Publisher's Weekly Review

\par \par REVIEWED WITH:\par Rafi y Rosi. }}{{\lang11274\langfe1033\langnp11274\insrsid14291300 \'a1}}{{\insrsid14291300 Carnaval! \par (Rafi and Rosi: Carnival!) \par }}{{\b\insrsid14291300 PreS-Gr 3}}{{\insrsid14291300 \endash The arrival of the \'93Rafi and Rosi\'94 books in Spanish is a cause for celebration. Delacre has created two lovable characters that happen to be Puerto Rican tree frogs, or Coqu\'eds\emdash a species unique to Puerto Rico. By casting them as the main characters, the author is able to share not only the island\rquote s natural wonders but also its cultural celebrations. In the first book, Rafi shows his sister Rosi natural phenomena that appear to be magic. An informative afterword provides details on the frogs, the physics involved in Rafi\rquote s tricks, and some of the flora and fauna depicted in the story. In }}{{\i\lang11274\langfe1033\langnp11274\insrsid14291300 \'a1}}{{\i\insrsid14291300 Carnival!}}{{\insrsid14291300 , Rosi discovers that she can\rquote t be carnival queen while her brother has some fun playing some tricks on her. He scares her by wearing a terrible vejigante mask. In the end, Rosi is able to exact her revenge. Delacre\rquote s translation reads well, and her distinctive illustrations give the characters expression and emotion. These titles should be part of any core collection for beginning readers.\emdash }}{{\i\insrsid14291300 Tim Wadham, Youth Services Coordinator, Maricopa County Library District, Phoenix, Arizona\par }}{{\insrsid14291300 \par }}{{\cf6\insrsid1978184 * }}{{\insrsid14291300 Secretos de familia.\par (Family Secrets)\par Isol.\par }}{{\b\insrsid14291300 K-Gr 2\endash }}{{\insrsid14291300 Adults and children will laugh out loud with this brief title by this year\rquote s Hans Christian Andersen Award finalist. \'93I have a secret,\'94 confesses the troubled young protagonist in the first page. \'93My mother is actually a porcupine.\'94 As the girl explains, one day she woke up earlier than usual and discovered a scary-looking woman fixing breakfast\emdash her hair sticking up in all directions and her puffy eyes barely open. It was her mother. The girl is horrified and ashamed by her discovery; so much so that she hides it from her best friend. Why tell this dirty secret to her friend? she thinks. She wouldn\rquote t understand it anyway because her family \'93is normal\'94. Eventually, the young protagonist learns that the grass in not always greener on the other side. Isol beautifully explores that childhood sentiment that our friends\rquote s families are better than ours. The short sentences, simple vocabulary, and humorous illustrations make this title ideal for younger readers. The expressive characters, drawn in black ink with thick strokes of watercolor, beautifully compliment the text. Highly recommended for all libraries and bookstores.\emdash }}{{\i\insrsid14291300 Ximena Diego, }}{{\insrsid14291300 Cr}}{{\lang11274\langfe1033\langnp11274\insrsid14291300 \'edticas.\par }}{{\insrsid14291300 \par \par Un perro muy diferente. \par (A Very Unusual Dog) \par Harris, Dorothy Joan. \par tr. by Alberto Jimenez Rioja. illus. by Kim LaFave. U.S.: Lectorum: Scholastic. 2006\par unpaged. ISBN: 1-933032-04-9. pap. $5.99 \par }}{{\b\insrsid14291300 K-Gr 2\endash }}{{\insrsid14291300 Jonathan insists that he has a dog, even if no one else can see it. He takes }}{{\i\insrsid14291300 Perro }}{{\insrsid14291300 to the park on a leash, feeds him crumbs from the dining table, and makes room for him in the car when they visit family. His sister is overtly scornful and she complains about }}{{\i\insrsid14291300 Perro}}{{\insrsid14291300 to their grandmother. Grandmother, however, responds with interest. She shows Jonathan a picture of cocker spaniel and asks if }}{{\i\insrsid14291300 Perro}}{{\insrsid14291300 resembles it. Jonathan is more interested in the cat in the photo, his grandmother\rquote s late pet. Back at home, the dog is gone; and when Elizabeth comments, Jonathan confides that he left it with Grandmother so that she would not be lonely. This charming story of a child\rquote s imaginary playmate and an understanding adult is enhanced by full-page, computerized color illustrations that are both expressive and humorous. The smooth Spanish translation perfectly captures the child\rquote s devotion to his pet. Excellent for sharing in groups or one-on-one, this book will generate discussion about animals, both real and imaginary. Combined with }}{{\i\insrsid14291300 Daniel\rquote s Dog}}{{\insrsid14291300 by Jo Ellen Bogart (Scholastic, 1990), it would make a great bilingual story time about the power of a pet that only a child can see. A sound purchase for bookstores and libraries alike.