i LuV yOu

Today during Kindergarten, we read the book Nacho & Lolita by Pam Munoz Ryan.  This is a love story about Nacho, a rare but beautiful bird and Lolita, a small swallow.  Nacho meets Lolita when she migrates to the town he is currently living in.  He is by himself most of the time, as he is one of a kind and he is too big to fly very far.  He is thrilled when he sees new birds arriving.  Nacho's heart is warmed by Lolita and he spends the summer helping her build a nest and raising her chicks.  When summer ends, Lolita must travel to South America with her flock, leaving Nacho behind.  He tries to convince her to stay, but she tells him that it is too cold during the winter, and now she may never return since the river in the town is drying up.  Nacho tries to follow the swallows, but falls into the ocean and has to stay behind.  He finds that if he plucks his beautiful feathers and plants them in the ground, flowers, trees and even a river appears.  The town is beautiful and full of life as he awaits Lolita's return...  will she return?  Ask your Kindergartener!  (Would I read a tragic love story on Valentine's Day??)

After we read the book, we did a little craft project. We each traced our hand on construction paper and cut them out.  Then we folded the fingers down so the hand was making the sign for "I love you".  We attached a heart with a love note, to be delivered to someone special this afternoon.