My Big Sister

Mi hermana mayor

By / Por Samuel Caraballo

My Big Sister

By / Por Samuel Caraballo

Publication of My Big Sister is funded by a grant from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance. We are grateful for their support.

Esta edicin de Mi hermana mayor ha sido subvencionada por una beca de la Ciudad de Houston por medio del Houston Arts Alliance. Les agradecemos su apoyo. Piata Books are full of surprises! Piata Books estn llenos de sorpresas! Piata Books An Imprint of Arte Pblico Press University of Houston 4902 Gulf Fwy, Bldg 19, Rm 100 Houston, Texas 77204-2004

The paper used in this publication meets the requirements of the American National Standard for Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials Z39.48-1984. Text Copyright 2012 by Samuel Caraballo Illustrations Copyright 2012 by Thelma Muraida

Caraballo, Samuel. My Big Sister / by Samuel Caraballo; illustrations by Thelma Muraida = Mi hermana mayor / por Samuel Caraballo; ilustraciones de Thelma Muraida. p.cm. Summary: Before and after school, Anita takes wonderful care of her little brother while their parents work in a factory, sewing jeans. ISBN 978-1-55885-750-6 (alk. paper) [1. Brothers and sistersFiction.2. Hispanic AmericansFiction.3. Spanish language materialsBilingual.] I. Muraida, Thelma, ill.II. Title.III. Title: Mi hermana mayor. PZ73.C3625 2012 [E]dc23 2012012776 CIP

Cover design by / Diseo de la portada por Johnny Guzman

Printed in China in May 2012July 2012 by Creative Printing USA Inc. 121110987654321

To my beloved sisters, Tita and Mari; my daughters, Diana and Raisha; and to big sisters around the worldfor they watch over their siblings with special love. SC To all our sisters and brothers who care. TM

Para mis queridas hermanas, Tita y Mari; para mis hijitas, Diana y Raisha; y para las hermanas mayores alrededor del mundoporque ellas velan por sus hermanitos con especial cario. SC Para todas las hermanas y los hermanos que nos cuidan. TM

Very, very early in the morning Mom and Dad are at the factory. Huuum . . . huuum . . . They sew jeans for the whole world. Today, Anita, my big sister, watches over me!

Muy, muy tempranito en la maana Mam y Pap estn ya en la factora. Jooom . . . Jooom . . . Cosen pantalones para el mundo entero. Hoy, Anita, mi hermana mayor, es quien me cuida.

Wake up, Pablito, Anita whispers. I stretch like a lion and hop off my bed. I brush my teeth. I put on my uniform. Look, I can tie my shoes with lightning speed! Anita claps and says, Well done!

Levntate, Pablito Anita me susurra. Me estiro como un len y salto de la cama. Me cepillo los dientes. Me pongo mi uniforme. Mira cmo me amarro los zapatos con la rapidez de un rayo! Anita aplaude y me dice Bravo!

On the kitchen table, breakfast waits for me. Yummy! Yum! Hot, creamy oatmeal with raisins on top. Eat, Pablito. Eat! Anita says. I gobble up every bit!

En la mesa de la cocina, el desayuno est listo para m. Qu delicia! Una caliente y cremosa avena con pasas. Come, Pablito. Come! me dice Anita. Lo devoro todo!

Lets go, Anita says. She holds my hand. She walks me to the end of the street. I reach down. I pluck and count, Two, four, six . . . I give Anita ten buttercups, and she smiles.

Vamos! me dice Anita. Me toma de la mano. Me lleva hasta el final de la calle. Me agacho. Arranco y cuento Dos, cuatro, seis . . . Le regalo a Anita diez botoncitos de oro, y ella me sonre.

Screeeech! Suddenly the giant, yellow bus stops. Have fun, Pablito! Anita says to me. I wrap my arms around her. She plants a kiss on my cheek. Seor Ruiz, the driver, lets me in. I greet him, Good morning!

Escriiiich! El gigante autobs amarillo se detiene de repente. Que te diviertas, Pablito! Anita me dice. Yo la abrazo. Ella me estampa un besito en la mejilla. Seor Ruiz, el chofer, me invita a subir. Yo lo saludo con un Buenos das!

Vrrrroom! Im on my way to school. I look over my shoulder and see Anita on the sidewalk. I wave to her a long good-bye. She waves the longest good-bye to me.

Rrrrrunn! Voy camino a la escuela. Miro sobre mi hombrito y veo a Anita parada en la acera. A ella le doy un adis bien larguito. Ella un adis ms larguito me da a m.

Ding, dong, ding! Its the end of my school day. My parents are still sewing for the world. Im happy because my big sister waits for me. How was school, Pablito? Anita asks me. Just great! I wink. She grabs my backpack. She holds my hand, and we walk home.

Tiln, tiln! Termina mi da de escuela. Mis paps todava estn cosiendo para el mundo. Estoy feliz porque mi hermana mayor me espera. Qu tal la escuela, Pablito? me pregunta Anita. Muy bien! le contesto con un guiito. Ella agarra mi mochila. Me toma de la mano y caminamos a casa.

