Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Gr 1-3-Wandering along a beach, Isabel and Nicolás come across a wrecked sailboat and carefully repair it. When they are approached by a wounded stork who can't fly, they rescue the bird as their boat rises into the air following a flock of storks. The children undertake a journey through the sky during which they rescue other children from bullies, forced labor, a polluted city, and a war-torn country. Perhaps more interesting than the book itself, is the story behind it. Blake interviewed 1,800 French-speaking children, all of whom are listed in the end pages, about their hopes, dreams, and aspirations. These interviews, which he conducted in person and through the Internet sparked this story that illustrates the humanitarian concerns of children about the world in which they are growing up. Blake is an international treasure, and this book will resonate in any language. The Spanish translation is suitable both for read-aloud and independent reading. Illustrated in the author's signature style, this is an excellent choice for picture-book collections in Spanish.-Tim Wadham, Youth Services Coordinator, Maricopa County Library District, Phoenix, AZ (Daniela's Smile)Gil, Carmen.PreS-Gr 1-Daniela leaves her house on a beautiful morning. Her smile flies "like a springtime hummingbird" and lands on Roberta, a cranky hippo on a diet. Inspired to pursue her happiness, the animal purchases a tart at a nearby bakery. Her joy at the first bite translates into a smile that flies "like a colorful butterfly" and lands on Aniceto, the lovelorn chimpanzee. In this circular story about the contagious nature of happiness, the traveling smile becomes, in turn, a ray of sun, a May rain, and a rainbow to reach Camila, the gray elephant who longs for colorful existence; Avelina, the distressed Ostrich; and Marcial, a war-mongering Jackal. The book cleverly uses patterned text to poetically describe the journey of the smile, but the abstract paintings, done in colorful acrylics with distorted perspectives, do not entirely fit the joyful tone of the story. Despite this flaw, the story's attention to the sound of language makes it work as a read-aloud. An appropriate title for libraries with large collections of picture books in Spanish.Tim Wadham, Youth Services Coordinator, Maricopa County Library District, Phoenix, AZ(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved All rights reserved.
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