eyed, lushly lashed animals have their moment in this fun and informative rhyming story loaded with alpaca facts. The story begins with alpacas’ domestication thousands of years ago in the Andes Mountains, when the people living among them used their fleece to keep warm in the cold mountain climate. From there, Tillotson provides a glimpse into alpaca life and behavior, with rhyming text making for an engaging storytime and informative paragraphs on each spread, providing deeper context and more information. Tilloton weaves beautiful imagery with her verse; paired with Chavarri’s charming and textured illustration, engaging moments abound: “While winter brings its crystal shawl, / In summer’s blaze / they laze and sprawl” shows alpacas steadfastly standing on the mountains as the winds whip around them, then enjoying a warm afternoon in a wading pool. Alpacas Here, Alpacas There is a cheerful and enlightening introduction to the smiling and fluffy animals. Endpapers feature a bevy of colorful alpacas across a stark white page. An excellent addition to storytime and picture book collections. Back matter includes an notes from the author and the artist, a glossary, and additional sources. Find some fun coloring pages to hand out after storytime here at Coloring.ws.

Posted in picture books, Preschool Reads

Happy Book Birthday to The Three Little Guinea Pigs and the Andean Fox!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

The Three Little Guinea Pigs and the Andean Fox, by Ana Velez, (Aug. 2024, Page Street Kids), $18.99, ISBN: 9781645678694

Ages 4-8

This spin on the classic tale is set in Andean South America, featuring 3 guinea pigs who have to rebuild after floods destroyed their homes. Like the classic, they each build their home from straw, sticks, and stone, and are suspicious when a fox shows up, exhorting them to come with him. They run from house to house as condors and bears wreak havoc on the sticks and straw, but is Fox really up to no good? The sweet story reaches a delightful conclusion that praises teamwork, friendship, and community. The rhyme scheme makes for a run readaloud, with sound effects in larger, bolder fonts to invite reader participation. Digital illustrations have cultural details, including the endpapers, which feature animals from the story woven into an Andean textile pattern. The story includes words in Spanish and Kichwa (also knows as Quechua), with a glossary in the back matter. Back matter also includes a note on animals of the Andes and a shaved ice recipe. The fox wears a woven scarf and the guines pigs sport hats and sweaters. A very cute addition to storytime collections, and psst… If you need a younger selection to feature and read for Civic Awareness Month, this would be a good choice!

There are some great Andean worksheets and activity sheets on TeachersPayTeachers. I really like this Andean fabric coloring sheet from Tierney Phillips.