Inside: Señor Wooly has published No somos amigos, a children’s book. Ideas for No somos amigos in Spanish class.
Señor Wooly Resources in Spanish Class
I started using the Sr. Wooly music videos and website in 2016. I posted in my Curriculum for Spanish 1-4 which songs I used in what levels.
Then, once he started publishing graphic novels, I added them to my FVR classroom library. All of them were popular books for free reading. In particular, I have posted about La casa de la dentista & Me llamo Víctor graphic novel both from Sr. Wooly
Today I am sharing my thoughts on his newest book No somos amigos. He sent me an advance copy of the book, but all opinions shared here are my own.
What is different about No Somos Amigos?
It is the first children’s picture book from Sr. Wooly. Before this, there have been many music videos and graphic novels.
I agree that there is a need for comprehensible children’s books in Spanish. I read to my first son every other night in Spanish for the first six years of his life. (His no longer wanting me to read to him in Spanish was a hard pill to swallow and a story for another day).
There were many comprehensible super novice board books, but they would be too babish for Spanish class students. For books with good illustrations, I agree that most of the language is far too advanced for beginner Spanish students. I regret how many authentic picture books I bought for my classroom library. They were usually too hard to free reading.
So I was excited to see that No somos amigos has both gorgeous illustrations and very simple and repetitive language.
What’s No Somos Amigos about?
It’s hard to be around someone you don’t get along with — especially when it’s just the two of you, stuck on a boat in the middle of the ocean! Diego and Tomás may share the same food and supplies, but when it comes to navigation, they are oceans apart. Join them as they embark on an unpredictable journey of finding common ground when the waters are rough. Crafted in novice-low Spanish, this tale is a gentle first step for those setting sail on their journey to learn a new language.
from the Sr. Wooly website
What Sr. Wooly song goes with No Somos Amigos?
No somos amigos is the prequel to Señor Wooly’s song “Diego y sus amigos”. When I think of that song, I will always associate it with the 2020 lockdown. It came out the March and I taught it from home in the Spring of 2020.
The book No somos amigos tells the story of the difficult relationship between Diego and Tomás. It shows how they struggle to find common ground on the basics of navigation.
Do you need to pair No Somos Amigos with Diego y sus amigos?
I am very familiar with the song “Diego y sus amigos” having taught full units with it in both 2020 and again in 2021. This means I understood the quite absurd plot of the book
The author states, “Although it works best for people familiar with the original video, it’s still a great standalone story”.
I would disagree with this statement. As a mom of two young boys who are avid readers, I consider myself a bit of a children’s book expert. Especially when it comes to odd, off-the-wall, little boy humor. I would say this book fits that description.
However, I do not think my boys would have enjoyed this book if they did not know the characters Diego & Tomás from the song. The book would be comprehensible, yes, but it would be a nonsense story without a solid plot.
So, I would highly suggest that the song “Diego y sus amigos” is paired with the book No somos amigos. I would use the book kindergarten-style reading, in the middle of the song unit.
What level is the book No somos amigos written at?
It’s written for novice Spanish students. It only has 38 unique words! Most of the main verbs used are a part of the Super 7 including es, está & tiene. So it would be great right after my High-Frequency Verb Unit to Start Spanish 1. You can see the glossary below.
What age would you use it with?
The story is appropriate for all ages. It could honestly work for elementary through high school Spanish. No somos amgos is a super goofy story, so I think it would be great to read to middle school Exploratory Spanish, especially the boys.
It is a hardcover children’s book with 64 pages. But, there is only one sentence per page with a lot of pretty illustrations. So, it would be a quick read for most students. It would work well for FVR since it also has a glossary, which I love.
How to get the book No somos amigos
It is not included in the Wooly subscription. The only way to read it is in print. I think it is a worthy addition to any Spanish Classroom Library. You can buy it through the Sr. Wooly store. It is not a pre-order, so books will ship immediately. But, FYI it has a very small first print. Get it while it’s in stock!
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