Say Hola to Spanish Kirkus . . . gave Say Hola to Spanish a pointer review in 1996. It was my first book, and I didn't know how great that was. Here's the review: "Sunny illustrations and a rhyming text introduce 70 Spanish words in surprisingly straightforward English sentences: "A dog is a perro/ a cat is a gato./ You drink from a vaso/ and eat from a plato." In addition to providing translations for those who need more help than is supplied in the decidedly Western-flair illustrations, the glossary also insures that the newly bilingual get the pronunciation right. The progression of determinedly happy pictures begins to spring surprises midway through the book; these are sometimes simply amusing ( a UFO appears over the increasingly chaotic action) and sometimes verging on the surreal (a fiesta-loving shark swings a bat). The text also includes words (burrito, pinata, mosquito) that are identical in the two langauges. Outwardly, this book by two newcomers looks like a language lesson from Looney Tunes. Then - !sorpresa! - it turns out to be innovative, useful, and fun." School Library Journal "Spanish is fun,/ so give it a try./ Hola is hello,/ adios is good-bye." So begins this catchy introduction to some basic vocabulary. The almost-musical rhymes resemble a commercial jingle and facilitate learning. The Spanish terms are printed in bold throughout the text, along with plenty of visual clues, to make it easy for youngsters to decipher them. A glossary of the 70 words with pronunciations and the English equivalent is provided. However, since the pronunciation guide appears at the end, the book is best suited for reading aloud by a person already familiar with the language." . . - Maria Redburn, Irving Pubic Library, TX. Children's Book Review Service "Want to learn Spanish the fun way? Then read this cleverly illustrated book that presents Spanish words in verse. Each brightly colored page is filled with humorous drawings that emphasize the definition of each Spanish word. Bi-lingual story-tellers should find the book helpful. The read-to-me crowd will be fascinated with the delightful pictures and will enjoy the challenge of another language. A glossary gives the correct pronunciation of all 70 words." (June, 1996) Scholastic Instructor . . . . named Say Hola to Spanish as one of the top 71 non-fiction books of the century. Children's Book-of-the-Month Club selection "Caramba, amigos! Check out the most pressure-free, fun-filled way we've found to introduce youngsters to a second language. Birght color pages and playful pictures present 70 basic Spanish words in bouncy, easy-to-remember rhymes like this: "Hola is hello, adios is good-bye. Spanish is fun, so give it a try." Oakland Tribune "Susan Middleton Elya makes learning ,more like a game than a chore . . . Loretta Lopez's illustrations add to the whimsy." Albequerque Journal "Say Hola to Spanish is a cheerfully illustrated introduction to the language that young children, especially those who have heard Spanish spoken before, should love. Its simple rhymes teach familiar words . . . at a perky pace matched by a colorful picture parade of people, animals, and even a strutting cactus. (My) older child really liked the picture of the shark wearing a sombrero and enjoyed learning the Spanish word for cowboy (vaquero). In the ultimate thumbs up, he asked to hear the book read again the next night, and both kids seemed to enjoy it even more. . . . The experience was a positive one that may someday lead to learning the language. In the meantime, it helps them appreciate a little more their life in New Mexico. . . . Even if you don't care if your kids learn Spanish, they'll enjoy the rhymes and merriment of this sunny book." |
Valerie and Walter's Best Books for Children by Valerie V. Lewis and Walter M. Mayes "Your hair is your pelo, your nose is nariz. Your grandmother's pelo is probably gris." These ridiculous rhymes using everyday words will tickle and teach at the same time. It won't be long before your young reader is reciting all seventy Spanish words. You'll find a glossary in the back." Booklist "A fiesta of lively language fun, perfect for spicing up a story hour or sneaking in a first Spanish lesson." |
Say Hola to Spanish, Otra Vez (Again!) Publisher's Weekly "This second volume by the creators of Say Hola to Spanish introduces 70 . . . vocabulary words strung together by sing-song rhymes and acted out by a menagerie of comically dressed critters. The teaching technique, largely dictated by what completes the rhyme, combines forthright word identification along with those learned in context by examining picture clues. For example, accompanying an illustration of a marching band and a scissor-wielding mouse are the words: "Musicians are musicos. Flags are banderas. Please don't run when using tijeras." Many definitions are clear from the graphic interpretations, but others may require reference to the glossary at book's end. The playful design scatters the text throughout Lopez's gouache and colored-pencil two-page spreads; the most effective scenes group the words thematically, such as a train, plane, bus, and truck approaching the village. Lopez provides images bound to aid early elementary students' retention and recall of these Spanish words." Kirkus Reviews "Another bright-eyed dose of Spanish vocabulary from Elya. Jaunty, rhyming couplets introduce the words, and Lopez has provided illustrations in saturated, paintbox colors. Following the format of the first book, Elya makes an effort to give the platform for the 70+ words some continuity . . . a lot more fun than listening to language tapes. And if the words have verve, the art fairly dances off the page (Nov 97)." |
