This is an enjoyable, light hearted chapter book about moving, exploring and experiencing a new culture, and friendship. It woild be appropriate for classroom use and for young readers.

Great addition to our school library - lovely story with engaging illustrations. This book has broad appeal to both ELL students and realistic fiction fans. Highly recommend!

I asked for a preview copy of AT HOME IN A FARAWAY PLACE by Lynne Rae Perkins because I had SO enjoyed her very creative (and award-winning) book for children titled Criss Cross. This time, she is telling the story of Lissie who travels with her father and grandmother to Guatemala to visit her father's friends. Perkins charmingly presents tales of their adventures while introducing roughly 100 Spanish words and phrases often illustrated, spelled phonetically, and listed together in a five-page glossary. Lissie experiences a new environment (living in sight of volcanos - los volcáns), new foods (like las empanadas), and familiar games (Simon says ... Simón dice), even spending part of a tarde (afternoon) playing with a pelota (ball). I have been learning Spanish for about eighteen months and enjoyed reading as I came across both familiar and new vocabulary. This is a very sweet friendship tale filled with playful black and white drawings and Perkins says, "I love hearing stories about a life in some ways quite unlike my own, but in other ways, important ways, very much the same." I concur; AT HOME IN A FARAWAY PLACE is a wonderful introduction to the language and the concept of how we are different and yet so similar, a truly significant idea to share with children.

Similar authors to Lynne Rae Perkins that students may have already discovered include Rebecca Stead (Goodbye Stranger) or Jordan Sonnenblick (Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie) or Wendy Mass (A Mango-Shaped Space) or Jerry Spinelli (Stargirl) or even some works by Carl Hiaasen (Hoot or Flush). Age-specific state awards (like Rebecca Caudill in Illinois) list numerous quality titles each year; another wonderful resource – covering multiple states and ages and compiled by Cynthia Leitich Smith – is provided here:

https://cynthialeitichsmith.com/lit-resources/read/awards/stateawards/

"At Home in a Faraway Place" is a wonderful novel for not only middle=aged readers, but for adults also. Lynne Rae Perkins has created a beautiful book about a young daughter, a grandmother, and father traveling to Guatemala to meet one of the father's long time friends. On their flight, Lissie expresses concerns about knowing Spanish and her dad assures her that she will learn plenty of Spanish on their two week vacation. Lissie not only learns Spanish, but she learns about different ways to communicate, playing Simon Says with new friends, remembering the eyes of a fox by her house, and sitting next to a stranger on a bench. Throughout the novel, we see the families share meals, travels, and laughter, and recognize the importance of reaching out to others with kindness as we travel. The illustrations are a delight and the vocabulary lessons are beneficial and fun for anyone of any age. This is a book for people of any age who want to enjoy a glimpse into a vacation to Guatemala and refresh/learn Spanish. Highly recommend for all school libraries and for readers of any age, even though the book is geared for more 8-12 year olds.

This is a very nice juvenile fiction for early readers. I really like the bilingual aspects very much. Explaining the words for non-Spanish speakers to better understand the main character and story. The illustrations are also really nice for juvenile fiction.

I enjoyed the story of Lissie on her journey to learn more about her heritage. There are bits of Spanish throughout the book. My child would have enjoyed more illustrations.