La cosa más bella (The Most Beautiful Thing)

  • Interest Level: Kindergarten - Grade 3
  • Reading Level: Grade 2

Una historia real, cargada de amor y ternura, de una niña que encuentra la belleza donde nunca lo imaginó.

Sacado de la experiencia de la autora Kao Kalia Yang durante su niñez como refugiada Hmong, este conmovedor libro ilustrado presenta una familia que tiene poco dinero pero mucho amor para dar. Al entrecruzar la historia de Kalia con la de su adorada abuela, el libro pasa de las selvas de Laos a los primeros años de la familia en los Estados Unidos.

Cuando Kalia se siente triste por tener que prescindir de cosas esenciales y desea ponerse ortodoncias para mejorar su sonrisa, es su abuela (una mujer que solo tenía un diente en su boca) quien la ayuda a ver que la verdadera belleza se encuentra junto a quienes más amamos. Las magníficas ilustraciones de la ilustradora vietnamita Khoa Le dan vida a este cuento intergeneracional.

“Una reflexión profunda y conmovedora sobre la superación de adversidad y el amor generacional. . . . “Relato emotivo con imágenes maravillosas”.—excelente, Kirkus Reviews

“Una narración sincera que se centra en el poder del amor familiar”.—excelente, School Library Journal

Finalista del Premio de Literatura de Minnesota, Libro Infantil Destacado de la Asociación Americana de Libros, Mejor Libro Infantil de la Biblioteca Pública de Nueva York, Mejor Libro del Año de NPR

A warmhearted and tender true story about a young girl finding beauty where she never thought to look, now in Spanish.

Drawn from author Kao Kalia Yang’s childhood experiences as a Hmong refugee, this moving picture book portrays a family with a great deal of love and little money. Weaving together Kalia’s story with that of her beloved grandmother, the book moves from the jungles of Laos to the family’s early years in the United States.

When Kalia becomes unhappy about having to do without and decides she wants braces to improve her smile, it is her grandmother—a woman who has just one tooth in her mouth—who helps her see that true beauty is found with those we love most. Stunning illustrations from Vietnamese illustrator Khoa Le bring this intergenerational tale to life.

“A deep and moving reflection on enduring hardship and generational love. . . . Poignant storytelling with stunning visuals.”—starred, Kirkus Reviews

“A sincere narrative that centers on the power of family love.”—starred, School Library Journal

Minnesota Book Award Finalist, ALA Notable Children’s Book, New York Public Library Best Book for Kids, NPR Best Book of the Year

Format Your Price Add
978-1-7284-4893-0
$17.99
978-1-7284-4922-7
$22.99
Available at all major wholesalers and distributors. Save 25% off list price on hardcovers and ebooks when you buy direct! Digital purchases will be accessed on Lerner Digital Bookshelf. An account will be created for you after purchase.
Interest Level Kindergarten - Grade 3
Reading Level Grade 2
Genre Picture Books, Social Studies
Category 5 Kinds of Nonfiction, 5KN: Narrative Nonfiction, Diverse Books: Immigration & Refugees, Diverse Books: #OwnVoices, Diverse Books: Race & Ethnicity, Diversity, SEL: A Self-Awareness, SEL: B Self-Management, SEL: C Social Awareness, SEL: D Relationship Skills, SEL: E Responsible Decision-Making, Social Emotional Learning, Spanish-Language
Copyright 2021
Publisher Lerner Publishing Group
Imprint Carolrhoda Books ®
Language Spanish
Number of Pages 40
Publication Date 2021-08-01
Text Type Narrative Nonfiction
BISACS JNF007050, JNF019030, JNF018020
Dewey 305.8959/72073
Dimensions 8.5 x 10.375
Lexile 840
Features Author/Illustrator biography, Original artwork, Teaching Guides, and eSource

Author: Kao Kalia Yang

Kao Kalia Yang is a Hmong American writer, teacher and public speaker. Born in the refugee camps of Thailand to a family that escaped the genocide of the Secret War in Laos, she came to America at the age six. Yang holds degrees from Carleton College and Columbia University. Her work has won numerous awards and recognition including multiple Minnesota Book Awards, a Charlotte Zolotow Honor, an ALA Notable Children’s Book Award, the 2023 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature, Dayton’s Literary Peace Prize, and a PEN USA Award in Nonfiction.

Illustrator: Khoa Le

Khoa Le has illustrated picture books published in a number of different countries, including the 2020 Sydney Taylor Honor book Miriam at the River. She is also an author, a graphic designer, and a painter. Khoa has a passion for travel, an eagerness to learn about different cultures, and a desire to discover the beauty of the world. Her inner moth makes her attracted to any source of light, but her dream is to one day see the northern lights. She lives in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam, with her five cats.

Lerner eSource™ offers free digital teaching and learning resources, including Common Core State Standards (CCSS) teaching guides. These guides, created by classroom teachers, offer short lessons and writing exercises that give students specific instruction and practice using Common Core skills and strategies. Lerner eSource also provides additional resources including online activities, downloadable/printable graphic organizers, and additional educational materials that would also support Common Core instruction. Download, share, pin, print, and save as many of these free resources as you like!

La cosa más bella (The Most Beautiful Thing)

Una historia real, cargada de amor y ternura, de una niña que encuentra la belleza donde nunca lo imaginó. Sacado de la experiencia de la autora Kao Kalia Yang durante su niñez como refugiada Hmong, este conmovedor libro ilustrado presenta una familia que tiene… View available downloads →