Parent Council "A book to enjoy and learn with . . . This is a fast-reading Spanish lesson that will enrich anyone's Spanish vocabulary." |
Say Hola to Spanish at the Circus Amazon "Beginning Spanish language students (or anyone who loves to explore new languages) will delight in the Spanish/English wordplay as they make their way through the big top at the circus. It's easy to figure out what each Spanish word means from the context of the lively rhymes accompanied by bright, playful pictures. There's no reason learning a new language shouldn't be loads of fun - - and this book proves it! More than 70 oversized, italicized Spanish words are introduced, and a glossary (with a pronunciation guide) allows readers to double-check what they've learned." (Ages 4 to 8) -- Emilie Coulter Contra Costa Times "A delightful bilingual romp where young Anglos can go to the circus and learn Spanish simultaneously. Lopez's gouache colored pencil artwork makes the meanings abundantly clear. A glossary lists the 70 Spanish words and expressions in the text. Elya has tried to employ the Spanish used by Hispanics everywhere, but where she's had to use idioms, this part of the world wins out. "Feel like a snack?/ Un perro caliente?/ For your hot dog to last,/ you chew lentamente." Eight Animals on the Town Named to the 2002 Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year list Booklist "This bright, clever picture book . . . stands out because of its seamless instruction in Spanish and English, which is apparent in both text and illustrations . . . This is an engaging choice for early readers." School Library Journal "A rhyming romp that introduces readers to numbers and vocabulary in Spanish . . . the text has wit and whimsy, the illustrations are absolutely delectable. A rewarding choice for reading aloud or for poring over pictures." Contra Costa Times "A charming rhyming book in "Spanglish" about eight animals who dine and dance on the town. "Numero cinco is a young frog/fifth in line behind Bird and Dog. Frog hops along, hungry for flies. 'Moscas,' says Rana, 'economy size.' " Chapman's high-spirited oils on canvas accompany the ocho animales." Named to the 2002 Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year list. Home at Last Kirkus "[Susan Middleton] Elya departs here from her usual format of teaching Spanish to explore the difficulties faced by immigrants in a new land. Ana's family, just arrived from Mexico, must adjust to foreign surroundings and a different language. Ana is delighted with her teacher in school and picks up English quickly. Her father's job in the canning factory affords him the opportunity to learn English, too. But her mother, who mostly stays in the apartment with Ana's twin brothers, feels homesick and overwhelmed with the prospect of learning a new language. Not being able to communicate at the grocery store is bad enough, but when one of the twins becomes ill and Mama cannot make herself understood by the neighbors, she knows it is time to learn English. With the family's encouragement, she enrolls in a class in the evening and makes steady progress, acing her first test. Mama finds that her newfound language skills make life easier, enabling her finally to think of the new place as home. Appealing illustrations in oil convey the warmth of Ana's family, although they are portrayed as more middle class than the average newcomer from Mexico is likely to be. A well-told story of triumph and family solidarity." Booklist "Ana and her family have recently arrived in the U.S. from Mexico. Ana goes to school and her papa has a job, but Mama stays home with the twin toddlers, isolated and unable to speak English. Although told from Ana's point of view, this is really the mother's story. Mrs. Patino is embarrassed in the grocery store, and she panics when one of the boys gets sick and she can't ask for help. In bibliotherapeutic fashion, Ana and her father persuade Mama to go to English class, where she learns the language, passes her test perfectly, and even successfully deals with the clerk who overcharged her at the grocery store. . . . this highlights a problem many immigrant children must deal with -- the inability or unwillingness of a parent to learn English. The sturdy illustrations, handsomely executed in oils, are most successful when depicting the expressions of characters: fear, pleasure, and eventually, hope." --Ilene Cooper The Sacramento Bee "Home at Last by Susan Middleton Elya is a touching story about a mother from Mexico who relies on her 8-year-old daughter to translate for her. Not until she's cheated at the grocery store does she bend to her daughter's wishes and begin to learn English. Colorful