Song of the Swallows
by Leo Politi
A Caldecott Medal winner in 1948, this classic book tells the story of the annual return of swallows to the Mission San Juan Capistrano. Julian, the bell ringer, teaches Juan about the swallows. Julian soon becomes enamored with the swallows and looks forward to their return by making a special garden for them to nest near his home. This is a sweet book that also provides a lesson in Latino heritage, Spanish phrases interspersed in the book, and an original song.