I go to my room and put on comfy clothes. Homework, I say to Anita. She pulls up a chair and sits by me. She helps me patiently, just like Mom and Dad.

Voy a mi cuarto y me pongo ropita ligera. La tarea le digo a Anita. Ella acerca una silla y se sienta a mi lado. Como mis paps, ella me ayuda con mucha paciencia.

Before the sun goes to rest, Anita says, Pablito, lets go outside to play! Hooray! I shout and run to my toy box. I snatch the soccer ball and race Anita to the front yard.

Antes de que el sol vaya a descansar, Anita me dice Pablito, vamos afuera a jugar! Hurra! grito y corro al cajn de juguetes. Agarro mi baln de ftbol y le juego unas carreras hasta el patio de enfrente.

Two boys dare us to a quick match. The game is on. Soon, the score is a tie: 3-3. Anita strikes. She traps the loose ball. TOCK! Anita chips it to me. PLOP! The ball hits my knee. BOING! It goes on the ground and I chase it. POW! I kick it, and GOAL! We waggle and wiggle our victory! My big sister and ITHE SUPER TEAM!

Dos chicos nos retan a un partido. El juego empieza. Pronto hay un empate: 3-3. Anita ataca. Atrapa el baln. TOC! Me lo pasa. PLAP! Cae en mi rodilla. POING! Va a parar al suelo y lo sigo. PAU! Le pego, y GOOOOOOOL! Con bamboleos y brinquitos, celebramos la victoria! Mi hermana mayor y yo: El SPER EQUIPO!

Dinnertime! says Anita. We race back home. I serve the ice-cold water. Anita serves baked chicken, brown rice and red beans. Oh, and collard greens, too. A leftovers feast! I say. Its so delicious! Anita nods her curly-haired head. Oh, yes, its so tasty, Pablito!

A cenar! dice Anita. Corremos a casa. Yo sirvo el agua bien fra. Anita sirve pollo asado, arroz integral y habichuelas rojas. Ah, y la ensaladita de berzas. Festn de sobras! digo. Qu delicioso! Anita asiente con su cabecita llena de rizos. S, est muy sabroso, Pablito!

After a cool shower, I zoom into bed. Yikes! I see no moon, no shining stars. The window, I say. Anita knows I dont like pitch-dark nights. She closes the window and stays by my side.

Despus de una ducha fresca, me meto a mi cama. Ay! No veo ni luna ni estrellas brillantes. La ventana digo. Anita bien sabe que me asustan las noches oscuras. Cierra la ventana y a mi ladito se sienta.

Im ready for a good nights sleep. A book? I say to Anita. She reads me a fun story. Will you sing to me? She sings and sings until I fall asleep. ZzZzZz . . .

Estoy listo para dormir la nochecita entera. Un libro? le digo a Anita. Ella me lee un cuento divertido. Me cantas una cancin? Me canta y me canta hasta que me quedo dormido. ZzZzZz . . .

My parents are finally home! They see Im safely asleep, and they praise my sister. They tell her, Thank you, Anita! Because she is that big sister any little brother would wish for!

Por fin mis paps regresan a casa! Me ven dormidito, sanito y salvo, y elogian a mi hermana. Le dicen Anita, muchas gracias! Porque ella es esa hermana mayor que cualquier hermanito querra tener!

Samuel Caraballo es autor de varios libros infantiles bilinges, incluyendo Estrellita se despide de su isla (Piata Books, 2002). Naci en Vieques, una hermosa islita cerca de la costa este de Puerto Rico. Pas muchos das de su niez jugando en las colinas del campo y recogiendo mangos y guayabas, sus frutas tropicales favoritas. Ha dedicado parte de su vida a la enseanza del espaol, su primer idioma, en varias escuelas pblicas de los Estados Unidos. Es un orgulloso abuelito de cuatro nietos. Vive en Virginia con su esposa y Louis, su gatito polidctilo.

Samuel Caraballo is the author of several bilingual picture books for children, including Estrellita Says Good-bye to Her Island (Piata Books, 2002). He was born in Vieques, a beautiful island located off the east coast of Puerto Rico. He spent many of his childhood days playing in the countryside hills and picking mangos and guavas, his favorite tropical fruits. He has dedicated part of his life to teaching Spanish, his native language, in several public schools in the United States. He is a proud grandfather of four. He lives in Virginia with his wife and Louis, their polydactyl cat.

Thelma Muraida, una diseadora y artista consumada, ilustr Clara and the Curandera / Clara y la curandera (Piata Books, 2011). Ha diseado varias portadas e ilustrado artculos para publicaciones nacionales. En la actualidad vive en San Antonio, Texas, con su esposo y sus dos perros. El arte, la msica y el baile siempre estn presentes en su hogar, y sus tres hijos los han apreciado e incorporado en sus vidas.

Thelma Muraida, an accomplished designer and artist, illustrated Clara and the Curandera / Clara y la curandera (Piata Books, 2011). She has designed several book covers and illustrated articles for national publications. She currently lives in San Antonio, Texas, with her husband and two dogs. Art, music and dance are always alive in their home, and their three children have grown to appreciate and incorporate them well into their lives.