Spanish Books
RSSChaired by Freda Mosquera, Broward County Library, FL
July 1, 2010
AMELIO-ORTIZ, Osvaldo P. Cenicienta... ¿Es una mugrienta? illus. by Nancy Fiorini. unpaged. Nicanitas. 2010. pap. $7.15. ISBN 978-84-96448-28-5. LC number unavailable.
K-Gr 3–Picking up where Charles Perrault’s tale left off, this title is the charming account of the effort the prince makes to put a smile on Cinderella’s face after his unhappy bride confesses that she has a special talent for playing with cinders and misses the opportunity to do so. He hires a carpenter to make a special place for his wife to create and play. The king announces that the prince has a special invitation for everyone. He brings Cinderella to the stadium and asks her to reveal her secret. Removing her shoes, she begins playing with the fine cinder powder, creating flowers and swans. The people are enchanted by her pictures and the prince is elated that Cinderella is happy. The muted earth tones of the illustrations and charming faces of the royal couple add to the warmth of this enduring fairy tale. An engaging read, suitable for sharing in small groups or reading aloud.-Angélica Sauceda, Anaheim Public Library.
CABRACKEN, Beth. Cenicienta: La novela gráfica. tr. by Maria Luisa Feely. illus. by Jeffrey Stewart Timmins. 40p. (Graphic Spin en Español Series). Capstone. 2010. PLB $22.65. ISBN 978-1-4342-1900-8. LC number unavailable.
Gr 3-6-This graphic novel, which begins by telling of a heart broken many years ago, is a retelling of the Grimms’ version of the fairy tale with a few changes along the way, such as a tree that grows on Cinderella’s mother’s grave that plays a pivotal role. The story is concisely written, using fairly basic vocabulary. It contains somewhat dark, solemn pen sketches instead of the chameleonlike expressions from sadness to elation and then to despair found among illustrations in some of the more commercialized versions of the tale. The emotions depicted here are mostly muted and subdued. Each page has a multiframe layout with legibly printed dialogue bubbles. There is a list of characters at the beginning and biographical information about the author and illustrator, a glossary of some of the more complex words in the story, a history of the fairy tale, and discussion questions and writing points at the end. Children familiar with the story will enjoy this interesting new spin on it.-Rhonda Jeffers, Coweta Public Library System, Newnan, GA
CANETTI, Yanitzia. Abecedario salvaje. unpaged. photos. glossary. Brick House. 2009. pap. $8.99. ISBN 978-1-59835-117-0. LC 2009037929.
PreS-Gr 2-Wild animals from ardilla (squirrel) to zorro (fox) are depicted in full-page, high-quality photographs. A close-up of each creature is accompanied by four lines of rhyming, descriptive text. Alliteration and tongue-twisting elements abound, which add to the read-aloud appeal. Stock photos support the text. It is impressive to see such a cohesive story come from varied pieces although it is clear that Canetti’s poetic writing is the glue. This book is an anchor for alphabet and animal storytimes as well as lessons on poetry. Adults can play the “guess who’s next?” game with younger audiences and create animal acrostics with school-age children. The glossary and animal information found on the endpapers are extremely useful and well organized.-Shannon Dye, Peoria Public Library, AZ
CAPRIOLO, Paola. Maria Callas. illus. by Alessandra Scandella. 116p. Laberinto. 2009. Tr $27.95. ISBN 978-84-8483-351-2. LC number unavailable.
Gr 7 Up-Despite her international renown, the legendary opera singer is depicted as a truly lonely soul longing to find love through her natural ability to sing and interpret music. Her story is full of twists and turns, love and heartache, rivalry and friendship. Like a true tragedy, the “Tigress” as she was known, died alone after a lifetime of seeking adoration. Although Scandellas’s beautiful and bold illustrations draw the eye, it is Capriolo’s telling of Callas’s story that will captivate readers.-Angelica G. Fortin, San Diego County Library, CA
COSTALES, Amy. Abuelo vivía solo/Grandpa Used to Live Alone. illus. by Esperanza Gama. unpaged. CIP. Arte Publico. 2010. Tr $16.95. ISBN 978-1-55885-531-1. LC 2009026477.