\emdash }}{{\i\insrsid14291300 Ann Welton, Grant Center for the Expressive Arts, Tacoma, WA}}{{\insrsid14291300 \par \par Nap\'ed va a la monta\'f1a.\par (Napi Goes to the Mountain)\par Ram\'edrez, Antonio.\par }}{{\b\insrsid14291300 K-Gr 3\emdash }}{{\insrsid14291300 Ram\'edrez takes readers on a fantastical journey through the Mexican countryside in this story of Nap\'ed, a young Mazateca girl, and her search for her missing father. This book begins firmly grounded in the reality of indigenous labor rights and a possible dispute that may have resulted in Nap\'ed's father's disappearance. Despite this very contemporary rooting, Ram\'edrez quickly lifts off into a romp through rivers full of helpful turtles, woods replete with talking animals, and a magical flock of herons that transform Nap\'ed and her brother (who has been roped into the search) into deer. These marvelous turns splash across the page in vibrant watercolors, which, though appealing, use an illogical color highlighting technique. This inconsistency may puzzle curious children but is not detrimental to the telling of the story. However, the story is not wholly satisfying: the return to reality is much too quick and unexplained. Ram\'edrez and Domi have created a book with very good ingredients but a somewhat unreasoned assembly. Despite these minor flaws, the book remains a good Spanish picture book, which is recommended for libraries and bookstores.\emdash }}{{\i\insrsid14291300 Ver\'f3nica E. Betancourt, Swarthmore College Graduate, Silver Spring, MD}}{{\insrsid14291300 \par \par }}{{\cf6\insrsid1978184 * }}{{\insrsid14291300 Y pensar que lo vi por la calle Porvenir.\par (And to Think that I Saw It on Mulberry Street)\par Dr. Seuss.\par }}{{\b\insrsid14291300 K-Gr 3\endash }}{{\insrsid14291300 Canetti has created a beautiful translation of this childhood classic. She has succeed in taking Dr. Seuss\rquote s idiosyncratic English verse and turning it into appropriate, and, yet, still idiosyncratic, Spanish. She retells the story of the little boy who sees a horse and carriage on the street and imagines ways to embellish the scene, turning it into a fantastic parade with marching bands, wild animals, and a police escort. As the young narrator\rquote s ideas get more and more fanciful, the translation maintains the rhyming rhythm perfectly. This is a book that young children will want to hear again and again. Highly recommended for all libraries and book stores.\emdash }}{{\i\insrsid14291300 Rebecca Thatcher Murcia, Akron, PA \par }}{{\insrsid14291300 \par Un \'e1rbol es hermoso. \par (A Tree is Nice) \par Udry, Janice May. \par illus. by Mark Simont. tr. by Mar}}{{\lang11274\langfe1033\langnp11274\insrsid14291300 \'ed}}{{\insrsid14291300 a A. Fiol. U.S.: Rayo: HarperCollins. 1995. unpaged. ISBN-10: 0-06-088708-7. $6.99. \par }}{{\b\insrsid14291300 PreK-Gr 2\endash }}{{\insrsid14291300 As Udry suggests through clear, succinct language, there are countless ways to appreciate trees. Young readers will want to visit this brief book again and again, as they see their world reflected in the illustrations. Children climb, cats seek refuge from pursuing canines, our houses receive shade, branches become drawing tools for the sand, autumn leaves are piled high... The Spanish translation of this Caldecott Medal winner is well crafted, and the brilliantly colored illustrations\emdash which alternate with black-and-white ones--emphasize the numerous hues of our natural surroundings. Recommended for all bookstores and library collections.\emdash }}{{\i\insrsid14291300 Paul M. Kienlen, Northside ISD Bilingual/ESL Department, San Antonio, TX}}{{\insrsid14291300 \par \par \par }}{{\b\insrsid6761035 REVIEWED WITH:\line }}{{\insrsid14291300 Dora l}}{{\insrsid6761035 a exploradora: La quincea\'f1era. \line }}{{\insrsid14291300 (The Birthday Dance }}{{\insrsid6761035 Party)\line Inches, Alison.\line }}{{\insrsid14291300 \par }}{{\insrsid14291300 \par Dora}}{{\insrsid6761035 la exploradora: \'a1S\'faper beb\'e9s! \line (Super Babies)\line Inches, Alison.\line }}{{\insrsid14291300 illus. by Victoria Miller. U.S.: Libros para ni\'f1os: Simon&Schuster (Dora\rquote \par }}{{\b\insrsid14291300 PreS-Gr 2\endash }}{{\insrsid14291300 Dora\rquote s legions of fans will be thrilled to have these new books to pour over. As with other titles from the popular series, these 24-page paperbacks rely on formula to move the action along. Dora and her monkey sidekick, Boots, encounter a problem that is compounded by the shenanigans of Swiper the Fox. Children are encouraged to participate in the solution by reading a simple map, reciting the alphabet, and reviewing shapes and numbers. A few simple English words are interspersed throughout the mainly Spanish text, and the font size is easy to read. Plots are definitely secondary to the main function of these drill and practice titles. Cutesy cartoon illustrations are uninspiring and cloying but will appeal to kids familiar with the TV show. These titles will be wildly popular in classroom and library collections. Bookstores will want to buy plenty of copies for parents looking for inexpensive titles aimed at building basic skills}}{{\i\insrsid14291300 .