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Libros de Historia en Español: Recent
Noteworthy History Books in Spanish for Children and Adolescents
Isabel Schon
California State University, San Marcos
| ENCOURAGING
SPANISH-SPEAKING children and adolescents to read about particular
periods of history is certainly easier with books that they can
read and understand. Reluctant Spanish-speaking readers find it
especially difficult to read about a past time about which they
have no direct knowledge. The following noteworthy recently published
books, however, will encourage Spanish-speaking students to take
a trip to the past as special guests at a medieval castle and a
Spanish galleon, to review visual-news reports about ancient Egypt
and the Aztecs, to marvel at the world's most fascinating archeological
sites, to relive some of the world's most famous battles, and other
important and momentous events in the history of humankind. To assist
the non-Spanish-speaking selector, I have translated each title
into English and indicated a tentative grade level for each book,
but the individual student's Spanish reading ability, interest,
taste, and purpose should be the main criteria for determining the
true level of each book. |
1 |
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For the
Middle Grades
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| Langley, Andrew.
El castillo medieval. (The Medieval Castle) ISBN: 84-8404-030-5. |
2 |
| _____. El galeón
español. (The Spanish Galleon) ISBN: 84-8404-032-1. |
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| Ea.
vol.: 14p. Illus: Mark Bergin and others. (Viajes en el Tiempo)
Barcelona: Grupo Ediciones Beascoa, 1998. $15.95. Gr. 4-6. |
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| Readers
are encouraged to take a trip to the past and participate in history
in these well-designed, cardboard books with plastic overlays, detailed,
color illustrations and a brief, smooth text. Originally published
by Victoria House, London, these titles make the reader feel as
if he/she is a special guest at a medieval castle (in El castillo
medieval) and a doctor on a Spanish galleon (in El galeón
español) as they read about and view the activities,
people, and preparations surrounding life within these confined
quarters. |
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Steedman, Scott. El periódico de Egipto. (The Egyptian
News) Translated by Mercè Diago. ISBN: 84-406-8020-1.
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3 |
| Steele, Philip.
El periódico Azteca. (The Aztec News) Translated by
Laura Paredes. ISBN: 84-406-8015-5. |
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| Ea.
vol.: 32p. Barcelona: Ediciones B, 1998. $20.95. Gr. 6-10. |
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| Originally
published by Walker Books, London, this series highlights the achievements,
major events, important rulers, and various aspects in the daily
life of ancient Egypt and the Aztecs through highly illustrated,
visual-news reports, easy-to-understand texts, chronologies, and
indexes. El periódico de Egipto describes the history
of ancient Egypt from the building of the first pyramid in 2680
B.C. to family life. El periódico Azteca describes
the history of the Aztecs from the settling in Tenochtitlán
in 1325 to the arrival of the Spaniards in 1521. Also in this series:
El periódico de Grecia (The Greek News) and
El periódico de Roma (The Roman News.) |
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For Adolescents
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| Albanese, Maria
Ausilia and others. Esplendores de las civilizaciones perdidas:
Viaje al mundo de la arqueología. (The Grandeur of Lost Civilizations:
Journey to the World of Archeology) Translated by Domingo Santos.
Barcelona: Ediciones Folio, 1998. 352p. ISBN: 84-413-0953-1. $69.95.
Gr. 9-adult. |
4 |
| This
is indeed a spectacular introduction to archeology through 45 of
the world's most fascinating archeological sites. Exquisite color
photographs in double-page spreads, numerous maps, well-done chronologies,
and brief narratives describe amazing sites, among them, Stonehenge,
Knossos, Athens, Pompeii, Luxor, Thebes, Ephesus, Petra, Xi'an,
Teotihuacán, Palenque, Tikal, and others. Originally published
by Edizione White Star, this beautiful large-format publication
will be treasured by artists, world travelers, and historians-to-be. |
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Connolly, Peter and Hazel Dodge. La ciudad
antigua: La vida en la Atenas y Roma clásicas. (The Ancient
City) Translated by Pablo Ripollés and Rosa Cifuentes.
Madrid: Acento Editorial, 1998. 256p. ISBN: 84-483-0329-6. $32.95.
Gr. 8-adult. |
5 |
| Originally
published in English by Oxford University Press, this attractive,
large-format publication presents a wonderful view of the daily
life, monuments, buildings, cities, and art of two classic ancient
cities--Athens and Rome. A comprehensive, yet easy-to-understand
narrative and full-page color photographs, drawings, charts, and
maps on every page present an overview of their religion, theater,
building methods, food, commerce, sports, and others. Admirers of
ancient Greece and Rome will not be disappointed. |
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Las entrañas de la materia: Antología
de relatos científicos. (The Internal Structure of Matter:
Anthology of Scientific Accounts) Edited by Carlos Chimal. Mexico:
Alfaguara, 1998. 251p. ISBN: 968-19-0486-9. pap. $9.95. Gr. 9-12. |
6 |
| The
purpose of this collection of 27 scientific accounts is to offer
a coherent panorama of physics from Galileo's new science (1638)
to 1979 Physics Nobel Prize winner Steven Weinberg's structure of
the universe. Science enthusiasts will find overviews about the
development, research, and discoveries of some of the world's best
physicists such as Isaac Newton, James Maxwell, Johannes Kepler,
Marie S. Curie, Max Planck, Albert Einstein, and others. |
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Germaine, Christine and others. Marco
Polo y su época. (Marco Polo and His Times) ISBN: 84-207-8239-4. |
7 |
| Ruggieri, Éve
and Daniel Malissen. Beethoven y su época. (Beethoven
and His Times) ISBN: 84-207-8947-X. |
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| Ea.
vol.: 96p. Translated by María Durante. (Revista de la Historia)
Madrid: Anaya, 1998. $22.95. Gr. 8-12. |
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| Marco
Polo and Beethoven are definitely brought to life in these new titles
of this remarkable visual historical series, originally published
by Editions Mango, Paris. Especially appealing to reluctant readers
of history, who will appreciate the brief, direct texts, modernistic
design, numerous photographs and drawings on every page that tell
about Marco Polo and his travels in Asia and Ludwig van Beethoven's
influence in Europe since the 1800s. |
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Longhena, Maria. México antiguo:
Historia y cultura de los mayas, aztecas y otros pueblos precolombinos.