K-Gr 3-Grandpa lived alone until his granddaughter was born, and then his daughter and her baby moved in with him, transforming his peaceful world. His garden isn’t orderly anymore; toys are scattered all over his house, and his patio becomes her painting canvas. But clearly he loves her, and while her mother is at school or working, Grandpa makes rice pudding, tells her stories, and tucks her in bed. The roles change as the years pass and Grandpa grows older; he teaches his granddaughter to drive, she makes the rice pudding and helps him to bed. Each page of bilingual text faces a full-page illustration that shows the close relationship between the two and the changes in their physical appearances, but their poses and movements are a bit stiff. Although the story is charming and the girl’s evocation of her grandfather is poetic, the repetition of a long paragraph about making rice pudding over and over again lessens the total effect of the narrative and slows it down. A marginal purchase.-Diana Borrego, formerly at San José Public Library, Salinas, CA
DOEDEN, Matt. El ejército de E.E.UU./The U.S. Army. ISBN 978-1-4296-4602-4. LC 2009030382.
---- . La fuerza aérea de EE.UU./The U.S. Air Force. ISBN 978-1-4296-4601-7. LC 2009030383.
REED, Jennifer. La armada de EE.UU./The U.S. Navy. ISBN 978-1-4296-4604-8. LC 2009030381.
---- . La infantería de marina de EE.UU./The U.S. Marine Corps. ISBN 978-1-4296-4603-1. LC 2009030384.
ea vol: 24p. (Ramas militares/Military Branches Series). photos. glossary. index. Web sites. Capstone/Pebble Plus. 2010. PLB $22.65.
Gr 3-5-Each bilingual title introduces a branch of the U. S. military. Two to three short sentences per page highlight different jobs, tools, and machines within the service: soldiers, pilots, mechanics, air-traffic controllers, doctors, cooks, etc. The full-page photographs include the best-known equipment such as humvees, aircraft carriers, submarines, airplanes, assault amphibian vehicle, helicopters, and others. The photos also portray the diversity of the troops. This simply written series give children the opportunity to read independently while satisfying their curiosity about the military.-Ana Rodriguez, Tamarac Elementary School, FL
DUNN, Mary R. Quiero hacer películas. ISBN 978-1-4042-8155-4. LC 2009007704.
---- . Quiero ser chef. ISBN 978-1-4042-8156-1. LC 2009006839.
---- . Quiero ser diseñador de modas. ISBN 978-1-4042-8154-7. LC 2009010334.
---- . Quiero ser piloto de carreras. ISBN 978-1-4042-8157-8. LC 2009014848.
---- . Quiero trabajar en los musicales. ISBN 978-1-4042-8153-0. LC 2009011698.
FRANK, Katie. Quiero ser beisbolista. ISBN 978-1-4042-8159-2. LC 2009015789.
ea vol: tr. by Eduardo Alamán. 24p. (Trabajos de ensueño Series). photos. glossary. index. Web sites. Rosen/PowerKids Pr. 2009. PLB $21.25.
Gr 2-4-Introducing new vocabulary in bold letters, these titles describe the responsibilities and important aspects of high-profile careers. They mention public appearances, signing autographs, commercial endorsements, and charity work. The full-color close-ups include well-known personalities and add details to the text. Translated from the English series, “Dream Jobs,” the books capture the content and fluency of the originals. Readers will enjoy these titles because they present individuals whom children admire and jobs they dream about.-Ana Rodriguez, Tamarac Elementary School, FL
EDWARDS, Roberta. Michelle Obama: Primera dama y “primera mamá.” illus. by Ken Call. 48p. photos. Santillana. 2010. pap. $8.99. ISBN 978-1-60396-946-8. LC number unavailable.
