Campoy, F. Isabel 1946–

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Campoy, F. Isabel 1946–

Personal

Born June 25, 1946, in Alicante, Spain; daughter of Juan Diego Campoy (a professor of English) and Maria Coronado Guerro (a homemaker). Ethnicity: "Hispanic." Education: Universidad Complutense (Madrid, Spain), B.A., M.A. (English philology); Reading University, M.A. (dialectology); doctoral studies in applied linguistics at University of California, Los Angeles. Politics: "Defender of justice and peace." Hobbies and other interests: Painting, sculpting, observing children and nature.

Addresses

Home—San Francisco, CA. Office—38 Miller Ave., No. 181, Mill Valley, CA 94941. E-mail—[email protected].

Career

Poet and playwright. Author and lecturer on educational and multicultural matters. Transformative Education Services, president.

Member

International Reading Association (member of board on social responsibility), CABE, NABE, Association of Spanish Professionals in the USA (president, 1994-96), various national and regional bilingual education associations.

Awards, Honors

Fulbright scholar, 1979-81; Friends and Foundation of San Francisco Public Library Laureate Award, 2003; Reading the World Award, 2004, for Cuentos que contaban nuestras abuelitas; Junior Library Guild Premier Selection Award, and American Library Association Notable Book designaton, both 2006, both for ¡Pío Peep!

Writings

FOR CHILDREN

¿Quieres que to cuente?, Harcourt School Publishers (Orlando, FL), 1995.

En un lugar muy lejano, Harcourt School Publishers (Orlando, FL), 1995.

Erase que se era, Harcourt School Publishers (Orlando, FL), 1995.

Y fueron felices, Harcourt School Publishers (Orlando, FL), 1995.

Y colorín colorado, Harcourt School Publishers (Orlando, FL), 1995.

Así pasaron muchos años, Harcourt School Publishers (Orlando, FL), 1995.

(Adaptor) Rosa Raposa, illustrated by Ariane Dewey and Jose Aruego, Harcourt (New York, NY), 2002.

Get up, Rick!, illustrated by Bernard Adnet, Harcourt (Orlando, FL), 2007.

FOR CHILDREN; WITH ALMA FLOR ADA

Sigue la palabra, Harcourt School Publishers (Orlando, FL), 1995.

Imágenes del pasado, Harcourt School Publishers (Orlando, FL), 1995.

Ecos del pasado (chapter book; title means "Echoes from the Past"), Harcourt Brace (Orlando, FL), 1996.

Música amiga (anthology of Hispanic folklore; includes tapes and teacher's guide), ten volumes, Del Sol (Westlake, OH), 1996-98.

Una semilla de luz (title means "A Seed of Light"), illustrated by Felipe Dávalos, Alfaguara (Madrid, Spain), 2000.

Tablado de Doña Rosita/Curtain's Up, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 2001.

¡Feliz cumpleaños, Caperucita Roja!/Happy Birthday, Little Red Riding Hood!, illustrated by Ana López Escrivá, Alfaguara (Miami, FL), 2002.

El nuevo hogar de los siete cabritos/The New Home of the Seven Billy Goats, illustrated by Viví Escrivá, Alfaguara (Miami, FL), 2002.

Ratoncito Perez, Mailman/Ratoncito Perez, cartero, illustrated by Sandra López Escrivá, Alfaguara (Miami, FL), 2002.

One, Two, Three, Who Can It Be?/Uno, dos, tres: ¿Dime quién es?, illustrated by Viví Escrivá, Alfaguara (Miami, FL), 2002.

On the Wings of the Condor/En alas del condor, Alfaguara (Miami, FL), 2002.

Eyes of the Jaguar/Ojos del jaguar, Alfaguara (Miami, FL), 2002.

The Quetzal's Journey/Vuelo del quetzal, illustrated by Felipe Davalos, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 2002.

(Compiler) ¡Pío Peep!: Traditional Spanish Nursery Rhymes (bilingual edition), illustrated by Viví Escrivá, English adaptations by Alice Schertle, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2003.

