Let's Learn Spanish

November 15, 2019
Whimsical illustrations invite children to learn their first Spanish words. The book is set out in a simple and clear fashion, each section clearly identified. An introduction tells children "Spanish is the second-most-spoken language in the world" and explains there are regional differences in vocabulary. The "Spanish Basics" section explains the concept of a gendered language and how gender and number must match. There is a cryptic note about "la mano" (the hand) being an exception, with no further explanation. Then comes the real focus of the book, everyday words in a variety of areas: animals, body, food, colors, numbers, school, home, garden, clothing, occupations, family, places, transportation, and weather. Each topic is allotted a double-page spread. The illustrations are whimsical and spare. English is presented in a color matching the general color of the page, followed by the Spanish in black. On occasion, more than one word is given for the Spanish to allow for regional differences. With no pronunciation guide to help children out, it is to be assumed they will need someone who speaks the language to guide them. A better use for the book might be as a picture-dictionary reference tool. The children depicted in the illustrations are paper-white, purple, blue, and green, with no hint of racial or ethnic differences. Serviceable. (Informational picture book. 4-7)

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January 1, 2020
Grades 1-3 Upon opening this inviting, colorful primer on Spanish words, readers will find a brief introduction followed by a two-page spread of Spanish basics, which discusses plurals, gender, and definite articles, as well as regional differences in the language. What follows are 17 different categories, each of which takes up a two-page spread, covering the usual colors and numbers as well as less-common topics, such as travel and gardening. The simple text, pairing an English word with its Spanish translation (e.g., hair and pelo, bear and oso, book and libro, and so on), is accompanied by engaging, childlike watercolor renderings of each object or concept in a bright, cheerful palette. For all its appealing appearance, however, the purpose of the book is to learn Spanish, and the high-level concepts in the introduction and the lack of a pronunciation guide mean that this will likely be difficult for young children to parse on their own, so adults will need to be on hand to help fill in any gaps. A cute book to help supplement more age-appropriate primers on Spanish.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)