Review by Booklist Review
K-Gr. 2. Introducing a young child to Spanish has never been as attractive as in this shopping romp. Mama is headed to the grocery store (the supermercado), but bebe has to come along. That slows things down, but heightens the fun. Every child (and parent) will identify with what comes next, as Mama tries to grab what she needs while bebe follows his own agenda. The text carefully incorporates Spanish words into the rhyming text: Bebe in the shopping cart, high in the seat, / looks around for a dulce--a sweet. Almost all the words can be understood from the context or from the pictures--and oh, what pictures! Using gouache, watercolors, colored inks, and pencils, Salerno evokes the hip, retro style of 1950s cartoon-style advertisements to introduce an attractive young mother, hair swinging in a ponytail, and her adorable baby. Placed against the white background of the grocery store, the shoppers and products blossom in fruity pinks, red, yellows, and greens. Salerno is also a master at getting motion into his pictures, and his spreads rumble and tumble. A glossary completes the delightful package, but most kids will find the Spanish easy to comprehend. \xc1 Fantastico! --Ilene Cooper Copyright 2006 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Starred Review. Any parent who's attempted to grocery shop with a toddler in tow knows what an impossible task that can be. Elya (Oh No, Gotta Go!) demonstrates what happens when a sensory-packed excursion gets the best of baby. Her rhyming bilingual text demonstrates a skilled storyteller who is clearly comfortable with both languages ("[Bebé] tugs on a carton with muchos colores/ in butterfly yellow, with pink and white flores"). Much like the author, Bebé's mother, too, can multitask; she juggles her shopping list while keeping a watchful eye on Bebé. Salerno (Coco the Carrot) packs the supermercado (grocery store) with such fiesta-bright hues, cartons and canned goods, it's no wonder Bebé can hardly keep his hands to himself. Mamá's attempts to cajole him--and buy herself a little time to complete her shopping--with a box of animal crackers will resonate with adults. Here the pairing of text and art, which seemed ideally suited all along, hits its finest moment: the animal-shaped treats loom large as they outshine the groceries (and, in particular, Mamá at the melon stand) in both size and attraction ("Bebé finds a camel--a humpy sopresa!/ Mamá picks a good one. He eats the cabeza"). This delightful tale turns an everyday chore into a lively adventure, brimming with entertainment and enjoyment for all. Ages 2-5. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-In this warm and engaging picture book, a routine visit to the grocery store becomes an exciting outing. Children will love the retro illustrations done in watercolors and colored ink and brimming with delightful details, while adults will identify with the difficulty of keeping small children entertained and contained during a mundane shopping expedition. Spanish terms are scattered throughout the rhyming text, with a glossary included at the end of the book. English-only and bilingual readers will enjoy the bouncing rhythm and buoyant illustrations. The book is a great choice for storytime or one-on-one reading.-Melissa Christy Buron, Epps Island Elementary, Houston, TX (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Mama and her active bebe shop for groceries together in a simple story peppered with Spanish words. As Mama tries to gather the things on her list, the baby reaches, kicks, and drops things. The rhyme lacks distinction, but swirling illustrations are as lively as the toddler. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
An energetic young mother, black ponytail jauntily flipping, is accompanied by her equally energetic curly-topped beb on an outing to the supermercado, "a really big store . . . with groceries galore." Beb, strapped into the shopping cart, predictably longs for a sweet, grabs things off the shelves, drops Mamá's keys and is finally entertained with a box of animal crackers. The rhyming text, with its mix of English in Spanish, captivates, despite an occasional sacrifice of sense for the sake of the rhyme. ("Mamá wears a dress--a vestido bonito. / It blocks Beb's view as she steers the carrito." Salerno's cheerful, energetic swirls of color and line, ample white space and changing perspectives transform an everyday outing into a dramatic adventure that will leave readers smiling along with Mamá and Beb. (glossary of Spanish words with pronunciation key) (Picture book. 2-6) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
