My dog just speaks Spanish

Aurora learned English when she came to the United States, but Nena, her cute brown and white spaniel, only understands commands given in Spanish. "She doesn't know WAIT, but she knows ESPERA." At the dog park, when someone throws a ball and yells "'FETCH'...Nena joins in only when Aurora yells 'BUSCALA!'" While Aurora helps Nena navigate the English-speaking world outside, she communicates with Nena in Spanish at home. The illustrations show household objects tagged with yellow sticky notes displaying both English and Spanish words. This book gently explores the idea of second-language acquisition, children who translate for others, and code switching, suggesting patience with those who learn at different speeds. "Aurora is not concerned that Nena doesn't know English yet, because she will always be there to help." Colorful, happy digitally rendered illustrations show the closeness between girl and dog, and Nena's friendly, affectionate nature. Concurrently published in Spanish as Mi perro solo habla espanol. (c) Copyright 2023. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

After immigrating to the United States, a young Latine girl learns to speak English, but her dog only understands Spanish. Post-it notes surround Aurora at home, labeling every item--the lamp (lámpara), the raincoat (poncho), her shoes (zapatos)--in English with its Spanish translation. Clearly, Aurora knows her stuff. "But not Nena." The brown-and-white dog obeys commands only when given in Spanish. So sit becomes siéntate, espera substitutes for wait, and vente means come. Even at the dog park, Nena manages to stand out. But that's OK. Aurora helps her new friends and neighbors interact with Nena, teaching them Spanish words, and many folks they encounter can speak Spanish just fine on their own. Will Nena ever learn English? Aurora knows that with her help, Nena will be able to figure it out eventually, and Aurora can depend on her four-legged friend, too. After all, Nena is a "¡BUENA CHICA!" A breezy delight, Cáceres' picture-book debut takes a modest premise to humorous heights, bolstered by a reassuring message to readers who may be in a similar spot as Nena. The artist's zesty, colorful digital illustrations have a childlike appeal (bushes, hair, and fur look as though they were scrawled with an enthusiastically held crayon) and nicely serve to encourage a light Spanish vocabulary lesson. Aurora's city is racially diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Pawsitively wholesome. (Picture book. 2-5) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.