ADIÓS, TRICYCLE

The troubles of a little one not ready to give away his tricycle and the tricks he plays to hide it at his parents’ yard sale will charm young children even as the story introduces them to such concepts as growing up, money and markets and the joy of sharing and giving. Elya, the author of several bilingual titles and well-known for her versatile style, successfully blends Spanish words throughout the little one’s verses and rhymes. The use of parallelism, association of ideas and contradicting sentences allows readers to understand the meanings of such Spanish words as triciclo, dinero and bicicleta (glossary and pronunciation guide included). Schlossberg’s vivid, expressive pastels effectively expand on the text and will appeal to children, making this story a great selection for bilingual storytimes at public libraries. The undifferentiated suburban setting and the portrayal of the main character as a little piggy instead of a Hispanic child, which the text suggests, does not, however, offer a clear connection between his bilingualism and his ethnic background. (Picture book. 3-5)