Tales Our Abuelitas Told: An Hispanic Folktale Collection, illustrated by Felipe Dávalos, Atheneum (New York, NY), 2004.

Mama Goose: A Latino Nursery Tresury/Un tesor de rimas infantiles, illustrated by Maribel Suárez, Hyperion (New York, NY), 2004.

Cuentos que contaban nuestras abuelitas, Atheneum (New York, NY), 2006.

(Compiler) Merry Navidad!: Christmas Carols in Spanish and English, illustrated by Vivi Escrivá, Rayo (New York, NY), 2007.

Also coauthor, with Alma Flor Ada, of Spanish language-arts programs "Cielo abierto," "Vamos de fiesta!," "Villacuentos," and "Trofeos," Harcourt School Publishers (Orlando, FL), 1997, and of English-as-a-second-language programs.

PLAYS; WITH ALMA FLOR ADA

Primer acto, Harcourt School Publishers (Orlando, FL), 1996.

Risas y aplausos, Harcourt School Publishers (Orlando, FL), 1996.

Escenas y alegrías, Harcourt School Publishers (Orlando, FL), 1996.

Actores y flores, Harcourt School Publishers (Orlando, FL), 1996.

Saludos al público, Harcourt School Publishers (Orlando, FL), 1996.

Ensayo general, Harcourt School Publishers (Orlando, FL), 1996.

Acto final, Harcourt School Publishers (Orlando, FL), 1996.

Top Hat, Alfaguara (Miami, FL), 2000.

Curtains Up!, Alfaguara (Miami, FL), 2000.

Rat-a-Tat, Alfaguara (Miami, FL), 2002, published as Rat-a-Tat Cat, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 2002.

Roll 'n' Roll, Alfaguara (Miami, FL), 2002, published as Roll 'n' Role, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 2002.

"MÚSICA AMIGA" SERIES; WITH ALMA FLOR ADA

Gorrión, Gorrión, Harcourt School Publishers (Orlando, FL), 1996.

El verde limón, Harcourt School Publishers (Orlando, FL), 1996.

La rama azul, Harcourt School Publishers (Orlando, FL), 1996.

Nuevo día, Harcourt School Publishers (Orlando, FL), 1996.

Huertos de coral, Harcourt School Publishers (Orlando, FL), 1996.

Ríos de lava, Harcourt School Publishers (Orlando, FL), 1996.

Dulce es la sal, Harcourt School Publishers (Orlando, FL), 1996.

Canta la letra, illustrated by Ulises Wensell, Del Sol (Westlake, OH), 1998, with music by Suni Paz, 2003.

Caracolí, illustrated by Ulises Wensell, Del Sol (Westlake, OH), 1998, with music by Suni Paz, 2003.

Con ton y son, illustrated by Ulises Wensell, Del Sol (Westlake, OH), 1998, with music by Suni Paz, 2003.

Corre al coro, illustrated by Ulises Wensell, Del Sol (Westlake, OH), 1998, with music by Suni Paz, 2003.

¡Do, re, mi, sí, sí!, illustrated by Ulises Wensell, Del Sol (Westlake, OH), 1998, with music by Suni Paz, 2003.

El camino de tu risa, illustrated by Ulises Wensell, Del Sol (Westlake, OH), 1998, with music by Suni Paz, 2003.

El son de sol, illustrated by Ulises Wensell, Del Sol (Westlake, OH), 1998, with music by Suni Paz, 2003.

¡Qué rica la ronda!, illustrated by Ulises Wensell, Del Sol (Westlake, OH), 1998, with music by Suni Paz, 2003.

Sigue la música, illustrated by Ulises Wensell, Del Sol (Westlake, OH), 1998, with music by Suni Paz, 2003.

"GATEWAYS TO THE SUN" SERIES; WITH ALMA FLOR ADA

Smiles/Sonrisas (biographies of Pablo Picasso, Gabriela Mistral, and Benito Juarez), Alfaguara (Miami, FL), 1998.

