Dads can teach us many things–from how to make a pizza to how to read! Readers follow along as a relatable narrator experiences the learning opportunities around every corner when they spend time with their dad. This engaging fictional story is told through accessible text that readers can explore on their own or with the help of an adult. Colorful illustrations are closely aligned to the text to help develop strong reading comprehension skills. These illustrations also keep readers entertained with each turn of the page.

When we spend time with our siblings, playtime can also be a time to learn. Young readers follow along as a relatable narrator discovers the things they can learn from their brother and sister. From playing music to building a blanket fort, these fun and familiar experiences are presented through an engaging fictional narrative that can be read independently by early learners or read aloud to them. Colorful illustrations guide readers through the story, helping them build strong reading comprehension skills in an entertaining way.

Going to school is a new experience many early readers can relate to. Through this charming fictional narrative, readers discover some of the important things they can learn from their teacher. As they experience a day in Miss Diaz's classroom, they meet a relatable narrator who shows them how much fun learning at school can be. The simple text is presented in a way that allows early learners to read on their own or with help from an adult. Colorful illustrations are closely aligned to the text to help develop reading comprehension skills and keep readers engaged throughout the story.

Our mom is often one of our first teachers. Readers discover some of the fun things kids can learn from their moms, including how to count, tie shoes, and play baseball. These lessons are shown through a relatable fictional narrative and bright illustrations. The close relationship between the pictures and text aids in the development of strong reading comprehension skills. Readers can explore the accessible text on their own, or they can follow along as this charming story is read to them. Early learners will find it's fun to learn from mom. She might even teach you silly dances!

Friends can be teachers, too! Readers discover this by following along as a relatable narrator learns important things from friends, including how to share and how to play a new game. The age-appropriate text makes it possible for early learners to read this delightful story on their own. It can also be read to them to develop an early love for reading. The close relationship between the text and the bright illustrations helps young readers develop comprehension skills. The illustrations also enhance the narrative in a way that's sure to charm even the most reluctant readers.

The increasing diversity of the U.S. Latino population has given rise to a growing population of “mixed” Latinos. This is a study of such individuals raised in Chicago, Illinois who have one Mexican parent and one Puerto Rican parent, most of whom call themselves “MexiRicans.” Given that these two varieties of Spanish exhibit highly salient differences, these speakers can be said to experience intrafamilial dialect contact. The book first explores the lexicon, discourse marker use, and phonological features among two generations of over 70 MexiRican speakers, finding several connections to parental dialect, neighborhood demographics, and family dynamics. Drawing from critical mixed race theory, it then examines MexiRicans’ narratives about their ethnic identity, including the role of Spanish features in the ways in which they are accepted or challenged by monoethnic, monodialectal Mexicans and Puerto Ricans both in Chicago and abroad. These findings contribute to our understandings of dialect contact, U.S. Spanish, and the role of language in ethnic identity.

If educational reform is to succeed, it must attend to the perspectives of students--those most directly affected by schooling but least often consulted about its efficacy. This is the premise of the first book both to feature student perspectives on school and to foreground student voices; middle and high school students are the primary authors of the eight chapters collected in this volume aptly titled In Our Own Words. Reflecting differences of gender, racial, and ethnic background, and school context, the student authors write passionately and eloquently about their experiences of and desires for school. Through their explorations of topics as diverse as bilingual education, class cutting, teacher bias, race relations in school, what girls need from their education, and innovative curricular models, these student authors not only counter stereotypes of apathetic teenagers but also clearly identify what hinders and what supports their learning. For both the insights offered and the freshness of the students' voices, this collection is a must read for anyone who has a stake in making school a place where students can and want to learn.