¡Marimba!

November 1, 2006
PreS-Gr 1-This infectiously cheerful alphabet book includes both Spanish and English animal names (the author deliberately chose examples that are easily recognizable in both languages). Rhyming verses introduce pairs of letters: A chorus of lions and "llamas/"samba down the street./Mariachi "manaties" mambo/to marimbas ting-tong beat and Raccoons and "rinocerontes/"rumba with rattlesnakes./Sloths and "salamandras"/salsa around the lakes. A monkey playing a marimba soothingly croons the zookeepers to sleep and then pops up affably in most of the watercolor illustrations to entertain the various creatures that burst with energy and humor. The starlit sky that appears in most of the illustrations reminds readers that despite the brightness of the foreground, these frolicking animals are celebrating at night. Miniature visual representations of each Spanish word accompany a helpful pronunciation and translation guide. This freshly presented concept book will please children and may tempt librarians to share it at storytime."Kirsten Cutler, Sonoma County Library, CA"

Copyright 2006 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.