Olé! Cinco de Mayo!
Author: Margaret McManis
Illustrator: David Harrington
Publisher: Pelican Publishing Company
Date: February 27, 2013
About The Author
Margaret McManis, a former children's librarian, serves as a guest lecturer at
schools, museums, libraries, and bookstores. Ms. McMannis is a graduate of the Vermont MFA Writing for Children and Young Adults Program and
a member of the Writers' League of Texas, Texas State Historical Association,
and Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.
Cinco De Mayo Fun!
Pablo takes his pet calf, Rodeo, to school for the Cinco De Mayo celebration. Rodeo makes a mess of Pablo's classroom, the gym, the library and every other part of the school building that he visits.
The teachers and principal are very angry because Rodeo is ruining Cinco De Mayo for the entire school. When he makes a mess of the celebration stage, it is the last straw for the frustrated principal. Finally, the music teacher finds a way to calm Rodeo and the little calf leads the festive Cinco De Mayo parade down the school hall.
Readers are encouraged to sing the words of this story to the tune of "B-I-N-G-O". Here is the first verse of the song;
Pablo has a little calf,
Rodeo is his name-o.
R-O-D-E-O
R-O-D-E-O
R-O-D-E-O
Rodeo is his name-o.
There is a Glossary of Spanish words used in the text at the end of the book. There is also an "Easy Flan Recipe" and a short explanation of the Mexican Army's 1862 victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla during the Franco-Mexican War (1861-1867).
My Thoughts
When I worked as an elementary school librarian, I was always looking for books like this to share with students during story time. This book has a wide variety of learning opportunities for students. The story is entertaining and humorous. Children and adults can join together in singing the joyful song...some of my happiest memories are singing with the children in the library.
There are many Spanish words in this story that should be introduced and the meanings discussed. There is a recipe at the end of the book for a dessert that little Rodeo found very tasty when he visited the school cafeteria. Finally, the historical events that led to to a yearly Cinco De Mayo Celebration can be shared with the children.
The full-page color illustrations in this book are just delightful. My favorite picture is the angry "book boss" in the school LMC...she was not happy about Rodeo making a mess of the library.
I highly recommend this book for all elementary school students. Children in bi-lingual and ESL programs will fall in love with Rodeo. This book is perfect for read-aloud and sharing with large or small groups the year round.
My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5
FYI ~ The author gave me a print copy of this book to read and review. This book will be dedicated to a library so children will have an opportunity to enjoy it as much as I did.
Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.
Would your child like to have a smart, helpful pet dragon? Most kids love to read about the mythical winged monsters that can be frightful or friendly. "My Little Pet Dragon; Bilingual Edition (Spanish and English)", by Scott Gordon, is a delightful picture ebook for young children. The story is illustrated with colorful 3D images that kids will adore. The first half of this book contains the story in English and the second half of the book is the same story in Spanish.
About the Author
Scott Gordon is the author of several children's books, including My Little
Pet Dragon, My Crazy Pet Frog, Pigtastic, A Little Book About You, A Pocketful of Dinosaurs, Ninja Robot Repairmen, Happy Healthy Hearts, My Daddy's Cool Car Collection and If I Were A Robot. Currently he is hard at work on his next
project: Braedyn Bunny and the Missing Eggs.
A Dragon For Christmas
A child receives a pet dragon for Christmas. The dragon's name is Neka and she is very smart and helpful. Neka spends all of her time helping and entertaining the child and his family. She helps the child with his homework, fixes his computer and even helps brush his teeth!
Neka also loves to help the child's mother. She goes shopping, helps with the cooking and makes sure Mommy brushes her teeth each morning. Neka loves her family very much.
The next Christmas the child receives another dragon for Christmas. His name is Ness. There is love in the air and it looks like there is going to be a new target for Neka's affections!
My Thoughts
This is a very cute story for young children and the 3D illustrations are outstanding. Children will love to study the pictures and tell the story in their own words.
This special edition presents the entire story in English and then repeats the entire story in Spanish. I do not speak Spanish, but I have a basic understanding of the vocabulary and sentence structure. The translation of this story appears to be very good. There are some differences in the illustrations in the two versions. One of the most obvious differences is that Neka is a red dragon in the English version and a green dragon in the Spanish version. Children will enjoy comparing the text and the illustrations in the two versions.
I worked as a school librarian for many years in a community that had many bilingual students. I was always looking for easy picture books in Spanish. This book is a good fit for bilingual students, children who speak English as a second language (ESL) and students who are learning Spanish.
I think the demand for high-quality bilingual books for children is huge. I am glad to see that Mr.Gordon recognizes this need and is providing these books in digital format. This author is a real pioneer in the field of digital books for children. I highly recommend this book for pre-schoolers and early readers. You really don't have to be bilingual to enjoy both versions of this picture book.
My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5
FYI ~ I ordered this ebook from Amazon.Com when it was offered as a free digital download. Please check the price before ordering.
Please share your thoughts in the Comments Section below.