illustrations by Felipe Davalos of Sacramento capture every nuance of the family's isolation and struggles to adapt to their new land." -- Judy Green The Reading Teacher "When Ana and her family move from Mexico to the United States they are faced with the challenges of learning a new language and acclimating to the customs of a new culture. In Home at Last, by Susan Middleton Elya, 8-year old Ana, initially shy of her classmates, quickly picks up English words and practices them at home with her father. The move wears much harder on her mother, who misses friends and family and struggles doing the grocery shopping in English. Ana and her father encourage Mama to attend English as a Second Language classes, supporting her as she learns to speak and becomes more functional and comfortable in American culture. Elya masterfully combines bilingual elements into this engaging and thoughful family story, Felipe Davalos's oil paintings are detailed and thoughtful, showcasing the characeters' emotions and the book's settings. --The Reading Teacher Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "The Patino family has just arrived in the United States, when Papa takes a factory job with his brother and Ana is promptly packed off to school. The young girl slowly but successfully makes inroads into a new language and culture; Mama, though, is pretty much stranded in their apartment with the twin baby boys, and for her acculturation is a much greater challenge. Nothing at the grocery store is familiar; she's overcharged by the clerk, and she's treated brusquely by neighbors who have no patience with her stumbling attempts at English. Only when one of the babies falls ill and Papa is not around to help is Mama finally convinced that she, too, must learn English, and her diligence at night school finally pays off in a triumph at the grocery store and the promise of their first family feast. Although the tale focuses on Mama, it plays through Ana's point of view, and the child's frustration with Mama's stubborness and her own inability to help in any direct way are powerfully conveyed. Davalos captures much of Mama's pain and dignity in her expressive doe eyes . . . the text . . . is smooth and well paced, and listeners who take communication for granted will readily sense the vulnerability of a newcomer who has left her language at home." Home at Last was named a 2003 Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young Readers Eight Animals Bake a Cake Publisher's Weekly "Having made a bilingual foray to the market in Eight Animals on the Town, Raton (Mouse), Gato, (Cat) and friends now tackle the culinary arts -- and add 33 Spanish vocabulary words -- in Eight Animals Bake a Cake by Susan Middleton Elya, illus. by Lee Chapman. Each animal brings one ingredient to the cake-baking session (recipe appears at the end): "Dog brings the egg, one huevo to beat. / 'Hurry up, Perro says, I want to eat.'" Chapman's paintings glow with south-of-the-border colors and a Mexican folk-art spirit; whimsically patterned frames contain translation equations ("Dog = Perro," "Egg = Huevo" and so on)." Kirkus "The clever format of this delightful story will have even the youngest children speaking and understanding Spanish. The ocho animales featured in Elya's previous Eight Animals on the Town (2000) come together to bake a cake, each bringing one ingredient. The friends stir the batter, place it in the oven, and listen to Bird sing as they try to be patient. The table is all set and ready, but when the cake lands on the floor, all seems lost. As the animals lament their ruined dessert, Cow sends Bird flying off with some cash. When she returns, she carries a large prickly fruit, pina, which Cow uses to save the day. Families can enjoy the same dessert -- the recipe follows the story. Each of Elya's couplets seamlessly introduce or reinforce two Spanish words, while the cunning rhyme scheme helps readers with their pronunciation. From the names of the eight animals and the ingredients they contribute, to the common household objects they come across, there is no doubt as to the meaning of the new vocabulary. As the tale progresses, the animals are referred to only by their Spanish names, while clues in the couplets and illustrations help readers remember their meanings. While the story is amusing and educational, it is the novelty of hearing and learning a new language. combined with the marvelously colorful illustrations that will capture and hold children's attention. A Mexican influence is apparent in Chapman's (Doggie Dreams, 2000) detailed illustrations -- from the bright colors of the equator and the palms and cacti, to the geometric border, the folk art-inspired drawings are sure to please. A glossary and a pronunciation guide is included, although the articles associated with Spanish nouns are absent. An appealingly painless introduction to another language." (Picture book 4 - 8). Booklist "Another winner from the team who created Eight Animals on the Town (2000). Eight (ocho) animals prepare to bake a cake, each one bringing an important ingredient. When it's time to take it out of the oven, a fight over who will do it results in cake splattered