The
Latina Book Club welcomes author, musician and counselor Ed Cárdenas.
We admire his fortitude, his productivity and
his love for his family and 16 grandchildren. It is for them that he writes and composes.
Buenos
Dias! Yo soy Ed Cárdenas. I was born in Taos, New Mexico, and
raised on a small farm by my maternal grandparents. Growing up in a traditional
home - where the only language spoken was Spanish - my grandparents taught me old
traditional virtues, like respect and cariño, which set the foundation
for my chosen field of social work. I am blessed to have roots in Taos. The
land has presented a serene and wholesome milieu from nature; and its amable
gente, that still practices cultural virtues like respect.
LOVITO
Inspiration
for LOVITO began in 1999, when I developed heart disease. My cardiologist told
me, “only love can save you.” I asked myself, where I could find such love? The
answer came from my 16 grandchildren. I spent two weeks visiting with
them and absorbing their sincere cariño (tender love). Their love
inspired me to leave them something of substance that they could share with
their children. I prayed to the Creator to guide my writing. After two amazing
weeks, 13 Lovito books were written.
The
main character in the series is Lovito, a 4-year-old boy wolf. The name
"Lovito" is a combination of the English word, "love," and
the Spanish suffix, "ito," which translates into "Little
Love" or "Amorcito". Following is a description of the series:
LOVITO is a series of 13
children’s stories that build on character and life skills. The main thread
throughout the series is teaching responsible behavior by emphasizing the
balance between firmness and cariño (love). The LOVITO topics include: Respect,
Responsibility, Generosity, Love and Truth, Trustworthiness, Confidence,
Citizenship, Humor, Communication, Patience, Goals, Fairness, and Family Love.
All stories are based on old cultural dichos (proverbs) and are bilingual (Spanish
and English). The series can be of benefit to children from pre-school to third
grade, parents and teachers, and mental health workers.
A
total of 13 books have been written in both Spanish and English. In each story,
you will find at least one main dicho to support the main concept in each book.
Some of the dichos in Lovito were based on the dichos I grew up with, but I
researched over 2,000 dichos to select ones that best supported the concepts in
each story. The books have been used in
the classroom to inspire internalization of cultural virtues in students and
teachers. It has successfully been used in classroom management
EL
LEGADO
I
recently published EL LEGADO, a young adult story. The book is written in
English and reinforced by cultural dichos and Spanish vocabulary words. The
following quote on EL LEGADO from the renowned author of BLESS ME, ULTIMA
Rudolfo Anaya, very well describes what the book is about:
I found EL LEGADO an
easy-to-read book, sprinkled with enough magic to keep the reader interested to
the end. The main character, Antonio is on a journey to reclaim his Hispanic
heritage. The advice Antonio’s grandfather gives him becomes his guiding light,
for it is our abuelitos (grandparents) who are keepers of the
culture. The book is especially relevant to today’s young Hispanos who, like
Antonio, want to learn the Spanish language and the traditions of their
culture.
ABOUT
THE WRITING
I
find it easier to write for children, as I enjoy thinking like a kid. I must
also say that I really enjoyed writing for youth in EL LEGADO. I see a need for
youth to retrieve their culture and heal from its loss.
My
writing schedule varies. At times, I may write for hours straight for 2 weeks.
At other times, I write in short spurts whenever inspired. I let the Creator
guide me. I don't force things.
I
write in both Spanish and English. The Lovito series is written in Spanish and
English, because it is imperative that young children have access to both
languages - "El que lenguas sabe dos vale por dos." I thought EL
LEGADO would best reach of our youth in English as many are more proficient in
it. Since the main character grieves the loss of the Spanish language, it makes
sense that the story would be told from in the English language.
My
favorite Latino authors are Rudolfo Anaya and Yolanda Nava. They are both very
inspiring as they write about our gente from the heart. My Favorite non-Latino
writer is William Glasser, MD, who presents a down-to-earth theory on mental
health that is very practical to use for most cultures.
Next
for me is to continue developing the Lovito Bilingual and Bicultural Training
Institute. The institute trains parents, teachers, and other human service
workers in how to teach and model the Lovito virtue concepts.###
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Ed Cárdenas, LISW is a native of Taos, New
Mexico and has family roots in Río Lucio. He received his Master’s degree in
social work from the University of Denver where he received the Dorothea
Spellman Award for his creativity in working with groups. His graduate
emphasis was in working with children, treatment, community service, and social
planning. He is a Summa Cum Laude graduate from Metro State College in Denver.
Ed
wrote and published the book, Beach Ball - Balancing our Relationship World.
He released five of the thirteen LOVITO
series books, stories that build character and life skills for
children. Ed has also published EL LEGADO, a cultural retrieval novel for
teenagers, and is currently in the process of publishing a book called El
LIBRO DE DICHOS Y CONSEJOS, which is an accompanying book to EL LEGADO, and
reinforces its concepts. Visit Ed at www.edcardenas.com.
READ LATINO !