EL CAMINO DEL CAFÉ

by Adriana Ramirez

EL CAMINO DEL CAFÉ is an engaging and inspiring story written for Spanish 4 students. It is the perfect novel to read with your level 4 classes, AP and IB Spanish classes. It will take you around the world, showing you the journey coffee beans took before they arrived to this beautiful land, where they could finally reach their perfect state. By the end of the novel, your knowledge about coffee and your way of appreciating it will definitely change. This novel has a lot of cultural components that will bring students closer to the coffee culture in Colombia. It has a glossary, alphabetically organized, including common expressions that are part of our day to day language. “Por décadas, el café de Colombia ha sido reconocido a nivel mundial como el mejor y el más suave. Según los expertos, sus granos tienen los atributos perfectos. Pero, ¿de dónde es originario el café y cómo llegó a Colombia? Esta es una historia maravillosa, que llevará al lector por una aventura alrededor del mundo, mostrándole el camino del café.”

Genres: School, Read For School, Spanish Literature, Fiction

102 pages, Paperback

Published May 9, 2019

Reviews

[Nick Mosley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book smartly fuses an engaging fictional narrative with intriguing facts about coffee--it's history, it's role in the economy of Colombia, and how to evaluate the drink's qualities in a "cata" (testing). Despite it's narrow theme, El Camino Del Café presents a rich variety of extremely useful vocabulary. Highly reccomended for Spanish learners with a passion for coffee.

[Cari Legere · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for Spanish students.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Spanish in this feels much more idiomatic than most TPRS novels I’ve read, and the writing more compelling. I also learned several idioms I didn’t know myself! I liked the use of the vos form as well (makes sense since it’s Colombia, but glad it wasn’t shied away from).

The frame of the novel seemed unnecessary - I’d love to see chapter books with sheltered vocab for language learners that are non-fiction! I work with many kids and teens with autism, and they don’t go in for many of the teen love or concerns plots of other novels, and are craving hard science fiction and non-fiction.

[Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although it’s written for students learning Spanish, I found it difficult to get through when I purchased it. I just didn’t find it interesting. I finally read 4 chapters but really didn’t retain much.

However, after doing research on the history of coffee, which is basically the subject of half this book, I was able to reread the entire book in under an hour easily.

I give it 4 stars because it covers a lot—the history of coffee production in the world before it came to the Americas, and in the second half a budding romance that encapsulates details about the cultivation of coffee in Colombia.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book felt a bit choppy with the stories going from present day to background story of how the family came into the coffee business. I did enjoy the way Adriana Ramirez wrote. She used idioms, figurative language, and the story line mixed history with teen love. I image this to be a book my students would enjoy.

[Franyloslibros · Rating 3 out of 5]

Una historia muy bonita que nos hace adentrarnos en el mundo del café desde sus inicios hasta cómo llegó a Colombia, puedo decir que me gustó, aunque lo recomiendo para lectores muy jóvenes. Tiene una hermosa portada que hay que destacar y también me motivó muchísimo a probar el café colombiano.

[Ana Lucia Padilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me encanto. Lo usare con mis estudiantes.

Es entrepreneur y ademas USA various tiempos verbales. La escritora USA palabras faciles y detalles culturales q te invitan a aprender.

[Oly Milena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yo tuve que leer este libro para mi clase de español. Originalmente, crecí que sería aburrido, pero era una historia muy reconfortante. Soy Colombiana, y aunque sé que esta historia no es de verdad, me ayuda a respetar la cultura del café.

[Carson Rustad]

my spanish teacher made us read pain

[Amelie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 estrellas

[NikNak · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did not understand anything

[C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommended by a neighbor who teaches Spanish - this was a fun read and I learned a little coffee history.

Some of the words in bold are not in the glossary.

Also a little worried about Clara, as she pretty much zonks out for the first 1/3 of the book. Seems like a lot for a girl who likes her coffee!

[Ishaa · Rating 2 out of 5]

eh.