Sandra Cavazos-Ayala was the principal at Kazen Elementary from 2000 to 2005. As a way to jumpstart National Library Week, she returned to the campus as a new author of a bilingual/bicultural book to read to a group of excited second graders.
The book - “How Isabella Loves Her Mommy!” - “¡Así es como Isabella ama a su mamá!” - hooked the packed room of second graders in the school’s library.
Cavazos-Ayala, a retired educator and former executive director of the children’s museum The Imaginarium, said she started working on the book about a year ago.
“I’ve always been an advocate of early literacy and I’ve always loved children,” she said before her reading. “I was an administrator and retired in 2011 after 35 years in the business of education.”
“We understand our children love us unconditionally and we love our children unconditionally,” she said. “My idea was to have this strong parent-child relationship … Isabella tries to show her mommy love, affection, respect and appreciation.” But the overall message is to not only show love to the mommy but to everybody, family, caregivers and anybody that helps.
The first example of how Isabella loves her mommy is how she gets dressed by herself in the morning. After she finishes her bean and cheese tacos, she puts her plate in the sink.
Cavazos-Ayala asked the children if they liked bean and cheese tacos, and dozens of hands shot up in the air. When the author asked children if they helped their moms like Isabella, one little girl proudly said she put her plates away, too.
The book, illustrated by Cindy Elizabeth Sherwood, also includes key words for students and three activities - oral, writing and art - and asks students how they show their moms they love them. Cavazos-Ayala noted that the book is soothing with soft pastels used in the illustrations that are calming and relaxing.
The book draws from both cultures here on the border. For example, Isabella enjoys a tasty fideo soup and her mom packs chicken flautas for lunch.
Isabella also shows her mommy appreciation by having a conversation with her after school and giving her a hug.
Children’s literacy is close to Cavazos-Ayala’s heart. “That is my background, a reading specialist.” The book is for kindergarten through third grade students.
She marveled that she might have been reading to children of the children who attended Kazen when she was a principal. After the reading, some students received autographed books.. Cavazos-Ayala read to the students on April 2.
Ana Solis, a 2nd grade teacher whose students enjoyed the reading, said the presentation was a great idea.
“They need to be exposed to different situations and different ways of reading … to different scenarios from people and authors in this case. This is a wonderful idea to come to visit the schools,” she said.
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