Count on Culebra: Go from 1 to 10 in Spanish

PreS-Gr 2—It's a sad day in the desert. Iguana, maker of excellent cactus butter dulces (sweets), can't cook because her stubbed toe is too painful. But along comes Culebra (snake), claiming to be a doctor and to have a cure. He asks Iguana's friends Tortuga (a tortoise) and Conejo (a rabbit) to find rope and tie to it one rolling pin, two kettles, three skillets, four pots, five pans, six pie tins, seven cups, eight forks, nine knives, and ten spoons. The other end is fastened to Iguana's tail, and then Culebra insists that she walk. Distracted by the clanking of the assorted kitchen paraphernalia, Iguana forgets her sore toe—and she's ready to make dulces. The narration by Brian and Rosi Amador is a perfect match for the spirited text of Paul's amusing tale (Holiday House, 2008). The expressive reading and use of differing voices pairs up with Ethan Long's goofy illustrations to create an offering that is humorous and even, in its low-key way, suspenseful. Page-turn signals are optional. An excellent way to introduce numbers in Spanish, this would also be a good transitional item for ELL students and general classrooms.—Ann Welton, Helen B. Stafford Elementary, Tacoma, WA