everywhere. Horse (caballo) ? saves the day by buying pineapple and cherries to turn the disaster into -- pineapple upside-down cake! The story is told in rhyme, with Spanish interspersed throughout the English text; a glossary and pronunciation guides are conveniently located in the front of the book, and key Spanish words appear in the picture borders. Framed illustrations in hot pink, fuchsia, and teal blue accentuate the action and reactions. A winning story, amusing art, Spanish vocabulary, and a recipe for pineapple upside-down cake are compatible ingredients for a delicious picture book, clever in both concept and design. Ole!" -- Julie Cummins Los Angeles Family "Uh oh, what are eight (ocho) animals to do when the cake they bake drops on the floor after taking it out of the oven (horno)? Have no fear because with a little bit of money (dinero) and some clever thinking by Cow (Vaca), the surprise at the end will be worth the wait. Cleverly written by Susan Middleton Elya and vibrantly illustrated by Lee Chapman, Eight Animals Bake a Cake combines two languages into one delightful book about cooking, eating, and the love of good friends. Plus, there is a glossary and pronunciation guide for all of us gringos." --Debra Mostow Zakarin School Library Journal "Following the same format as Eight Animals on the Town (Putnam 2000), with Spanish words carefully integrated into the text, endearing animals each bring an ingredient for the cake they hope to bake. "Dog brings the egg, one huevo to beat. 'Hurry up,' Perro says. 'I want to eat.'" Each neatly rhymed couplet is accompanied by a framed and bordered illustration that extends the humor of the text. Perro prances merrily down the path, balancing his huevo jauntily on his nose, to the amazement of some watching chickens. The English translations of the Spanish words appear in the borders so there is no interruption or confusion in the story line. The paintings are a richly colored combination of cartoon and Mexican folk art that perfectly captures the animals' eager anticipation. Most libraries will agree with these delightful characters when they say, "Mas, por favor." --Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ Eight Animals Bake a Cake has been nominated for the 2003-2004 Georgia Book's Award in picture Storybook Category Eight Animals Play Ball Kirkus Mira! having gone On the Town (2000) and tried to Bake a Cake (2002) together, eight contentious friends rumble out to the parque to play. But what? Each has brought different equipment. Deftly folding Spanish words -- translated in an opening glossary, in the rainbow borders around the glowing, smile-laden, folk-art flavored paintings, and in context too -- into her infectious rhyme, Elya takes her menagerie from quarrel to consensus, then through a spirited game of beisbol abruptly terminated by new squabbles and rain. But all the differences are forgotten by the end, as "Caballo shares coats with both Perro and Gato/And Cerdo trades his coat for Vaca's silbato," so that "cozy and dry under wings and abrigos/ they're eight drip-dry friends. / That's ocho amigos." With a formula that shows no signs of wearing thin, this third episode again provides both a bridge between languages, and a lively take on conflict resolution. Bueno! (Picture book, 6-8) The A List, Family Fun Magazine In Eight Animals Play Ball (Putnam, $16), one of this spring's more unusual baseball-themed works, four-to-eight-year-olds can soak up the game -- and some Spanish as well. Written by Susan Middleton Elya and illustrated by Lee Chapman, this fiesta-bright picture book incorporates Spanish vocabulary into its rhyming tale about a ragtag team of ball-playing beasts. Kids learn the Espanol for bat ("bate") and baseball ("beisbol") and such useful phrases as "hey, batter!" ("Eh, bateador!"). ---Lisa Gangemi Kropp, Middle Country Public Library, Centereach, NY School Library Journal Grade 1-3. Eight amigos return for their third book together. Each creature heads to the park, bringing along a different item --roller skates, a soccer ball, a kite, a football, and a baseball bat. Deciding that they want to play something together, the animals start a baseball game with Cat's bat. Trouble quickly ensues when Horse, Cat, and Pig become competitive and ruin the fun. A rainstorm forces the animals to quit their game, but it also provides the necessary distraction to end their bickering. This rhyming picture book blends English and Spanish text, making it a wonderful choice for bilingual storytimes, English speakers learning Spanish, or Spanish speakers learning English. The vibrant artwork, rendered in oil pastels, depicts the eight animales and their surroundings in a cartoon style. Colorful borders and vivid background colors frame each page. A glossary and pronunciation guide appear right up front to assist readers with unfamiliar words. A winner for collections needing Spanish-language materials, or materials for ESOL students. Booklist PreS-Gr. 1. Another inventive offering from the team that brought readers Eight Animals Bake a Cake (2002). When eight animal buddies go to the park, they take various toys and equipment, such as Raton the mouse's roller