Gr 1-3-Accompanied by beautiful watercolor illustrations and photographs, this short and charming biography describes Obama’s personal achievements as a student, civil-rights lawyer, executive, wife, and mother. Children will find her story inspiring as hard work and dedication are presented as the keys to her success. The importance of family is a major theme throughout, with the author describing how the First Lady strives to maintain a sense of normalcy for her daughters as she continues to champion her chosen causes. A good choice for most collections.-Angelica G. Fortin, San Diego County Library, CA
ELLIS, Deborah. Ciudad de barro. 146p. (Colección alandar Series). Edelvives. 2010. pap. $13.95. ISBN 978-84-263-7374-8. LC number unavailable.
Gr 5-7-In this conclusion to the trilogy about Afghan refugees during the Taliban regime, readers follow the moving story of Shauzia. Her journey begins when she decides to leave the Women and Children’s refugee camp across the border in Pakistan after a disagreement with Mrs. Weera, an ex- teacher who runs secret organizations to help women and children. Once Shauzia leaves the camp, she discovers that it isn’t so easy being on her own. The freedom she hopes to find in France, her family history, as well as the depth of emotion she has for Parvana, a young girl whose life is completely changed when her scholar father is incarcerated by the Taliban in El viaje de Parvana (Alandar, 2005) are crucial to understanding this character and why she is so willing to continue on her own despite the hardships she encounters. While Ciudad de barro can stand alone, it is recommended that children read the first installments in order to fully understand Shauzia’s motivations. The use of the “vosotros” form instead of “ustedes” may confuse readers not familiar with this verb conjugation primarily used in Spain. A captivating multicultural novel that vividly portrays the suffering of homeless children in Afghanistan.-Rebecca A. Alcal á, San Mateo County Library, CA
GÓMEZ CERDÁ, Alfredo. El botín de Atolondrado. illus. by Sara Rojo. 126p. Edelvives. 2010. pap. $11.95. ISBN 978-84-263-7370-0. LC number unavailable.
Gr 3-6–All famous pirates have nicknames to match their personality, and these brigands are no exception. Captain Ornery, aka Gloomy, Crybaby, and Lamebrain, has multiple personalities and more nicknames than treasure. He and his crew sail the seas taking over ships and stealing their loot. However, upon his return home, his haul is stolen, and he is forced to appear empty-handed before his truly fear-inspiring wife, Crabby. Gómez Cerdá has created a laugh-out-loud story that is sure to appeal both to boys and girls. Rojo’s funny pictures, witty nicknames, odd treasures, and scenes full of slapstick comedy are meshed with an underlying message about recognizing one’s strengths and knowing what really matters.-Erica Kindrick, Yolo County Library, CA
HOLAVES, Chris. Running with the Bats/Corriendo con los murciélagos. tr. by Candace Medina. illus. by John Goomas. 64p. glossary. Astakos. 2010. pap. $15.95. ISBN 978-9-9792991-1-7. LC 2009902645.
Gr 3-5-One dark night, while playing baseball with his friends, Joe sees strange creatures flying across the night sky. At first, he thinks they are birds. They bump into him and seem to attack, prompting him to run. He falls and picks up one that’s lying on the ground and realizes that it’s a bat. He runs home and it seems that the bats have followed him there. Terrified, Joe tries to scare them away from the screens. When his parents return, he realizes that the bats were not after him, but after the fireflies that were out that night as well. This story is told using an ABCB rhyme scheme in English but not in Spanish. The translation does not flow as well as the English text, which may cause problems if read aloud. The atmospheric pen-and-ink illustrations add to the overall feel of the story. Facts about bats as well as a glossary and discussion points are included.-Roberto Zapata, San Antonio Public Library
HOLLIHAN, Kerrie Logan. Carnival in Latin America/Carnaval en Latinoamérica. ISBN 978-1-4358-9366-5. LC 2009032099.
---- . Christmas Traditions in Latin America/Tradiciones navideñas de Latinoamérica. ISBN 978-1-4358-9365-8. LC 2009031044.
---- . Hispanic Heritage Month/Mes de la Herencia Hispana. ISBN 978-1-4358-9364-1. LC 2009030401.
ea vol: tr. by Ma. Pilar Sanz. 24p. (Latin American Celebrations and Festivals/Celebraciones y festivales de Latinoamérica Series). photos. glossary. index. Websites. Rosen. 2010. PLB $21.25.
