When We Love Someone We Sing To Them by Ernesto Javier Martinez

This bilingual (English/Spanish) book was written by a queer, Latinx author and has beautiful illustrations by Maya Gonzalez (also queer and Latinx). It’s a beautiful story about a boy who – along with his musician father – creates and performs a serenata for the boy he loves.

Activity

Music

Use instruments around the house to make up love songs for each other. Be conscious to use inclusive language and acknowledge that anyone can love another person, regardless of their gender.

If married (or your wedding day is happy memory you would like to share with your child), play the song you danced to at your wedding (or another special song for you). Talk with your child about why you picked the song and what meaning it has for you. When talking about weddings and marriage, please be conscious to use inclusive language. For example, “when two people are in love, they may choose to get married.”

Butterflies

The author describes love as “a feeling of blooming flowers and dancing butterflies” and there are butterflies throughout the book’s illustrations.

The butterfly (Spanish: mariposa) is a symbol of many things, including life, freedom, and the human soul.

Make butterfly suncatchers for your window. (You can either use contact paper or wax paper and a glue stick, with colored tissue paper.)

Make tissue paper butterflies (with or without a mobile).