Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2--A farm maiden is getting ready to prepare a delicious treat and receives help from the animals all around the farm. With a nod to the schema of "The House That Jack Built," this translation of The Cazuela That the Farm Maiden Stirred features the items and animals that have a role in the creation of the dish. Each animal is added to the list of contributors to the meal as the story goes on, making for a silly read that gets a little longer on each page. Beginning with the cazuela and the butter, the story introduces a goat who stirs the cream, a cow who contributes fresh milk, a duck who buys the sugar at the market. The dish begins to come together, until finally all the animals, the campesina, and campesino, are able to enjoy the tasty arroz con leche they have helped make. The Spanish text is large and clear, building fun and suspense with each line. Beautifully illustrated spreads include shades of gold, orange, blue, and green to depict the animals and their surroundings, bringing to mind handmade artisan craftwork. A recipe for arroz con leche follows the text. VERDICT This vibrant Spanish-language picture book is an excellent choice for children's collections.--Selenia Paz
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