An engaging and enjoyable introduction to Puerto Rico.
In this new addition to the Tiny Travelers series, young armchair travelers go on a treasure hunt to the island of Puerto Rico.
Following the same format as other books in the series, the book starts with a double-page map of Puerto Rico. The map includes illustrations of the objects readers will have to keep an eye out for as they read the book, as well as a few quick facts about Puerto Rico. Busy and colorful double-page spreads inform children about the island: its love for celebrations; a style of music known as “Bomba”; some of the typical foods such as “mofongo” and “arroz con gandules”; the magical experience of seeing bioluminescence in Vieques; or exploring the rainforest of “El Yunque.” The information is presented in rhyming text; each page also includes a “DID YOU KNOW” tidbit, expanding on the information presented with a quick, fun extra. Readers are also directed to find a hidden object, usually depicted with “a glow” around it, though that yellow aura is not always easy to find against warm-colored backgrounds. A few words are presented in Spanish in boldface, accompanied by their phonetic pronunciations. As with the other series entries, there is a commercial side to the outing, as readers are encouraged to visit the website, where they can purchase related material.
An engaging and enjoyable introduction to Puerto Rico. (Board book. 3-6)Pub Date: Feb. 25, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-945635-30-4
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Encantos
Review Posted Online: March 24, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Adults wishing to expand the worldviews of their young charges beyond Eurocentric interpretations will find plenty of visual...
A retelling of the classic fairy tale with India as its setting.
This latest addition to the Once Upon A World series tells the well-known story of the maiden with beautiful long tresses locked away in a tower by an evil witch and the prince who falls in love with her. As with Perkins’ Cinderella (illustrated by Sandra Equihua, 2016) and Snow White (illustrated by Misa Saburi, 2016), the text has been simplified for a younger audience, and the distinguishing twist here is its setting in India. The mixed-media illustrations of plants, animals, village life, and, of course, Rapunzel, the witch, and the prince come alive in warm, saturated colors. Other than the visuals, there is little to differentiate the story from traditional tellings. As always, it is still the prince who will eventually lead Rapunzel to her salvation by taking her to his kingdom far away from the witch, but that is the nature of fairy tales. The only quibble with this book and indeed with this series is the board-book format. Given the fact that the audience most likely to enjoy it is beyond the board-book age, a full-size book would have done more justice to the vibrant artwork.
Adults wishing to expand the worldviews of their young charges beyond Eurocentric interpretations will find plenty of visual delights in this one, though they’ll wish it were bigger. (Board book. 3-5)Pub Date: March 21, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4814-9072-6
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: April 16, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A nice addition to the series.
A retelling of the well-known Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale with a Russian setting.
The Once Upon a World series travels the globe setting familiar Western fairy tales in different locales. This latest addition to the series is set in Russia and tells the story of the “lonely young prince who wanted to fall in love” and of his parents’ insistence that the bride-to-be be a princess. After traveling far and wide and meeting many princesses who are not right for him, the prince returns home, disappointed. One rainy evening, a wet and cold, dark-haired princess appears at the castle door. Refreshingly, the prince and princess fall in love not because they are a prince and princess but because they have talked and found they have much in common: they have traveled widely, explored the same places, and had adventures. Mirtalipova’s illustrations have a pleasing folksy feel, many pages decorated with pretty flowery borders. One double-page spread of the princess being taken care of by a host of servants is particularly appealing. (With the exception of one brown-skinned princess, all the characters are white.) Though the text has been simplified and the presentation is in board-book format, the intended audience is not the toddler set. And the prince and princess? As with the traditional telling, the princess passes the pea test and they live happily ever after.
A nice addition to the series. (Board book. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-5344-0019-1
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 17, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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