An illustrated treasury of Latino read-aloud stories The world's best-loved stories for parent and child to share

Gr 2-6-Large and lush, this generously illustrated bilingual collection contains a wide variety of literary forms. Divided into sections containing 2 to 15 offerings, the volume presents Pre-Columbian myths and legends, fables and riddles, fairly tales and stories, history, and recent Spanish-American stories. The tales, some familiar (e.g., Juan Bobo) and some more obscure, are generally competently told and read aloud well. The one exception is the history section in which articles on the Ta'nos, Aztecs, Maya, and Gonzalo Jimenez de Quesada simply drone along. Also, there are some odd editorial lapses. The Spanish version of Rudolfo Anaya's "Bless Me Ultima" is cut short by a page, and the English version is marred by textual errors. This aside, the Spanish translations are good and the well-placed, full-color illustrations, by six different artists, display a wide variety of styles and mediums. Less appealing in terms of story than Joe Hayes's The Day It Snowed Tortillas/El d'a que nevaron tortillas (Cinco Puntos, 2003), this book does offer a wider range of Latin-American narrative. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Latino myths, fables, and fairy tales are presented here in both English and Spanish and illustrated by Latino artists (with one exception). Recent stories, such as a selection from Rudolfo Anaya's seminal ""Bless Me Ultima,"" are also included. With so few collections of stories from the Latino culture, this book will be a valuable way to introduce children to the richness of this heritage. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.