skates and Pajaro the bird's kite. But they decide to play baseball because they can do it together. Umpire Vaca's call leads to a few hard feelings, but when it starts to rain, sharing coats and wings as shelter brings them all together again. Elya produces a bouncy, rhymed story that mixes English and Spanish words in a way that teaches both. Chapmans' fiesta-colored cartoon-style art neatly portrays the characters and the fun. Each image sits in its brightly bordered frame, and each frame usually includes a direct word translation: strike equals estrai! A merry way to teach a little English, a little Spanish, and lots of good cooperation. A glossary and pronunciation guides are included. -- GraceAnne A. DeCandido. Oh No, Gotta Go! Kirkus, starred review In this rollicking gallop of a tale, the rhyming couplets provide the forward impetus and the ordinary, but tense situation supplies the humor. While ona sunday drive with her parents, a little girl announces that she has "gotta go." Unfortuantely all of the nearby shops are closed, but they manage to get directions to a restaurant from a construcitonw orker. Once there, of course, they find a long line of girls and women waiting for the bathroom. Although writing primarily in English, Elya employs several dozen Spanish words and phrases, sometimes even in rhyme with English words. Her contexts explain all of the Spanish usages, but even so she includes a glossary. Perfect for bilingual classes stretching their English wings, this is also an accurate reflection of the way in which bilingual speakers move back and forth between languages, as well as a charming way to introduce Spanish to English speakers. Karas' characteristically gunny illustrations are bright and blocky, both detailed and childishly simple. The text highlights all Spanish words in bold. Appropriate for all children's collections: a real winner. (Picture book/poetry, 3-8). Publisher's Weekly "Readers need not be bilingual to enjoy this tale about the potty predicaments of traveling youngsters. While on a Sunday drive with her parents, the narrator --a girl in her white-dress finest with bow atop curly brown hair -- innocently proclaims from the backseat her urgent need for a bathroom. Elya packs the pages with more than 50 Spanish words and phrases and uses a repetitive format (and glossary at the end) to clarify any meanings that cannot be inferred from context. "On Sunday, domingo, the sign says cerrado./ The baker is tired. He feels muy cansado," the girl's father says as they search for a restroom on quiet streets lined by colorful Latin-esque buildings with tile roofs and brick-edged windows. Using the two languages does not detract from the basic humor of the situation familiar to any parent . . . Perky, mixed-media art matches the brisk pace of the text. Karas's characters with their large round heads on pencil-thin necks appear alongside scribbles of purple crayon and wide brushstrokes, and he varies the perspective from inside and outside of the car. The text often snakes around spot illustrations set against warm-hued backgrounds, appears in speech bubbles and is sometimes backed by collage accents of floral wallpaper. A sure reminder to visit the bano before leaving home. Ages 4-8. (June) BCCB (Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books out of the University of Chicago) A starred review "Out for a Sunday drive with her parents, a little girl is happily ensconced in the back seat ( her favorite spot) until she is overcome by an overwhleming urge: "Where is un Bano? Donde esta? I really do need one,' I told mi mama." Madre and padre waste a few precious moments asking why the other didn't check to see if their daughter had to go before they left the house; meanwhile, the erstwhile (and nearly floating) narrator intones piteously, "I drank lots of juice," bringing the crux of the crisis home. The family drives around seeking a restroom, but all the shops are closed. Finally, a desparate Papa asks for directions: "Papa saw a worker out pouring cemento. He backed up to ask the big stranger --extrano, Rapido, Mister! Please, where is un bano?" The little girl makes it inot the bathroom of an elegant restaurant with no time to spare; then she and her parents sit down to dinner --during which the little girl drinks lots of limonada. The unexpected rhyming of the English and boldface Spanish words give the rhythmic text an ebullient humor enhanced by Karas' understated gouache, acrylic, pencil, and colage illustrations. The palette is sunny southwest pottery colors -- clay oranges, sky blues, and dusty green -- and the spreads are a mix of full-and half-page compositions and small vignettes. The text and illustrations provide the little girl's perspective, from her view of her parents' heads via her perch in the rear, to her "Hurry, Papa. Mas rapidamente!" as she drums her heels frantically on the back seat with the intense look of a child in serious need. The power of suggestion being what it is, listeners will be laughing themselves silly all the way to the bano. A glossary and pronunciation guide is appended. JMD Junior Library Guild Selection, 2003 Children's Book of the Month Club selection |
