At Last, Variety! or ¡La Variedad Llego!: Bilingual

Bilingual concept books have been available for some time, and it is easy to guess why; the sparse text in the original English language titles makes it easy to convert them into dual language books. However, until recently, those looking for other nonfiction bilingual books faced a challenge. So educators looking to better serve their English language learners must surely be pleased that, as demand for bilingual titles continues to increase, publishers’ offerings in that format also continue to grow, yielding a greater number of quality books. We now have the luxury of choosing among the series, rather than simply settling for what is available, as was the case just a few short years ago. The variety of titles below represents some of that windfall.

Gr 3-6–These titles are sure to grab the attention of car-loving reluctant readers everywhere. Five chapters describe what sets the vehicle apart from others (Corvettes are dubbed “America’s sports car” and Ferraris are labeled “fast and expensive”) and its history, engine, and future. “Fast facts/datos rápidos” are sprinkled throughout, and car-related terms are highlighted and defined in boxes on the same page. The main appeal, of course, will be the color photographs. Each book opens with its subject racing down a speedway and provides a generous number of images of the different models discussed, their engines, and a full spread photo diagram labeled in English and Spanish. A “fast fact” in Corvette provides more information about the car’s name in Spanish than it does in English, and the decimal point in metric figures used in Ferrari should be a comma as the Spanish system dictates; but these minutiae in no way interfere with the overall readability of the texts. Internet resources are provided through the publisher’s Web site, though not all recommended sites are available in Spanish.

PreS-Gr 2–”Animal opposites” books are not new to English language readers, but this series represents an exciting addition to the bilingual genre. A large trim size allows these titles to fully display the dazzling photographs within, which include not only perennial favorites such as zebras and koalas, but also fascinating thorny devil lizards and pangolins. As each concept is reinforced with a side-by-side presentation of the animals’ opposite traits such as their size or texture (a spread in Big and Small contrasts elephants and mice, for example), information is given on how that attribute affects the creature’s ability to protect itself, hunt, or fit into its habitat. Bubbled sidebars appear throughout, with some appearing in closing “Did You Know” spreads. Tidbits in two of the Loud and Quiet bubbles contradict one another; one lists blue whales among the “loudest animals” in an explanation of how decibels are measured, while another states that whale sounds are “too low for people to hear.” Each book wraps up by asking readers to name animals that live near them that share the traits discussed. These vibrant titles will work well in libraries serving Spanish-speaking children, and in English Language Learner programs.

PreS-Gr 2–Three-to-five sentences face full-color photographs in these titles. The three volumes describing patterns set by the movements of the sun and the moon–Moon, Year, and Day and Night–include diagrams for clarification, and all titles conclude with an illustrated or photographic diagram that shows the different facets of each pattern and reinforces how it repeats itself. Though glossary terms are not bolded in the text, this is a quality series aided by a straightforward Spanish translation.

PreS-Gr 2–These titles teach colors, opposites, and sorting and classifying through the use of toys. Photos show multicultural and physically challenged children (and adults in My Book). On each spread, a toy is introduced and labeled on the left page (“white ball”), and new terms are applied to form a full sentence on the right (“This is my white ball”). The last page reinforces the concept by introducing an item that does not belong in the category (“This is not a ball” displays a photo of a girl petting a confused-looking dog). Oddly, the books displayed in My Book are English-only. While these titles may not represent serious competition for the “A+ Bilingual Mixed Set” (Capstone, 2008), the clever presentation makes them appealing additions.

PreS-Gr 1–These visually stimulating titles have simple texts, vibrant photographs of “everyday” items, and enough facts to keep children engaged. Information, such as the fact that a caterpillar turns into a butterfly, that birds hatch from eggs, and where sunflower seeds come from, is presented in an enthusiastic tone that reinforces the series title. Although much of the material is further developed in series that cover similar topics, these titles are not meant to be all-inclusive, but rather, a fun introduction to the world of learning. The spare text may also make these books useful language-learning tools for the younger set. The faint printing of the Spanish text runs the risk of rendering that language secondary, despite a flawless translation. Vocabulary words are set in boldface in the text and defined in a short photo glossary. Although not a necessary purchase, this attractive series will complement most Spanish-language collections.

PreS-Gr 1–The first spread of these interactive, peekaboo-style books presents a textual clue with basic facts about an animal (“Whose back is bumpy and orange and black?”) on the left page and a peephole view of the animal on the right. The next spread repeats the clue, adding the animal’s name (“This toad’s back is bumpy…”) and a full view of its body. Each book contains five clues, with three or four glossary words bolded in the text. The clear design facilitates reading and the peephole will awaken young readers’ curiosity, while the difficulty of some of the visual clues will maintain interest. The Spanish translation reads as naturally as the English, but it is printed in a much fainter typeface, a redundancy since a line split on each page makes the language divide clear. Fun additions.

Gr 1-3–Packed with information presented in a clear, concise matter, these books will appeal to children seeking “green” bilingual titles. Excellent introductions to science, they contain key concepts and important “challenge words” such as “orbit,” “atmosphere,” “oxygen,” and “cells.” Unfortunately, these terms are a little difficult to find as they are italicized rather than bolded, but their definitions within the text are a plus. The texts are beautifully complemented by color photos and diagrams. The maps in the fourth title are presented mostly in English, a permissible shortcoming considering the fact that they are mostly reproductions, and the publisher includes bilingual labels (“scale/escala”) whenever possible. An inclusive index rounds off this useful series. However, the lack of Web resources is disappointing.

PreS-Gr 1–These simple titles, which boast beautiful full-color photographs, discuss how each season manifests itself. The books open with a question–for example, “How do you know it’s spring?”–the answer to which discusses markers for each season, such as the weather and the length of the day. This is followed by two chapters describing the behavior of animals and plants during each cycle. The last chapter, “What’s Next,” connects to the other volumes in the series by eliciting the name of the season that follows. The translations of the three to four lines of text per page read naturally and are at times a bit longer than the original English. The glossary words are not highlighted or defined in the texts. These titles cover essential information important for expanding collections.

PreS-Gr2–This series includes favorite marine animals such as sea horses in a smaller trim size than the “Pebble Plus” series (Capstone). Each title is divided into four chapters and opens by describing typical attributes, such as the shark’s hunting skills and the walruses’ immense tusks, followed by information on their physical characteristics and behavior, and different species, when applicable. On each spread, the text faces a full-page photograph; most are labeled. All but Octopuses and Squids include information on the creatures’ offspring, which enable these titles to compete with the many extant bilingual “baby animal” series. While not all of the volumes present the same facts (though the books cover diet, for example, Walruses mentions that the animal finds food using its whiskers, without clarifying what that food is) these titles represent a good starting point to learn about the animals. The translation is serviceable, although occasionally not totally in agreement, e.g., in Dolphins, the English text states that these creatures are “often” hunted by sharks, while the Spanish says that this only occurs “sometimes.” These books offer unique features in comparison to other titles in this group: a list of (English only) Web resources that include videos for further study, as well as a bilingual further-reading list, making them excellent sources for book reports.

Educators and parents often use concept books as English and Spanish language learning tools, and these series represent a few new, quality options. Smaller collections should consider Capstone’s vibrant and informative “Animal Opposites” series as a first purchase. Those seeking material with enough meat for reports might look at Gareth Stevens’s “Animals That Live in the Ocean” for the additional resources it provides, as well as Marshall Cavendish’s excellent “Earth Matters,” which conforms so beautifully with green curricula. Larger collections should take a closer look at the series offered by Rosen/PowerKids due to the high quality of their translations and their appealing presentations.