What we're thankful for this holiday...

This Thanksgiving as we reflect and look back at 2020 despite its many challenges, we give thanks for our many blessings. We began the year with high expectations, never realizing what lay ahead. Our agenda filled quickly with school visits and conferences as we enthusiastically debuted the twin books: ¡Todos a comer! A Mexican Food Alphabet Book and ¡Todos a celebrar! A Hispanic Customs & Traditions Alphabet Book. 

 We received invitations to present at Rio Grande City CISD Parental Involvement Department headed by Mrs. Norma McKee and at a La Union Elementary parent meeting from Mrs. Linda Chapa, librarian. We also helped unveil their Lil’ Library.

School Visit - Dr. Ma. Alma G. Perez    

We also attended the Rio Grande Valley Texas Association of Bilingual Education Conference (RGVTABE) where once again we met many committed and enthusiastic teachers of bilingual education and who also support our work and our mission. In addition, we attended the Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education (TACHE) in Houston for the first time, and we were pleasantly surprised with their reception of our books. It was all shaping up to be a very good year. Who was ever to think otherwise?

            2020 RGVTABE Bilingual Conference - Del Alma Publications  2020 TACHE Conference - Del Alma Publications

We were delighted to meet Mrs. Gerónima Garza, a former teacher of bilingual education from Cotulla ISD, who after submitting a manuscript to us, signed a contract with Del Alma Publications for her bilingual picture book to be titled “A Glove for a Lady” projected to be released in 2021. We also contracted Mr. Noé Garza, also a teacher of bilingual education and artist from San Antonio, to do the artwork for Mrs. Garza’s book.

Authors - Geronima Garza & Dr. Ma. Alma Gonzalez Perez    Artist Ilustrator Noe Garza

Most especially, we looked forward with great anticipation to the launch of our third book in our series of children’s bilingual alphabet books: ¡Todos al rodeo! A Vaquero Alphabet Book. Nevertheless, as the pandemic struck, we placed our plans on hold indefinitely, although we continued revising and fine tuning the book. Finally, we could not delay the book launch any longer, so we held a virtual launch in September in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. Once again, the book was well received with many pre-launch orders, school, and library orders.

Todos al rodeo! A Vaquero Alphabet Book  Todos al rodeo - Virtual Book Launch

We greatly appreciate ZCISD’s Department of Compensatory Education under Mrs. Suzette Barrera and the Department of Bilingual Education under Mrs. Rebeca Flores for continuing to be our partners in “Meeting the Biliteracy Challenges of our Hispanic Learner.”  We also thank Mrs. Laura Barrera, principal of Rio Grande City CISD Roque Guerra Elementary, for their school order as well.

 We continue to work on our future projects, and if all goes well, we will have several more books this coming year. Titles, topics, and authors will be announced as the books reach completion stage. Please continue to visit www.delalmapublications.com and signup for our newsletter to be the first to learn about upcoming books, news and information as well as for downloading our supplementary material available free of charge for our books. If you have bought our books for your children, grandchildren, or as gifts for the children in your life, please kindly leave a review, and tag us in your photos (#delalmapublications), so that we can acknowledge you on our blog and social media channels.

To one and all – thank you very much for your support of our work and our mission! Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving! We look forward to continue providing you our best in children’s bilingual books.