Gr 2-5-These volumes showcase major holidays and festivals. The first book describes the different ways that carnival is observed and briefly touches on the celebration in the United States. The author gives a brief history of the events, tying their origins to early Christian Europe. The rest of the text describes the sights and sounds of the modern celebrations: the parades, costumes, dancing, drumming, fireworks, beads, and confetti. The second book discusses the significance and history of Hispanic Heritage Month. It touches on Día de la Raza (Day of the Race), talks about the current U.S. Hispanic population, suggests ways that young people can gain more knowledge of their heritage, and introduces Latinos who are well known within popular U.S. culture. The third volume explores varied ways that Latinos celebrate the Christmas holidays across the Americas from the foods and feasts, to the use of lights, to the making of family nativity scenes, to which days children open presents. It touches briefly on Las Posadas, where people travel to neighborhood homes, singing and asking if there is room in the inn for Mary and Joseph, and the anticipated coming of the Three Wise Men. The Spanish translations accurately portray the English prose. Throughout the texts, words highlighted in bold print are featured in the glossaries. Full-color photographs appear on each spread.-Cristi Jenkins, Fort Vancouver Library District, WA
MAESTRO, Pepe. La biomeaestra. illus. by David Guirao. 110p. Edelvives. 2010. pap. $12.95. ISBN 978-84-2637371-7. LC number unavailable.
Gr 4-6-Fifth-grader Blas has an eccentric teacher. She is a biomaestra, or a teacher of everything natural and from nature. Her courses include feng shui, yoga, global warming, vegetable gardens, Halloween, and donkeys. She takes her students on many adventures in and outside her classroom, introducing them to some of the most important aspects of existence. Blas is a little unsure of her at first, but he finds himself learning along with his fellow students more than he had imagined. La Biomaestra pushes the borders of traditional education and will helps kids really think about establishing their own well-being as well as that of the world around them. Guirao’s illustrations are spooky and somewhat reminiscent of a Tim Burton film. They would be great for a ghost story, but don’t seem to fit the overall inspirational tone of the book.-Jessica McClinton, King County Library System, Auburn, WA
MORALES, Amparo, ed. Diccionario didáctico básico del español. unpaged. illus. Ediciones SM. 2009. Tr $0. ISBN 978-19-348-0143-7. LC number unavailable.
Gr 4 Up-This compact dictionary includes many words that are specific to Puerto Rican Spanish such as “zafacón,” “alcapurria,” “chavar” “embeleco”; modern technical terms such as “MP3,” “iPod,” and “internet”; African words such as “mofongo” and “bongo”; and indigenous words such as “batey” and “guábara.” The type is easy to read with each entry word in blue and definitions in black type. The book is sparsely illustrated with small cartoon-style line drawings. Special touches include conjugation tables below irregular verb entries and 16 pages of color photographs of flora, fauna, and places. Although it has more than 26,000 definitions, the book is small enough to fit into a book bag. A solid choice for collections that serve Latino patrons, especially those from Puerto Rico.-Rebecca Hickman, Alvin Sherman Library at nova, Fort Lauderdale, FL
MORENO WINNER, Ramona. The Wooden Bowl/El Bol de madera. illus. by Nicole Garay. unpaged. BrainStorm 3000. 2009. Tr $15.95. ISBN 978-0-9651174-3-2. LC 2007903021.
K-Gr 3-A boy’s grandfather has come to live with him and his parents. When the elderly man accidentally drips his milk or drops his food on the table, the boy’s parents put him at a different table and place his food in a large, deep wooden bowl. Observing his grandfather’s depressed expression, the child ventures into the garage and finds some wood pieces and glues them together. He presents his creations to his parents and tells them that when they are older, he will feed them out of these bowls just like they feed Grandpa. On each spread, the story is presented with English text on the left and Spanish on the right. An English/Spanish vocabulary quiz and discussion questions are appended. This book has an important message that be should be heard.-Rhonda Jeffers, Coweta Public Library System, Newnan, GA
REBSCHER, Susanne. Julio César. tr. by Frank Schleper. illus. by Dagmara Matuszak. 32p. map. glossary. Edelvives. 2009. Tr $31.95. ISBN 978-84-263-7255-0. LC number unavailable.
