¡Vamos! Let's Go Eat

Starred review from January 13, 2020
Now that he has a bicycle with a sidecar in addition to his wagon, Little Lobo, the young wolf who starred in Raúl the Third’s first bilingual ¡Vamos! story, is really in business: “Now we can make our deliveries faster,” he tells his dog, Bernabé. When famous luchador El Toro asks Little Lobo to deliver food for all the luchadores before a big match, the list proves long—“¡Tortas de milanesa!” “¡Churros!” “¡Elotes!” The square around el Coliseo is frantically busy with food trucks, some—like Taco Tuesday Everyday—in the shape of the foods they proffer, and Little Lobo knows them all. As in the first volume, Spanish words define background objects throughout, and the artwork’s dynamic vibe sends energy through spreads of the marketplace and its community. Suppliers and cooks cooperate (“Quique’s Quesadillas and Bronco’s Burritos buy their tortillas from Abuela”), and every cook knows their customers’ preferences: one “always gives Bernabé a sample of her masa.” The vital images, the dazzling colors and light (shout-out to colorist Elaine Bay), and the devotion to Mexican food and eating make this story utterly distinctive—and delicious. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 4–7.

January 15, 2020
Little Lobo is tasked with nourishing nine famished luchadores. Following ¡Vamos! Let's Go to the Market (2019), author/illustrator Raúl the Third and colorist Bay create a second installment in their bilingual series, ¡Vamos!, here following Little Lobo's journey as he provides sustenance to hungry lucha libre stars. The cheerfully energetic anthropomorphic wolf reprises his role as a bike courier when he receives a message from El Toro and makes his way to el Coliseo, winding and weaving through busy streets. A mouthwatering experience follows as Little Lobo--accompanied by dog Bernabé and rooster pal Kooky Dooky--picks up tacos, diced fruit, freshly made tortillas, flan, and buñuelos from a gathering of food trucks. As in his other work, Raúl the Third imbues his pages with real-world and pop-culture references. An homage to Picasso's Guernica, recognizable Ciudad Juárez-El Paso landmarks, a Chavo del Ocho inside a barrel, and even a Chapulín Colorado marionette all make the cut. Readers ignorant of these specifics will not feel left out: The busy pages filled with interesting characters and intriguing bilingual signage make readers wish they could jump into the pages and experience the bustling town. Bay's comic book-style coloring and creative textures provide a deep cultural exposure to the lavish array of Mexican food throughout the spreads. After enjoying the story, readers will keep going back to savor all the minuscule details. A delectable bilingual experience. (Picture book. 4-7)

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Starred review from February 1, 2020

Gr 2-5-Delivery wolf extraordinaire Little Lobo must feed his hungriest clients yet. First seen in ¡Vamos! Let's Go to the Market, Little Lobo and his dog, Bernabé, return with a new bike for speedy deliveries. The new wheels help the duo hit up a variety of food trucks to satisfy the diverse desires of a troupe of hungry luchadores with aliases like La Oink Oink and the ingeniously named Armor Dillo. Much like Market, the narrative is secondary to the richly detailed world Little Lobo explores. Anthropomorphic roosters, cats, bunnies, snakes, and even a pig with a tattoo that says jamon all have a friendly smile and words of encouragement for Little Lobo. A cucaracha with a yellow shirt, white cowboy hat, and bolo tie accompanies Little Lobo throughout the story: this book's version of Richard Scarry's Goldbug. Throughout this delicious odyssey, readers are treated to a smorgasbord of Mexican food terms, and the intricate illustrations are peppered with Spanish labels for the items pictured, from lapiz (pencil) to molcajete (mortar and pestle for making salsa). Be prepared to be lost in this book para siempre. VERDICT Combining two iconic elements of Mexican culture, food trucks and lucha libre, this tale will make readers of all ages hungry for tacos, burritos, and elote (Mexican street corn)-and for more stories set in the inviting, busy town created by Raúl the Third.-Chance Lee Joyner, Wilton Public and Gregg Free Library, NH

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2020
Grades K-2 Little Lobo is back for another fun-filled Spanish-learning adventure. This time he's making a delivery to his friend El Toro at the Coliseo, but all of the luchadores have ordered very different things. Lobo heads to the food trucks parked outside ahead of the big show, and there readers can feast their eyes on all sorts of foods, from quesadillas to tamales and the stretchiest of stretchy cheeses. Each page is rich with words in Spanish, presented in a reader-friendly format with translations if needed. The spreads are dense with background detail, and readers can spend ages poring over them to discover something new in the scenery. The story is simplistic, so as to not draw away from what's going on in each spread, and bilingual readers will have a laugh at things like a pair of pig luchadores being called Los Chicharrones or the food palomita being sold by a, well, palomita. This is a great way to learn about many different sorts of Mexican foods, not to mention picking up some Spanish along the way.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)