DALE, DALE, DALE / HIT IT, HIT IT, HIT IT

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DALE, DALE, DALE / HIT IT, HIT IT, HIT IT

Name: DALE, DALE, DALE / HIT IT, HIT IT, HIT IT
Author: René Saldaña Jr.
ISBN: 978-1-55885-782-7

UNA FIESTA DE NÚMEROS / A FIESTA OF NUMBERS

by René Saldaña Jr. ; illustrated by Carolyn Dee Flores ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 31, 2014

A contemporary and festive Latino birthday celebration.

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Mateo’s birthday is full of excitement, family and many things to count in English and Spanish.

With minimal bilingual text, readers count along throughout Mateo’s birthday fiesta. As he waits for the party to begin, he helps prepare the decorations and takes a peek at the party favors that have been prepared for his guests. There are five lucha libre masks, six tops, seven bubble bottles and nine toy cars. When his 11 cousins arrive to celebrate, there is music and birthday cake. But best of all, there is the birthday piñata that Mateo will strike open as together they sing a traditional song, “Dale, dale, dale.” The lyrics to the piñata-breaking song are included in both English and Spanish, but the lack of any note or information about it is a missed opportunity. However, the exuberant energy of the book as a whole makes up for this oversight. The full-spread illustrations capture Mateo’s enthusiasm and the work his family has put into preparing such a lively party. While many of the illustrations are photorealistic, others are more playful, such as the images of Mateo striking his best lucha libre poses or an image of all of the children at the party displayed on the screen of a digital camera.

A contemporary and festive Latino birthday celebration. (Bilingual picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: May 31, 2014

ISBN: 978-1-55885-782-7

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Arte Público

Review Posted Online: March 16, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2014

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS

- BOOK REVIEW
THE CURSE OF THE BULLY'S WRATH / LA MALDICIÓN DE LA IRA DEL ABUSÓN
by René Saldaña Jr. ; translated by Gabriela Baeza Ventura

- BOOK REVIEW
THE MYSTERY OF THE MISCHIEVOUS MARKER/EL MISTERIO DEL MALVADO MARCADOR
by René Saldaña Jr. ; translated by Carolina Villarroel

- BOOK REVIEW
DANCING WITH THE DEVIL / BAILANDO CON EL DIABLO Y OTROS CUENTOS DEL MÁS ALLÁ
by René Saldaña Jr. & translated by Gabriela Baeza Ventura

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ONE FAMILY

by George Shannon ; illustrated by Blanca Gómez ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 26, 2015

A visually striking, engaging picture book that sends the message that everyone counts.

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A playful counting book also acts as a celebration of family and human diversity.

Shannon’s text is delivered in spare, rhythmic, lilting verse that begins with one and counts up to 10 as it presents different groupings of things and people in individual families, always emphasizing the unitary nature of each combination. “One is six. One line of laundry. One butterfly’s legs. One family.” Gomez’s richly colored pictures clarify and expand on all that the text lists: For “six,” a picture showing six members of a multigenerational family of color includes a line of laundry with six items hanging from it outside of their windows, as well as the painting of a six-legged butterfly that a child in the family is creating. While text never directs the art to depict diverse individuals and family constellations, Gomez does just this in her illustrations. Interracial families are included, as are depictions of men with their arms around each other, and a Sikh man wearing a turban. This inclusive spirit supports the text’s culminating assertion that “One is one and everyone. One earth. One world. One family.”

A visually striking, engaging picture book that sends the message that everyone counts. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: May 26, 2015

ISBN: 978-0-374-30003-6

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Frances Foster/Farrar, Straus & Giroux

Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2015

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

- BOOK REVIEW
TURKEY TOT
by George Shannon ; illustrated by Jennifer K. Mann

- BOOK REVIEW
A VERY WITCHY SPELLING BEE
by George Shannon ; illustrated by Mark Fearing

- BOOK REVIEW
WHO PUT THE COOKIES IN THE COOKIE JAR?
by George Shannon ; illustrated by Julie Paschkis

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THE CRAYONS LOVE OUR PLANET

by Drew Daywalt ; illustrated by Oliver Jeffers ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 13, 2024

A droll exploration of color and nature—and a welcome reminder to safeguard our planet.

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Daywalt and Jeffers’ wildly popular Crayons have an important ecological message.

Though climate change is never mentioned, the book nevertheless gently introduces responsibility for Planet Earth. As in previous titles, the main text is in a large black font, while the Crayons’ dialogue is presented in a smaller, gray font. Blue begins by showing off a blue-tinged image of the globe (land masses are depicted in a darker hue). Green takes over: “Yay, Trees! I did those!” Beige breaks in, pointing to a tiny wheat plant next to two large trees: “And wheat! I did the WHEAT!” Beige puts wheat front and center throughout—even on White’s drawing of mountaintop ice caps. When Red, Yellow, and Orange display drawings of various fruits, Beige interjects, “And WHEAT. Wheat is totally fruit.” Diplomatic Purple politely responds, “Um. NO. It is not.” Purple attempts to dissuade self-important Beige, but it all ends happily as the Crayons join hands and proclaim: “Our planet has all of us too, in many shapes, colors, and sizes.” Beige and Purple reconcile, with Beige adding, “And it’s our job to keep the planet safe.” Young children will easily absorb this positive message. Although these characters have had many outings, their quiet humor still succeeds, and fans will definitely want this new entry.

A droll exploration of color and nature—and a welcome reminder to safeguard our planet. (Picture book. 3-5)