Steps/Pasos (biographies of Rita Moreno, Fernando Botero, and Evelyn Cisneros), Alfaguara (Miami, FL), 1998.

Voices/Voces (biographies of Luis Valdez, Judith F. Baca, and Carlos J. Finlay), Alfaguara (Miami, FL), 1998.

Paths/Caminos (biographies of José Marti, Frida Kahlo, and Cesar Chavez), Alfaguara (Miami, FL), 1998.

Yo/I Am, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 1999.

Rimas/Rhymes, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 1999.

Poemas/Poems, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 1999.

Palabras, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 1999.

Mis relatos/My Stories, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 1999.

Mis recuerdos, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 1999.

Mambru, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 1999.

Letras, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 1999.

Lapices/Pencils, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 1999.

Crayones/Crayons, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 1999.

Colores/Colors, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 1999.

Así soy/This Is Me, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 1999.

Acuarela, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 1999.

Blue and Green/Azul y verde, Alfaguara (Miami, FL), 2000.

Brush and Paint/Brocha y pinchel, Alfaguara (Miami, FL), 2000.

Artist's Easel/Caballete, Alfaguara (Miami, FL), 2000.

Canvas and Paper/Lienzo y papel, Alfaguara (Miami, FL), 2000.

(Selector) Dreaming Fish/Pimpón (poetry), Alfaguara (Miami, FL), 2000.

(Selector) Laughing Crocodiles/Antón Pirulero (poetry), Alfaguara (Miami, FL), 2000.

(Selector) Singing Horse/Mambrú (poetry), Alfaguara (Miami, FL), 2000.

(Selector and contributor) Flying Dragon, Alfaguara (Miami, FL), 2000.

Series published in Spanish translation as "Colleccion Puertas al Sol."

"STORIES TO CELEBRATE" SERIES; WITH ALMA FLOR ADA

Celebrate Thanksgiving Day with Beto and Gaby, illustrated by Claudia Rueda, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 2006.

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with Samantha and Lola, illustrated by Sandra Lavandeira, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 2006.

Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with Mrs. Park's Class/Celebra ed día de Martin Luther King, Jr. con la clase de la Sra. Park, illustrated by Monica Weiss, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 2006.

Celebrate Mardi Gras with Joaquin, Harlequin/Celebra el Mardi Gras con Joaquìn, arlequìn, illustrated by Eugenia Nobati, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 2006.

Celebrate Hannukah with Bubbe's Tales/Celebra Hannukah con un cuento de Bubbe, illustrated by Mariano Epelbaum, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 2006.

Celebrate Fourth of July with Champ, the Scamp/Celebra el cuatro de julio con Campeón, el glotón, illustrated by Gustavo Mazali, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 2006.

Celebrate Christmas and Three Kings' Day with Pablo and Carlitos/Celebra la navidad y el día de los reyes magos con Pablo y Carlitos, illustrated by Walter Torres, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 2006.

Celebrate Kwanzaa with Boots and Her Kittens/Celebra Kwanzaa con Botitas y sus gatitos, illustrated by Valeria Docampo, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 2006.

Celebrate Halloween and the Day of the Dead with Cristina and Her Blue Bunny/Celebra el Halloween y el día de muertos con Cristina y su conejito azul, illustrated by Ivanova Martinez, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 2006.

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with the Mexican Hat Dance/Celebra el Cinco de Mayo con un jarabe tapatio, illustrated by Marcela Gomez and David Silva, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 2006.

Celebrate Chinese New Year with the Fong Family/Celebra el año nuevo chino con la familia Fong, illustrated by Mima Castro, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 2006.

Celebrate a Powwow with Sandy Starbright/Celebra un powwow con Sandy Starbright, illustrated by Maria Jesus Alvarez, Santillana USA (Miami, FL), 2006.

TRANSLATOR; WITH ALMA FLOR ADA

Lois Ehlert, Plumas para almorzar (translation of Feathers for Lunch), Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1996.

