Review by Booklist Review
The team that created ¡Pío Peep! (2003) and Merry Navidad! (2007) presents 16 playful nursery rhymes in Spanish and English, most of which are childhood favorites taken from anthologies published in Argentina, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and Spain (with a few original verses thrown in). The English versions are not strict translations of the Spanish but poetic renditions that seek to re-create the charm of the originals. The simple, rhythmic poems vary in length from 6 lines to 33 and involve a variety of creatures ranging from a louse to a donkey that either interact with children or exchange stories with another creature. The significance of the book's title is a mystery, because there are no cows in any of the rhymes. The pages are attractively designed with a balance of text and softly colored illustrations chock-full of charming animals and chubby-cheeked children. Complementary to Arrorró mi niño by Lulu Delacre (2004).--Enos, Randall Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
This bilingual poetry book from the collaborators behind Pio Peep! contains 16 gentle animal nursery rhymes hailing from Spain and Latin America. Each appears in Spanish with an English adaptation, and several original works by Ada and Campoy are also included. The enduring appeal of the verses is clear, as in this tender poem: "My donkey told me today/ his ears are hurting, oh no!/ The doctor said that he should/ wear a black hat just so." Escriva's expressive illustrations (in "Little Brown Duck," a mallard sheds tears over his missing wife) should enchant those reading the poems in either language. Ages 2-7. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2-The creators of Pio Peep! (2003) and Merry Navidad! (2007, both HarperCollins) have put together another treasury of Spanish nursery rhymes. Muu, Moo! is a collection of animal rhymes that includes such beloved favorites as "Una paloma Blanca" and "Debajo de un boton," along with original verses by both selectors. Rather than a verbatim translation of the Spanish, the English versions retain the rhythm and musicality of the originals. Escriva's watercolor illustrations include fun details such as a flea dressed up as a bride, a smiling snail, a frog with a big fly stuck in its mouth, and a dancing monkey wearing a frilly yellow dress. In addition to being a perfect resource for bilingual programs, this book will be enjoyed as a bedtime read-aloud.-Rebecca Hickman, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL (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
Nursery rhymes are an important part of language development and building early literacy skills, but they aren't always easy to come by in languages other than English. This picture book collects sixteen traditional rhymes in Spanish. As in a previous book by the same collaborators, Pio Peep!, Spanish is the preeminent language here, with each rhyme presented first in Spanish and then in a free retelling in English that captures the flavor of the original without the awkwardness that a direct translation might create. Animals from "patito, color de cafe" (little brown duck) to el burro (donkey) and los sapitos (meadow toads) are featured, some with their sounds, and some with a funny story. There is a cumulative rhyme similar to "The House That Jack Built" that begins with Ric-Ric the mouse, chased by the cat, who is barked at by the dog, and so on; other entries are short and evocative: "Salta mi conejito / para tus orejitas / come tu zacatito, / mi conejito, conejo mio." / "Hop, little rabbit, / perk up your ears, / nibble on sweet grass, / little rabbit, dear." This will be an invaluable resource for librarians and teachers planning bilingual storytimes, and with its soft, warm watercolor illustrations it makes an attractive gift book for English- and Spanish-speaking toddlers alike. From HORN BOOK, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Ada and Campoy team up again (P"o Peep!, 2003, etc.) to produce this lovely anthology of rhymes, songs and poems from the Hispanic oral tradition. The selection is focused on popular verses with animal themes, which plays naturally to the interests of young ones and will make parents and grandparents recollect their own childhoods. Some of the poems are very simple and create enjoyment just by the repetition of a syllable: "Debajo de un botn, ton ton, / que encontr Mart"n, tin tin / hab"a un ratn, ton, ton" Others are more complex and tell a story, presented as a dramatic piece, such as "Las bodas de la pulga y el piojo/The Flea's Wedding." The collection is enriched by the inclusion of some verses written by the authors, inspired by the repetition and form of the genre. Zubizarreta's musical English renditions of the rhymes increase the uses of this collection, making it a valuable bilingual resource. Escriv's depictions of children and the animals' humorous expressions infuse each page with an infectious, childlike happiness. (Nursery rhymes. 1-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
