Algo Especial Para Mi/Something Special for Me

The Rosa Books #2

by Vera B. Williams, Amy Cohn (Editor), Aída E. Marcuse (Translator)

It's Rosa's birthday, and the coins in the family's savings jar are hers to spend. But what can she buy that is special enough? An ALA Notable Book. Full color throughout.

Genres: Picture Books, Music, Family, Childrens

Library Binding

First published January 1, 1983

About the author

Graduate of Black Mountain College, North Carolina, where she majored in graphic art. In her own words, she has "done graphic art, school teaching, children-raising [she has two daughters and a son], has run a bakery and been a cook in schools and restaurants." (from back flap of book)

Vera B. Williams is the winner of the 2009 NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature.

You can read much more about this author here or here

Reviews

[Amy Lafleur Meyers · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book continues the story of Rosa and her family - and their special chair. I loved the continuity from "A Chair for My Mother" - "our new chair has cocoa on one arm now. It isn't brand-new anymore, but Grandma and Mama and I still like to squeeze into it together." The chair was for Rosa's mother and this time as the change jar fills up it's Rosa's turn to find something special for herself. Rosa isn't sure what is special enough to be worth emptying the jar on it. Eventually, Rosa decides that music is worth the jar's contents, and Rosa decides to buy an accordion whose music will make all happy. Just like A Chair for My Mother, this book has beautiful colorful and warm illustrations and patterned borders. It also continues the theme of loving families and thoughtfulness that is also in A Chair for My Mother.

[Levonne Gigger · Rating 3 out of 5]

The big jar full of coins is full again. What should it be spent on this time? It's going to be a gift for Rosa of her choosing. What should she get? Rosa knows she must not take this decision lightly.

The author made great use of tension and build up. She also had a very compelling beginning. The author started by setting the scene by telling us what the coins in the big jar purchased before. Then the tension starts as we learn that the coins in the jar are going to be spent again. We go through emotional up and downs with our main character Rosa each time she thinks she has chosen the perfect gift.

This book could absolutely be used for teaching. It can be used for teaching the importance of decision making and not buying the first thing you see. The book could also be used to introduce a new instrument that many children may not be familiar with, an accordion.

[Hae Sun · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rosa's birtday is coming up. Together with her family, Rosa saves up loose change. They all contribute to the jar of coins that sits on top of the fireplace. Rosa's family is working class and cannot afford all the toys and elaborate birthday parties like other upper- or middle-class families. Everyone saves their change to buy Rosa's gift. Rosa must think hard to choose her gift.

I would use this book in my classroom to show how different families celebrates a child's birthday. Because Rosa comes from a working class family, she only gets to choose one special gift. She knows that everyone saved up diligently to provide a gift for Rosa. Rosa teaches students to appreciate everyone's hard work and to be mindful when spending money, even if it is your birthday.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

After the family spent the money jar on a chair for Mama in the first book of the series, it is now time to spend the money that is now in the jar on Rosa. Rosa is a typical girl; she can't decide what she wants. Eventually, however, she settles on an accordion. That will be featured in Music, Music for Everyone.

Once again, the illustrations are wonderful. Vera B. Williams has crafted a very family-oriented series of stories.

[Tara Mensing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rosa gets to choose her birthday present from the money her mother, grandmother and Aunt Ida saved up. She visits store to store to find her perfect gift but has second thoughts every time. This book teaches some valuable lessons that children can identify with like the importance of delayed gratification and well-thought-out decision making. Also slips in the acceptance of non-nuclear family settings which should be accepted as a norm.

[Mansour · Rating 4 out of 5]

After the family spent the money jar on a chair for Mama in the first book of the series, it is now time to spend the money that is now in the jar on Rosa. Rosa is a typical girl; she can't decide what she wants. Eventually, however, she settles on an accordion. That will be featured in Music, Music for Everyone.

Once again, the illustrations are wonderful. Vera B. Williams has crafted a very family-oriented series of stories.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

48 months - The sequel to "A Chair For My Mother". Another really thoughtful book by this author. The little girl takes great care in picking the best most worth while birthday present with the big jar of coins her family has saved. May we all learn a lesson from this story.

[Siomara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and how it made me feel i was on a journey with Rosa to purchase the perfect gift with the money of the full coin jar. At the end of the day Rosa picked out the most awesome gift which was an accordion, it was something new and different and something she could fall in love with.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another beautifully illustrated text about Rosa and her family. I enjoyed the indecisiveness of Rosa because it showed how important and special money is to her. I love the present she chose as it is more significant than say the clothing she tried on.

[Ashanti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like how Vera.B.Williams put what she wished for in one book and then she would get it in the second book.

[Stephanie Smoot · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute story about finding the perfect gift for your birthday. I felt similar to the character when trying to decide what to buy and having to decide if it was something I really wanted.

[Lori Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book could be used to teach students the importance of saving and thinking to make sure we make wise decisions.