Lois Ehlert, A sembrar sopa de verduras (translation of Growing Vegetable Soup), Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1996.

Gary Soto, ¡Que montón de tamales! (translation of Too Many Tamales), illustrated by Ed Martinez, PaperStar (New York, NY), 1996.

Ellen Stoll Walsh, Salta y brinca (translation of Hop Jump), Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1996.

Henry Horenstein, Béisobol en los barrios, Harcourt (New York, NY), 1997.

Mem Fox, Quienquiera que seas (translation of Whoever You Are), illustrated by Leslie Staub, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2002.

Gerald McDermott, Zomo el conejo: un cuento de Africa occidental (translation of Zomo the Rabbit), Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2002.

Peter Golenbock, Compañeros de equipo (translation of Teammates), illustrated by Paul Bacon, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2002.

Lois Ehlert, Día de mercado (translation of Market Day), Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2003.

George Ancona, Mis bailes/My Dances, photographs by Ancona, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2004.

George Ancona, Mis amigos/My Friends, photographs by Ancona, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2004.

George Ancona, Mi familia/My Family, photographs by Ancona, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2004.

George Ancona, Mi escuela/My School, photographs by Ancona, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2004.

George Ancona, Mi casa/My House, photographs by Ancona, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2004.

George Ancona, Mi barrio/My Neighborhood, photographs by Ancona, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2004.

George Ancona, Mis quehaceres/My Chores, photographs by Ancona, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2005.

George Ancona, Mis juegos/My Games, photographs by Ancona, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2005.

George Ancona, Mis fiestas/My Celebrations, photographs by Ancona, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2005.

George Ancona, Mis comidas/My Foods, photographs by Ancona, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2005.

George Ancona, Mi musica/My Music, photographs by Ancona, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2005.

FOR ADULTS; WITH ALMA FLOR ADA

Home School Interaction with Culturally or Language-diverse Families, Del Sol (Westlake, OH), 1998.

Ayudando a nuestros hijos (title means "Helping Our Children"), Del Sol (Westlake, OH), 1998.

Comprehensive Language Arts, Del Sol (Westlake, OH), 1998.

Effective English Acquisition for Academic Success, Del Sol (Westlake, OH), 1998.

(With Rosalma Zubizarreta) Authors in the Classroom: A Transformative Education Process, Allyn & Bacon (Boston, MA), 2004.

Sidelights

"From my mother I inherited a robust pride in my roots, a wealth of folklore through her storytelling and sayings, and an abundant sense of humor. From my father, the passion for learning and the art of teaching," author and playwright F. Isabel Campoy noted on her home page. Frequently collaborating with fellow author and educator Alma Flor Ada, Campoy specializes in bilingual materials for children of Hispanic heritage: plays, poems, educational materials, picture books, biographies, and easy-readers. In addition to stand-alone books, the collaborators have produced a number of book series, and several of their works have been included in the "Gateways to the Sun"/"Coleccion puertas al sol" series designed to introduce young readers to Hispanic culture. Their Música amiga series, published beginning in 1996, encompasses ten volumes of Hispanic folklore, along with original lyrics by Campoy, while other books, such as ¡Feliz cumpleaños, Caperucita Roja!/Happy Birthday, Little Red Riding Hood! "combine the charm of traditional tales with the surprise of the unexpected," according to Booklist reviewer Isabel Schon. Praising their popular bilingual anthology ¡Pío Peep!: Traditional Spanish Nursery Rhymes, Booklist contributor Ilene Cooper predicted that the co-authors' text, with its "sweet, rhythmic simplicity, … will get children singing, clapping, and perhaps making some forays into a new language."

Books by Campoy and Ada that are part of the "Gateways to the Sun" series include the art books Blue and Green and Brush and Paint, as well as a four-book series of biographies of notable Hispanic men and woman titled Smiles, Steps, Voices, and Paths. Profiling such diverse individuals as artist Frida Kahlo, labor activist Cesar Chavez, and actress Rita Moreno, these books "briefly tell about the lives and achievements" of their subjects, according to Booklist reviewer Schon, who praised the entire series as "a very appealing introduction" to Spanish-language culture.