\emdash Cheryl Scheer, Formerly Denver Public Library., CO\par }}{{\insrsid14291300 \par \'a1Cuac, cuac!\par (It\rquote s Quacking Time)\par Waddell, Martin.\par }}{{\b\insrsid14291300 PreS-Gr 2\endash }}{{\insrsid14291300 Waddell\rquote s tale of a loving duck family awaiting and greeting the hatching of a new duckling makes a smooth transition into Spanish with Franco\rquote s apt translation. Patito\rquote s curiosity about the egg, his excitement as the hatching nears, and his learning that he too, like all ducks, began exactly so echo a child\rquote s questions accompanying the birth of a new sibling. The duck family\rquote s preparations\emdash keeping the egg warm, making the nest comfortable for }}{{\i\insrsid14291300 Mam\'e1}}{{\insrsid14291300 , hearing sounds from the egg\emdash involve }}{{\i\insrsid14291300 T\'eda}}{{\insrsid14291300 (Aunt) and }}{{\i\insrsid14291300 Abuelo}}{{\insrsid14291300 (Grandfather) as well. The family greets the inevitable birth with a chorus of quacks, followed by a swim. Barton's watercolors are both realistic and humorous, with broad swaths of blue water and yellow sand, along with green reeds and grass. Some illustrations are full-page or spreads, while others feature smaller scenes placed within the text. This charming title is sure to be popular with both with animal lovers and siblings of new or imminent babies. Recommended for all children\rquote s libraries and bookstores.\emdash }}{{\i\insrsid14291300 Coop Renner, Hillside Elementary, El Paso, TX\par }}{{\insrsid14291300 \par }}{{\cf6\insrsid1978184 * }}{{\insrsid14291300 Marte y las princesas voladoras.\par (Marte and The Flying Princesses)\par Baranda, Mar}}{{\lang11274\langfe1033\langnp11274\insrsid14291300 \'eda.\par }}{{\b\insrsid14291300 Gr 3-5\endash }}{{\insrsid14291300 Through the eyes of young narrator Lorna, readers gain insight into what it is like to live with a mentally challenged child. Lorna's younger sister, Mosi, is special in all regards. She seems to live in her own orbit, like }}{{\i\insrsid14291300 Marte}}{{\insrsid14291300 (the planet Mars). With a tinge of sibling resentment for the extraordinary treatment given to her, but also with much compassion, Lorna narrates the daily difficulties the family faces with its youngest member. While many people are sympathetic, others neither understand nor carecapped people and their families. What's more, the story suggests how much those like Mosi can teach us all. }}{{\lang11274\langfe1033\langnp11274\insrsid14291300 Mar\'eda }}{{\insrsid14291300 Baranda genuinely captures the innocence of Lorna's angst, and Odriozola's black and white sketches illustrate a complex topic with simplicity. Strongly recommended for all schools and public libraries serving Spanish-speaking communities.\emdash }}{{\i\insrsid14291300 Gisela Norat, Agnes Scott Coll., Decatur, GA}}{{\insrsid14291300 \par \par El Reino de Kensuke.\par (Kensuke\rquote s Kingdom)\par Morpurgo, Michael.\par }}{{\b\insrsid14291300 Gr 3-5\endash }}{{\insrsid14291300 In the late 1980s, after Michael\rquote s father loses his job, he and his family embark his family on a trip around the world in a 42-foot sailboat. During their journey, the 11-year-old keeps a journal detailing the family\rquote s activities. When he is washed overboard with his dog Stella, he finds himself waking up on an island alone, or so he believes. He discovers food and water left for him and Stella; but it\rquote s not until he attempts to light a fire, for protection and as a signal to any passing boats, that he meets Kensuke, the other inhabitant of the island. The elderly Japanese man is wary of Michael at first but with time the two form a bond. Michael tells him of his home, and Kensuke tells him of his life in Nagasaki and his experiences during World War II. A combination survival and friendship story, the narrative is nicely complemented and enlarged by Foreman\rquote s black and white illustrations throughout. The Spanish translation is accessible and clear, making this title a sound purchase for school and public libraries.\emdash }}{{\i\insrsid14291300 Roxanne Landin, Ferguson Library, Stamford, CT}}{{\insrsid14291300 (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved All rights reserved.