"Mango calls to me even before we open his cage. He says when I open the door 'Good afternoon, Abuela. Mango and I practice new words every day"

Content Area Connections:

Language Arts: Describe the relationship between Mia and Abuela and explain how it changes throughout the story. Use dialogue and illustrations to understand how characters communicate when they speak different languages. Ask and answer questions about key events and challenges the characters experience. Explain how the author shows problem-solving and growth in the story.
Social Studies: How individuals and families are similar and different, family history, demonstrate positive relationships, self identity, building community, diversity within a community, civic responsibility, culture.
Social Emotional Learning (SEL):Recognize how patience and empathy help people communicate across language differences. Consider how caring actions strengthen family relationships. Reflect on how learning about another person’s language or culture builds understanding and connection.
Art: Study how the illustrator shows communication between Mia and Abuela even when they do not share the same language. Identify visual clues such as gestures, facial expressions, and setting details that reveal what the characters are feeling. Create a wordless comic strip that shows two characters communicating or solving a problem without using written language.

Primary Source Connection: 

• Storycorp 
• Primary source set Mexican American migrations and communities 
• Immigration stories

Other Books: 

• Dreamers
• The Arabic Quilt: An Immigrant Story
• My Two Border Towns
• My Papi Has a Motorcycle
• Alma and How She Got Her Name