Gr 5 Up-This lush, interactive volume covers the man’s childhood, education, and rise to power. It documents how César decided the fate of the Roman Republic in the year 49 B.C. after conquering most of Europe and then turned his army on Rome itself to obtain absolute power. The book closes with his assassination in 44 B.C. Art historian Rebscher’s text is highlighted by excellent illustrations on 14 magnificent spreads with extras such as letters/maps, flaps, and realia. For instance, on page one, readers will find an envelope that contains a chronology, a historical glossary, and a map of old Rome. “Educación y Formación” includes a mini book about everything that a young Roman should know. In “Amigos and Enemigos,” the illustrator uses a three-dimensional effect to convey César’s oratory skills. Kids can also feel the texture of sculptures and monuments, which gives a real sense of the emperor’s world. This sequel to Rebscher’s Leonardo Da Vinci (Edelvives, 2008) is well translated into Spanish from the original German and highly entertaining. Recommended for fluent native Spanish speakers interested in biographical and historical anecdotes about César and his world.-Eric G ó mez, Broward County African-American Research Library, Fort Lauderdale, FL
RISSMAN, Rebecca. Las formas en el arte. ISBN 978-1-4329-3621-1. LC 2009011035.
---- . Las formas en el deporte. ISBN 978-1-4329-3625-9. LC 2009011036.
---- . Las formas en la música. ISBN 978-1-4329-3624-2. LC 2009011037.
---- . Las formas en los edificios. ISBN 978-1-4329-3622-8. LC 2009011039.
---- . Las formas en los jardines. ISBN 978-1-4329-3623-5. LC 2009011034.
ea vol: 24p. (Identifica la forma Series). photos. glossary. index. Heinemann Library. 2009. PLB $20.71.
PreS-Gr 1-These small square books introduce children to shapes and then identify them within the book’s theme (art, sports, buildings, gardens, and music). The volumes rely on colorful subject-specific photographs to involve youngsters in shape recognition and reinforcement. An illustrated glossary and activities for adults to do with children before and after reading complete the packages.-Ana Rodriguez, Tamarac Elementary School, FL
ROBBERECHT, Thierry. ¡Soy un dragón! illus. by Philippe Goosens. unpaged. Edelvives. 2010. Tr $8.95. ISBN 978-84-263-7383-0. LC number unavailable.
PreS-Gr 2-A boy gets so furious when his mom tells him “No!” again that he feels as though he is turning into stone. He’s in such a rage that he turns into a dragon and destroys everything in his path. Mom and Dad try to calm him down, but with no luck. When he finally cools off, he feels sad and ashamed. With the help of a loving embrace, the dragon becomes a boy again. The illustrations, painted on canvas, are imaginative and support the text. This story pairs well with Molly Bang’s When Sophie Gets Angry, Really Really Angry (Blue Sky, 1999), also available in Spanish. This book acknowledges and legitimizes children´s feelings; it could be very meaningful, especially when it is shared one-to-one. -Liliana Patricia Rocha, Teton County Library, Jackson, WY
ZAK, Monica. La niña y la anguila. tr. by Lucía Orea. illus. by Bengt-Arne Runnerström. 32p. Piedra Santa Editorial. 2009. pap. $13.95. ISBN 978-99922-1-325-4. LC number unavailable.
Gr 1-3–Sina, a Samoan girl, discovers an eel and begins to care for it. The feeling is reciprocated, and as a result, the two fall in love despite her family’s opposition. Similar to many folktales handed down from generations past, this legend reflects the culture from which it came. It touches on tough lessons, but the author makes them understandable for young children and carries universal themes that readers can learn from. Details on Runnesrström’s pictures allow readers to glimpse into Sina’s life and culture. The ocean symbolizes an essential element to her, as well as her tribal group. Local tribal markings, garb, and foliage allow kids to visit this unique place. This story serves not only as an introduction to an original tale but also to another culture and group of people. Activities, maps, and background information about myth and setting are included.–Veronica Corral, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, VA