[Good Gu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another sweet family story, again with am emphasis on small dreams and saving and working together. I love these books and this family.

[Gracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story highlights how Rosa got her beloved accordion. She is faithful to her family and is not greedy about what she buys. I love the illustrations as well.

[Gianni Llano · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the connection a reader could make with Rosa. There has come a time were we are indecisive as to what we would like. I think any child would love this book.

[FM Family · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like this series. I think they are comforting and nostalgic because they remind me of books from my childhood. But you know how sometimes kids books can be a bit repetitive or long-winded in how they describe something, but it works and just feels like it accurately portrays the experience of being a kid, where everything is kind of a run on sentence? This is one of those stories. I feel like Vera B Williams is a master of capturing this rambly kid energy in a way that really works, and that manages to hold my 4 year olds attention really well. Even though a lot of this story is the classic kid's book thing of "went here, but it wasn't the right place; went there, but it wasn't the right place; went over yonder and it wasn't the right place either" it is done with a great job of capturing the subtleties of how the kid gets more and more frustrated and squirmy with her inability to decide and her mom knows it's coming before even she does.

Looking forward to reading the others in the series. I always have a bit of an issue with Vera B Williams, writing about families/characters of colour as a white author. But I try to consider her as a product of her time, and in the 1980s this is pretty much where representation was at, and I feel like, similarly to Ezra Jack Keats, she does representation with love and respect. My 4 year old really enjoys this story and pays rapt attention throughout.

[Prabhat sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Rosa Books #2- Something Special for Me (Paperback) by Vera B. Williams- Children’s Illustrated Colour Picture Book- The Rosa Books # 2 continues the story further. Rosa is an Afro-American girl child whose mother is bringing her up as a single mother. Grandma lives with them. She has a leather purse in which she keeps coins to purchase cheap fruits and vegetables. The earlier apartment in a multistorey building has burnt. Uncle Sandy and Aunt Ida lives nearby. They have shifted to a new apartment and have purchased a secondhand comfortable chair with red flower cover with their savings. Now, Rosa’s birthday in nearing. Her glass jar which is being used for saving coins earned by her while helping at Blue Tile Diner restaurant where her mother works as a waitress. The owner Josephine is kind to Rosa. The glass jar is full of coins saved by her and by her family. For her birthday, Rosa has to decide on what to purchase with the money. The choice is between holding a party for all friends and relatives and for buying lavish gift her herself. Rosa thinks and decides that she will purchase an accordion which all can play music and enjoy. The message from the book is that children should learn the importance of money and use the money which is useful for the whole family. Coloured illustrations help the reader in relating to each page of the contents of the story.

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

First sentence: Our new chair has cocoa on one arm now.

Premise/plot: Rosa and her family have kept adding money to their jar. They were able to buy their chair--a chair for her mother (and grandmother). But now the jar is almost full again and Rosa's birthday is days away! The coins this time will go towards Rosa's birthday present. But HOW is a girl ever to choose what she MOST wants. She wants the present to not only be special--for herself--but bring some joy and happiness to the others in her family as well.

My thoughts: I had NO IDEA that A Chair For My Mother had sequels. This is the first sequel. In this one, Rosa picks out a musical instrument--an accordion, I believe. I definitely enjoyed spending more time with this family. I could relate 100% to her indecisiveness.

[Tara Smallwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fun story is about a little girl and her relationship with her family. Her family puts money in a jar to buy something special or what each other may need. Its Rose's birthday so it's time for her to receive something special. She goes from store to store but at the last decided whatever she is getting isn't going to be special enough. Until she hears the sound of an accordion. Then she realized, that was the special object she wanted for her birthday. The next day she was very happy with the gift she chose. This book is more about Rose's family and some of their traditions and customs and less about her birthday gift.

[Tami Ritchey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a great way to introduce or expand on the economic topics of consumer choice, opportunity cost, saving, and more! My 2nd grade groups enjoyed reading this as part of their economics lesson for the day, especially since we'd read Williams's book, A Chair For My Mother, for a previous lesson.

[Mort's Kids · Rating 2 out of 5]

I like that this book is about some honest, working class folk trying to get by and have a little joy in the world. No bad guys in this tome. But, at the same time, it's just a bit too much of a slog (9 minute read), without enough to keep it going or motivate a re-read.

So, while I hope this girl and her family live happy ever after, I personally don't feel the need to follow along.

[Melanie Gaum · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was excited to learn there exists a sequel (also a third book) to one of my favorite stories as a little kid. I remember my mom reading A Chair for My Mother to me when I was young. This one was nice.

[Melissa Hord]

This book can be a mirror to some students because it shows how hard it is to make a decision as a kid. It can also be a sliding glass door/window for those who come from wealthier families and need to see how valuable money and special things are for poorer students who need to save for things.

[IUS F19 Keisha Levi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teaches responsibility and decision making.