I'M HUNGRY! / ¡TENGO HAMBRE!

Somewhere out in nature, a bluebird meets a hungry, fussy dinosaur.

The much larger orange creature declares, “¡Tengo hambre!” and the little bird responds “Oh, you’re hungry.” An amusing exchange ensues as the bluebird responds in English to the dino’s Spanish statements or questions. The avian altruist considerately offers the dinosaur several foods choices, starting with healthy fare—a banana, fish, fresh salad—and then resorting to calorie-packed grub like pizza, cake, and ice cream. Each meal option is met with refusal, much to the bluebird’s growing exasperation. Finally, it throws out its wings, declares “I GIVE UP!” and asks the dinosaur what it would prefer to eat. It turns out that the bird itself is the dinosaur’s desired repast. Thankfully, with some quick thinking, the beleaguered birdie is able to come up with a solution that saves its life and appeases the ravenous reptile’s hunger. Then the two animals become friends. The simple premise of this dialogue story will be relatable to caregivers who deal with picky eaters, while kids will appreciate the minimalist, childlike drawings and droll outcome. The text mostly avoids the simple sentence and phrase repetition used in most bilingual picture books. Instead, young readers are invited to infer word meaning through a cross-lingual question-and-answer format, supported by context cues. The animals’ genders are unspecified. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An amusing bilingual repartee that just might stir up an appetite for friendship.