Several classrooms at Empire and Fritsch Elementary Schools were captivated during Reading Week with virtual presentations by Nicholis Solis, an esteemed elementary school teacher and author of the latest children’s book, “My Town Mi Pueblo” (2022). The Carson City students were able to interact via Zoom during various presentations.
As part of the events, all students who participated received complimentary copies of the book and were able to take turns reading in both English and Spanish. School Board Trustee Lupe Ramirez was also in attendance.
“My Town Mi Pueblo” is a bilingual picture book where cousins from opposite sides of the border visit each other’s towns and delight in their similarities and differences. The book bridges cultures and languages through literature. English text narrates the U.S. (female) cousin’s point of view, and Spanish text narrates the Mexican (male) cousin’s.
“My entire family is fluent, but speaking Spanish when I was younger was a hindrance rather than a help,” Solis said. “I don't want any kid to feel that way, so while I'm not super fluent, I worked hard to make sure this story was bilingual because I wanted my own students to feel included and wanted the book to reach as wide an audience as possible.”
With more than 24-year experience teaching, Solis told the students ‘it’s never too late to learn’ when mentioning he wants to go back to school to take art classes so he can create his own illustrations for his books in the future.
“Mr. Solis shared his experiences of teaching in various countries to emphasize the value of cultural diversity and expressed the importance of embracing one’s native language,” said Kristy Wertz, first-grade ESL teacher at Fritsch Elementary School. “He also explained where his ideas for writing books comes from and that having a growth mindset encourages everyone to be lifelong learns.”
Solis is also the author of “The Staring Contest” (2020) and “The Color Collector” (2021).
About Nicholis Solis:
Nicholis Solis is a dedicated elementary school teacher and children’s book author passionate about promoting bilingual literacy and multicultural understanding through storytelling. With years of experience in the classroom, Solis brings a unique perspective to his writings, aiming to inspire and educate young minds about the world’s diverse cultures and languages.