Case Study: Creating Engaging Literacy Content Honoring the History and Heritage of Young Bilingual Students
The challenge:
A publisher had created a series of bilingual stories for children who were Spanish-first speakers, based on retellings of Western folk tales such as The Three Little Pigs and The Ugly Duckling. The content was not engaging to the children or their extended family members, who were not familiar with these stories. The publisher was seeking a solution that would be appealing for young readers while also respecting their Latinx heritage.
How Westchester Helped:
Westchester used our diverse set of editorial and illustration resources to staff the project with team members who originated from and were steeped in the Latinx heritage. Our team outlined several traditional folktales to retell these stories in new and engaging ways. To make the stories even more engaging for early readers, the literacy team paired with illustrators to develop rich, colorful imagery that drew upon the visual traditions of the narratives.
The Outcome:
Westchester developed and delivered a set of four beautifully illustrated traditional folktales to the client that were written in Spanish and English to help foster a love of reading in bilingual children. It also allowed the publisher to expand their audience to reach Spanish-speaking parents and grandparents who were seeking books grounded in their cultural heritage that they could share with their bilingual children and grandchildren.