A short, illustrated book that aims to give young readers a basic understanding of the lives and culture of their Portuguese peers.
Portugal is Roman’s (If you were me and lived in…Russia, 2014, etc.) latest destination in her children’s book series, which previously covered Australia, France, Mexico and other countries around the world. Here she offers youngsters an overview of what daily life is like for Portuguese kids. Starting with a map that situates Portugal on the globe, Roman briefly provides information about its capital city, how the country got its name, and how many people around the world speak Portuguese. In a matter-of-fact but engaging way, she compares aspects of American kids’ lives to those of their peers in Portugal: “When shopping with avó (a-vo) [grandmother], she might buy you a Rooster of Barcelos (bar-chel-los). It is a beloved and colorful symbol of Portugal.” The author also mentions popular foods: “Grilled sardines would be another favorite fish. Arroz de marisco (ar-ros di mar-iz-co) is rice with lots of seafood and also greatly enjoyed. Why do you think there is so much fish on the menu?” More often than in other volumes, Roman asks questions throughout the text, which will keep kids engaged and help them understand what they’re reading. It also makes this a good book for teachers or parents to read aloud, as it encourages interaction. There are many colorful illustrations that help clarify scenes from the text; for instance, when Roman writes, “Maybe your baby sister would play with a boneca (bon-ec-a), while you watch television,” the illustration on the following page clearly shows a young girl playing with a doll. Roman has researched her topics well and focuses on only those facts that young readers might find interesting and relatable. Her series provides kids with a great introduction to the world’s cultures, and even adults may learn a thing or two as they read along.
An engaging read that teaches elementary-age kids about the similarities and differences between the United States and Portugal.
Pub Date: May 28, 2014
ISBN: 978-1495379932
Page Count: 28
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: July 31, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Broccoli: No way is James going to eat broccoli. “It’s disgusting,” says James. Well then, James, says his father, let’s consider the alternatives: some wormy dirt, perhaps, some stinky socks, some pre-chewed gum? James reconsiders the broccoli, but—milk? “Blech,” says James. Right, says his father, who needs strong bones? You’ll be great at hide-and-seek, though not so great at baseball and kickball and even tickling the dog’s belly. James takes a mouthful. So it goes through lumpy oatmeal, mushroom lasagna and slimy eggs, with James’ father parrying his son’s every picky thrust. And it is fun, because the father’s retorts are so outlandish: the lasagna-making troll in the basement who will be sent back to the rat circus, there to endure the rodent’s vicious bites; the uneaten oatmeal that will grow and grow and probably devour the dog that the boy won’t be able to tickle any longer since his bones are so rubbery. Schneider’s watercolors catch the mood of gentle ribbing, the looks of bewilderment and surrender and the deadpanned malarkey. It all makes James’ father’s last urging—“I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them”—wholly fresh and unexpected advice. (Early reader. 5-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-547-14956-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf
