Fandango Stew

PreS-Gr 4—Slim and his grandson, Luis, ride into Skinflint hungry enough to "eat a boiled leather boot." Unfortunately, neither has a peso, so it looks like fandango stew for supper again. "Chili's good, so is barbecue,/but nothing's FINER than FANDANGO STEW!" When the sheriff is less than welcoming, they convince the town to let them prepare their famous dish for everyone to share. A big pot, some water, and one exceptional fandango bean will feed them all. Of course, additional ingredients would be much appreciated, and the townsfolk are happy to add potatoes, spices, vegetables, and rice to the kettle. When the stew is done, there's a celebration, and everyone eats their fill. The clever hombres have outwitted an entire populace again, and the next morning they ride off into the sunrise. Cleverly peppered with Spanish words and cowboy expressions, the text will delight young buckaroos. The story is familiar (this is "Stone Soup," the Wild West edition), but the setting breathes some new life into the tale. Readers should be able to translate the Spanish words through contextual clues, and the jargon is delightful. The illustrations, while vivid and full of clever detail, tend to lack dimension. In some scenes, characters appear to be walking on top of buildings, which may be a bit confusing to children. The colors are warm, and a red bandana pattern adorns the endpapers. A great read-aloud for just the right accent.—C. J. Connor, Campbell County Public Library, Cold Spring, KY