In addition to her works with Ada, Campoy has authored a number of Spanish-language early readers, as well as the picture books Rosa Raposa and Get up, Rick! Rosa Raposa contains three stories adapted from Spanish trickster tales that take readers to South America and the Amazon rain forest. In "A Cry for Help," "A Strong North Wind," and "The Green Dress" clever little fox Rosa Raposa manages to outwit a hungry and bullying jaguar. A Publishers Weekly contributor praised Rosa Raposa for its lively watercolor illustrations by Ariane Dewey and Jose Aruego, while Julie Cummins wrote in Booklist that Campoy's book features a "well-paced text" that, with the rhyming conclusion to each story, "will make for lively read-alouds." Calling the book "delightful," School Library Journal contributor Judith Constantinides added that Campoy's stories do much to promote "the idea that brains are better than brawn."

Campoy once commented: "I was born by the Mediterranean Sea in a town called Alicante, an ideal vacation place in Spain both for national and international tourists, so during my childhood I was always in contact with people coming and going—family and friends from all over the world.

"That, and the fact that my father was a professor of English and wanted his children to become proficient in as many languages as possible, provided me with a great desire to travel and be in touch with other cultures very early on. My favorite books as a child were always full of adventure, from the medieval chivalric romances and the pirates of Sandocán to Treasure Island, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. But perhaps my favorite of all times is The Little Prince by Antoine de Sainte-Exupéry.

"My curiosity for all things far and different was nurtured by my father's vast collection of National Geographic magazines that covered one side of our hallway from floor to ceiling, with copies that went back as far as 1924. Each picture was a promise of a new adventure, and I started writing about them in a huge accounting book my brother and I shared: on his end, the names of soccer players and winning teams; on mine, the products of my fertile imagination. My first published story was about a snowman. I was eleven, and I had never seen snow.

"At age sixteen, after a hard time convincing my mother and many competitive examinations, I won a scholarship as an exchange student to Trenton, Michigan. Finally, that winter, I saw snow—almost daily! I have the impression that I have been traveling ever since.

"In my twenties I crossed Europe and in Greece I fell in love with mythology. Years later I wrote down many legends of the Hispanic world.

"Morocco, Egypt, and Turkey were countries that fascinated me and inspired my research into the Arabic contributions to the history of Spain and Latin America.

"Names in the Hispanic culture include both last names from parents. My complete name is Francisca Isabel Campoy Coronado and one summer I set up to follow the path of Coronado in the southwest. That encounter with history (my history) opened a new era of discoveries both for my mind and heart. My travels through México, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Chile, and Argentina have provided me with tools I want to put in the hands of Latino children.

"Whether in Asia or Micronesia, Africa or the Middle East, I have always found reason to admire other cultures and reflect on them. Perhaps that is why I write about Hispanic art, artists, theatre, poetry, and folklore: in the process of looking at other cultures, I discovered the beauty and richness of my own."

Biographical and Critical Sources

PERIODICALS

Booklist, August, 2000, p. 2154; February 15, 2002, Isabel Schon, review of ¡Feliz cumpleaños, Caperucita Roja!/Happy Birthday, Little Red Riding Hood! and The New Home of the Seven Billy Goats, p. 1022; September 1, 2002, Julie Cummins, review of Rosa Raposa, p. 136; September 1, 2003, Ilene Cooper, review of ¡Pío Peep!: Traditional Spanish Nursery Rhymes, p. 126.

Kirkus Reviews, August 15, 2002, review of Rosa Raposa, p. 1219.

Publishers Weekly, September 9, 2002, review of Rosa Raposa, p. 66.

School Library Journal, September, 2002, Judith Constantinides, review of Rosa Raposa, p. 181; June, 2003, "The Dynamic Duo of Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy," p. 60; July, 2003, Ann Welton, review of ¡Pío Peep!, p. 121.