DO YOU KNOW THE CUCUY?/¿CONCOCES AL CUCUY?

Name: DO YOU KNOW THE CUCUY?/¿CONCOCES AL CUCUY?
Author: Claudia Galindo
ISBN: 978-1-55885-492-5

by Claudia Galindo & illustrated by Jonathan Coombs & translated by John Pluecker ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 31, 2008

Readers who enjoy the thrill of a harrowing tale will be disappointed to find such a sugary-sweet Cucuy in this bilingual...

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In an attempt to allay children’s fears of the Cucuy, Galindo gives the bogeyman of Latin American lore a makeover.

Told by her Papo that the Cucuy is a monster who takes misbehaving children away, the young protagonist’s fears dissipate when she meets the real Cucuy, a “cute,” fuzzy blue creature whose “socks never match.” The two proceed to have a play date: skipping rope, climbing trees, dancing and indulging in candy and corn. Despite the life-like rendering and attention to perspective in Coombs’s illustrations, the realism diminishes Cucuy’s appeal as a playful, mythological creature. The sparse design also lacks compositional depth and cultural weight.

Readers who enjoy the thrill of a harrowing tale will be disappointed to find such a sugary-sweet Cucuy in this bilingual story. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: May 31, 2008

ISBN: 978-1-55885-492-5

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Piñata Books/Arte Público

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2008

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY

- BOOK REVIEW
IT’S BEDTIME, CUCUY/¡A LA CAMA, CUCUY!
by Claudia Galindo & illustrated by Jonathan Coombs

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MAMA BUILT A LITTLE NEST

by Jennifer Ward ; illustrated by Steve Jenkins ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 18, 2014

A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers.

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Echoing the meter of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Ward uses catchy original rhymes to describe the variety of nests birds create.

Each sweet stanza is complemented by a factual, engaging description of the nesting habits of each bird. Some of the notes are intriguing, such as the fact that the hummingbird uses flexible spider web to construct its cup-shaped nest so the nest will stretch as the chicks grow. An especially endearing nesting behavior is that of the emperor penguin, who, with unbelievable patience, incubates the egg between his tummy and his feet for up to 60 days. The author clearly feels a mission to impart her extensive knowledge of birds and bird behavior to the very young, and she’s found an appealing and attractive way to accomplish this. The simple rhymes on the left page of each spread, written from the young bird’s perspective, will appeal to younger children, and the notes on the right-hand page of each spread provide more complex factual information that will help parents answer further questions and satisfy the curiosity of older children. Jenkins’ accomplished collage illustrations of common bird species—woodpecker, hummingbird, cowbird, emperor penguin, eagle, owl, wren—as well as exotics, such as flamingoes and hornbills, are characteristically naturalistic and accurate in detail.

A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers. (author’s note, further resources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: March 18, 2014

ISBN: 978-1-4424-2116-5

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

- BOOK REVIEW
JUST YOU AND ME
by Jennifer Ward ; illustrated by Alexander Vidal

- BOOK REVIEW
ROUND
by Jennifer Ward ; illustrated by Lisa Congdon

- BOOK REVIEW
HOW TO FIND A BIRD
by Jennifer Ward ; illustrated by Diana Sudyka

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MANGO, ABUELA, AND ME

by Meg Medina ; illustrated by Angela Dominguez ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 25, 2015

This warm family story is a splendid showcase for the combined talents of Medina, a Pura Belpré award winner, and Dominguez,...

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Abuela is coming to stay with Mia and her parents. But how will they communicate if Mia speaks little Spanish and Abuela, little English? Could it be that a parrot named Mango is the solution?

The measured, evocative text describes how Mia’s español is not good enough to tell Abuela the things a grandmother should know. And Abuela’s English is too poquito to tell Mia all the stories a granddaughter wants to hear. Mia sets out to teach her Abuela English. A red feather Abuela has brought with her to remind her of a wild parrot that roosted in her mango trees back home gives Mia an idea. She and her mother buy a parrot they name Mango. And as Abuela and Mia teach Mango, and each other, to speak both Spanish and English, their “mouths [fill] with things to say.” The accompanying illustrations are charmingly executed in ink, gouache, and marker, “with a sprinkling of digital magic.” They depict a cheery urban neighborhood and a comfortable, small apartment. Readers from multigenerational immigrant families will recognize the all-too-familiar language barrier. They will also cheer for the warm and loving relationship between Abuela and Mia, which is evident in both text and illustrations even as the characters struggle to understand each other. A Spanish-language edition, Mango, Abuela, y yo, gracefully translated by Teresa Mlawer, publishes simultaneously.

This warm family story is a splendid showcase for the combined talents of Medina, a Pura Belpré award winner, and Dominguez, an honoree. (Picture book. 4-7)