(Ancient Mexico: History and Culture of the Maya, Aztec and other
Pre-Columbian People) Barcelona: Ediciones Folio, 1998. 292p.
ISBN: 84-413-0903-5. $69.95. Gr. 9-adult. |
8 |
| This
exquisite, luxurious, large-format publication will especially appeal
to serious students of pre-Columbian cultures or to art connoisseurs
as they follow the architectural complexes, sculptures, ceramics,
jewels, codices, and other treasures of the Zapotecs, Maya, Aztecs,
Toltecs, as well as other lesser-known cultures. Earnest readers
will be interested in the well-written narrative about the history
of the people from Mesoamerica from the early vestiges of the Olmec
civilization up to the arrival of the Spaniards; browsers will be
captivated by the exquisite design and full-page color photographs,
maps, and drawings that capture the beauty and majesty of these
civilizations. |
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Macdonald, John. Grandes batallas del
mundo. (Great Battlefields of the World) Barcelona: Ediciones
Folio, 1997. 200p. ISBN: 84-7583-173-7. $39.95. Gr. 9-adult. |
9 |
| Thirty
of the world's most famous battles have been recreated through excellent
computer-generated, three-dimensional maps, charts, drawings, informative
sidebars about the generals and leaders, and a thought-provoking
narrative. From the battle at Cannae in southeastern Italy where
Carthaginians under Hannibal defeated the Romans in 216 B.C., to
Austerlitz where Napoleon in 1805 defeated the Russian and Austrian
armies, to Gettysburg (1863), to El Alamein (1942), to Iwo Jima
(1945) up to Dien Bien Phu, where Vietminh defeated the French in
1954, this large-format book will especially appeal to serious students
of history, who will be fascinated by the drama of these battles
and by their effects on the history of humankind. |
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Siliotti, Alberto. El descubrimiento
del antiguo Egipto. (The Discovery of Ancient Egypt) Translated
by Domingo Santos. Barcelona: Ediciones Folio, 1998. 367p. ISBN:
84-413-0954-X. $59.95. Gr. 9-adult. |
10 |
| Detailed
full-color, double-page illustrations--drawings, maps, lithographs
and excellent reproductions--on every page from some of the world's
best known works on ancient Egypt from Greek historian Herodotus
(5th century B.C.) up to the great explorers and scientists
of the nineteenth century such as John Gardner Wilkinson, Richard
Lepsius, Maximiliam in Bayern, and Emile Prisse D'Avennes make this
luxury, large-format publication a most bewitching introduction
to the monuments and culture of ancient Egypt. Egyptologists will
appreciate the thoughtful, well-written narrative by the scholar,
Alberto Siliotti; historians-to-be as well as all readers and viewers
will be captivated by the stunning color period illustrations depicting
the monuments, sculptures, and explorers of Egypt. |
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Siliotti, Alberto. Egipto: Templos, hombres
y dioses. (Egypt: Temples, Men and Gods) Translated by Elena
de Grau. Barcelona: Ediciones Folio, 1995. 290p. ISBN: 84-7583-336-5.
$69.95. Gr. 9-adult. |
11
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| This
luxury large-format publication presents a fascinating trip along
the Nile through exquisite full-page color photographs by some of
the world's most noted photographers. Beginning with a historical
and geographical introduction to Egyptian civilization, Siliotti's
text describes the places, monuments, and art in the land of the
Pharaohs. Originally published by Edizione White Star, this stunning
introduction to ancient Egypt also includes a glossary and an index. |
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On the Web--in
English and "en Español":
Recommended
Books in Spanish for Young Readers
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| For
additional high-quality history books in Spanish for children and
adolescents, please visit the Barahona Center for the Study of Books
in Spanish for Children and Adolescents' Web site, www.csusm.edu/csb/.
Under "Recommended Books" users can query access our searchable
database of commendable books in Spanish for children and adolescents
published around the world. More than 5,500 in print books that
deserve to be read by Spanish-speaking children and adolescents
(or those who wish to learn Spanish) are in the database. These
books have been selected because of their quality of art and writing,
presentation of material, and appeal to the intended audience. To
provide equal access to the Spanish-speaking world, bibliographic
information, grade level, subject headings, and a brief description
of each book are available in both English and Spanish. Weekly updates
of recent titles are provided. |
12 |
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| United
States Dealers of Books in Spanish for Children and Young Adults: |
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| AIMS
International Books, Inc. |
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| 7709
Hamilton Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45231-3103 |
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| (800)733-2067;
(513)521-5590; Fax: (513)521-5592 |
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| www.aimsbooks.com |
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| Lectorum
Publications, Inc. |
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| 111
Eighth Avenue, Suite 804, New York, NY 10011 |
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| (800)345-5946;
(212)929-2833; Fax: (212)727-3035 |
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| www.lectorum.com |
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