Summary
This is a story about a little girl’s family who has moved from the Dominican Republic to the United States. The little girl describes missing where she came from but is excited about living in a new country. The story is told from the perspective of Platanos which is a signature food in the Dominican Republic. We learn how important it is to their culture and how these traditions are brought to the United States.
Theme(s):
family, food, culture
Personal Response
I enjoyed how this story was told from a signature food from the Dominican Republic. We learn from reading how important Platanos are and how they bring that celebration into their new country. I loved how they described what it was like moving countries because this is an important lesson children who have never moved can understand. I loved how they made it seem that the platanos were traveling with them throughout their journey.
Teaching Ideas
One lesson idea I have for this story is to teach about foods from different cultures. Each family has their signature dishes that they make and these look different from culture to culture. I would love to have each student make a presentation about their favorite dish they make at home and to see the variety in these presentations. The student’s cultures would come out in a fun way that all students can learn from.
Recommended Reading Level
Birth-PreK, Grade 01, Grade 02, Grade 03
