Readers Preference Reviews

Duncan likes the way he looks and is proud of the fact that the other penguins have feathers but he has a nice fluffy coat instead.  Soon it starts falling off one small patch at a time and he is worried about what is happening.  A story about changes that occur as we grow older it is an entertaining read.  The book is written in both English and Latin American Spanish for children who are comfortable with either language or parents wanting to help their young child learn a second language.  The only problem, at least in the English, was page 10 where a minor grammer mis

When his mother has to leave baby bunny alone while she goes to pick lettuce she tells him to not open the door for anyone.  They had heard the wolf howling the night before and baby rabbit knows to be very careful.  But the wolf wants rabbit for his stew and he is determined to get it.  A pretty predictable story as this sort is so common among so many ethnic groups it does have one particular thing that makes it different.  Throughout the story Latin American Spanish words are introduced in a context where the reader can figure out the meaning without having to look it

When his parents decide to go out and look at the flowers in the garden young Rip Squeak plans a surprise party for them.  He enlists the help of his sister, the cat, a frog, and a dragonfly to get the job done.  Even with a discontinuity in the story between pages 9 and 10 it still reads well. The illustrations are excellent and well above the average quality one expects from Raven Tree Press.  "The Surprise Party" is a very typical story with no real surprises and a recommended read for young children.

It's bedtime and Paul is not ready to go to bed, at least not yet.  How can he go to bed when everyone else is still up?  Soon, Paul becomes the bedtime monster!  But his parents know just how to handle that.  "Bedtime Monster" is an easy  read in both English and Latin American Spanish and a recommended book particularly for those who are trying to expose their child to a second language.

Following on the success of "I Wish I had Freckles like Abby" and "I Wish I had Glasses like Rosa" comes "I Wish I Was Tall Like Willie".  As with the earlier books this one focuses on the common childhood desire to be just like your best friend.  It is the story of a young boy who tries everything to try to appear taller like his friend Willie.  From walking on stilts to putting socks in his shoes he tries everything but of course nothing works.  With the complete text in both Spanish and English readers of either language can appreciate th

This is basically a Mexican version of the traditional Jack and the Beanstalk story.  Although it is a Mexican adaptation it is written in English with an occasional word in Spanish.  For each Spanish word the readers can figure out the definition based on the context.  The author introduces a vocabulary of 32 Spanish words to help young readers learn Spanish in a easy, intuitive way.  Paco and the Giant Chile Plant is recommended.

Title:  Paco and the Giant Chile Plant
Author:  Keith Polette
Publisher:  Raven Tree Press

This story is in both English and Latin-American Spanish.  It educates the reader about Washington, DC and the sights to be found there using the format of postcards written home by a child who is visiting.  While the "postcards" are English only the facts that are included are in both languages.  This is an excellent book for teaching young children about Washington, DC and its importance to the citizens of the United States while also introducing them to the Spanish language.  With many pictures that invite dialog it is a recommended purchase.

This is basically a retelling of the story Clever Elsie from the Brothers Grimm.  When mother and father bear leave the children alone while they visit their grandmother they are given specific instructions for what to do while their parents are gone.  Well, one incident follows another as they make a mess, destroy the pond wall, and lose their parents' life savings to peddlers who trick them.  Desperate to set things right they head off into the woods to get the money back and that is where the fun really starts.  This is a delightful, humorous story for children and re

More than just a rhyming story the rhythm and cadence produces a strong chant that children fall into naturally. The rhyming pattern is set on the first two pages and follows that pattern throughout the rest of the book. The illustrations are great and create a personality for each fish while at the same time staying true to their basic shape and color so that the reader can identify them. Brightly colored, finely detailed, the illustrations themselves are exceptionally well done.

This is just what most children want in a favorite book; a humorous story and hysterical illustrations. Hilda Mae Heifer lost her moo, how can she discover the sound she is supposed to make? This is the story of how she lost her moo, her attempts to find out what sound a cow is supposed to make, and how Hilda Mae Heifer got her moo back. “Moo Who?” is highly recommended for a laugh out loud time with your child.

Author: Margie Palatini
Publisher: HarperCollinsPublishers
1350 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10019-4703
Copyright: 2004
ISBN: 0060001054
Pages: 40
Ages: 4 - 8