“My name is Gerónimo Pérez, / but everybody calls me Bilingual. / I like my name Gerónimo, / but I like Bilingual better.” The boy speaks English and Spanish and loves the ease with which he can flip back and forth between the two, “easy as pie, / so smooth, so cool, so beautiful, suuuuper sweet.” He can taste the words—and dance with them too! He explains the instructions for his grandmother’s medications and translates his grandfather’s stories. He helps his mom and anyone else who needs his assistance, whether on the bus or at school. “Sometimes I feel like I’m a parrot with two tongues: / one for Spanish and the other for English.” Gerónimo is a superhero with bilingual powers! Acclaimed children’s book author Jorge Argueta returns with another compelling story featuring an important theme for all immigrant children: speaking more than one language. With whimsical illustrations by Elizabeth Gómez, this book turns the lore of superheroes on its ear while encouraging kids who are learning multiple languages. Parents and teachers will appreciate both the positivity exemplified by a boy’s endless enthusiasm for his bilingual skills and the reimagining of what it means to be a hero. Click here to watch Jorge Argueta in the APP Authors Speak series talking about his creative process.
