The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred

Making arroz con leche (rice pudding) requires many ingredients and many helpers. Travel to the farmyard, listen in as the farm maiden cooks in her pot, dance while the cazuela bubbles, and savor the treat. Each ingredient is introduced in English the first time, and each repetition, of which there are many, is in Spanish. Adriana Sananes's leisurely pacing and precise enunciation will enable non-Spanish-speaking listeners to pick up the meaning of many Spanish words--such as "huevo from the gallina" and "mantequilla from the vacca"--as will poring over the award-winning illustrations of Rafael Lopez. A recipe for arroz con leche and a glossary and pronunciation guide for the Spanish words complete this read-along production. A.R. © AudioFile 2014, Portland, Maine

February 21, 2011
Farm animals collaborate to make a pot of rice pudding in this energetic riff on "This Is the House That Jack Built." Animals and their contributions are first introduced in English ("This is the donkey/ that plucked the lime"), but ensuing verses feature Spanish translations in bold (a multitasking hen lays eggs "while grating the limón/ plucked by the burro"). López's acrylics-on-wood paintings have a burnished copper glow, while the menagerie exudes cartoonish joie de vivre. The seamless integration of Spanish vocabulary makes this a rousing primer. Ages 5–8.