Book Review: Alma Semilla - Bilingually Yours

It’s time to review another impactful picture book perfect for your next Spanish or bilingual lesson. This week’s book is Alma Semilla by Nohra Bernal and illustrated by Rubén Rodríguez Ferreira. It’s a lovely story that is both timeless and timely.

Continue on for a short review followed by suggestions on how to make the most of Alma Semilla in your Spanish or bilingual classroom.

Note: I was given a copy of this book in return for an honest review. The following post contains affiliate links.

Alma Semilla

I mentioned that this story is both timeless and timely and I hold to that assessment. Alma Semilla is a story that could be set in any time period precisely because it is a subtle and beautiful homage to the hardships of migrants and children living and/or raised in conflict—an unfortunate constant in our world.

The book, an International Latino Book Awards honorable mention, gives teachers an age-appropriate window to delve into tough topics like the environment, migration, and political conflict.

The story follows a young migrant girl named Alma who befriends a solitary tree in a desert oasis. While their time together starts off fun, soon the tree gets damaged in a storm and it’s up to Alma to help it not only survive, but thrive for years to come.

How to Use Alma Semilla in the Classroom

Author Nohra Bernal is a seasoned author who makes this story feel poignant, impactful, and kid-friendly—which all make for a book that can be used in the classroom in a myriad of ways.

Math

Counting: Count the rings on a cut tree trunk to determine how old it is.
Sorting: Sort seeds (or beans) by color or size.
Skip Counting: Sort and count seeds or beans into groups of 2s, 5s, or 10s

Science

Environment: Discuss ways we can take care of the environment.
Trees: Discuss how and why trees are vital to the planet.
Life Cycle: Discuss the life cycle of a plant and/or tree. Students can plant a seed and watch it grow.
Living Things: Discuss what living things need to survive.

Social Studies

How We Live: Discuss how some people live in one place and others move from place to place (migrants).
Political Conflict: Discuss how some families/children are affected by natural disasters or political conflicts and brainstorm ways we might help those families.
Geography: Identify the typography of different areas of our planet (i.e., desert, oasis, forest).

Language Arts

Character Traits: What kind of person is Alma? How do you know?
Compare/Contrast: How is Alma’s life similar or different from your own?
Making Connections: How would you have helped the tree?
Reflect: Throughout the story Alma helps the tree, but can you think of ways the tree helps Alma?