Abuela (English Edition with Spanish Phrases) - Hardcover

Arthur Dorros is the writer of many popular books, a number of which he also illustrated. His best-selling stories include Abuela, which was called "a book to set any child dreaming" and one of the "100 Picture Books Everyone Should Know." Along with awards including ALA Notable Book and Best of the Year for his fiction, his nonfiction books such as Ant Cities are widely recognized, with an Orbis Pictus and numerous Outstanding Science Book awards. He enjoys visiting schools internationally to work with young writers and illustrators. 

Elisa Kleven writes and illustrates picture books because she's never outgrown a deep childhood urge to enter a magical world. To date, she has written and illustrated thirteen books and illustrated fifteen others, including herSchool Library Journal Best Book, Puddle Pail, which also features the crocodile brothers, Ernst and Sol; her New York Times Best Illustrated Book, Sun Bread; The Lion and the Little Red Bird; and The Paper Princess.  Elisa and her family and live in Albany, California.

PreSchool-Grade 2-- An innovative fantasy narrated by a Hispanic-American child who imagines she's rising into the air over the park and flying away with her loving, rosy-cheeked abuela (grandmother). From the air, they see Manhattan streets, docks, an airport, tourist attractions, and Rosalba's father's office. The simple text could be enjoyed as a read-aloud or as a read-alone for newly independent readers. What makes the book so interesting is Dorros's integration of Spanish words and phrases via Abuela's dialogue within the English text. While some phrases are translated by the child, others will be understood in context. As insurance, a glossary, which provides definitions and pronunciations, is appended. The illustrations sing out a celebration of the love and joy that underlies the brief, straightforward narrative. Combining vibrant watercolor and pastel images with interesting snippets of collage in an exuberant folk-art style, Kleven depicts the adventurous, warm-hearted Abuela and the jazzy, colorful topography of an energetic, multiethnic city. Thoughtful design extends to the endpapers featuring cloud formations that cleverly echo many images from the story. While not bilingual in the strictest sense, this book is a less self-conscious, more artfully natural approach to multicultural material. It should prove useful not only for collections in which there is need for ethnic diversity, but also as enrichment for intellectually curious children who are intrigued by the exploration of another language. --Kate McClelland, Perrot Memorial Library, Greenwich, CT
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