Las orejas del hombrecillo

PreS-Gr 2—These sensory tales are sure to delight curious youngsters who often ask a litany of questions about why things are as they are. The first two stories attribute the creation of man to a patriarchal figure who through trial and error finds the right spot to place the eyes and ears. In the case of the eyes in Los ojos mal colocados, which are first positioned on the knees, readers are taken to "see" why that placement along with a few others is a poor choice. The illustrations are bold with soft integrated lines that are fun to look at. Las orejas del hombrecillo is equally colorful and interesting but simpler, and the illustrations convey the complexity of the tale. This narrative focuses on why we have the ears that we do, not larger or smaller as some animals do. Each entry is followed by a brief poem at the end that reiterates to readers the importance of the sensory attribute explored in the tale. Los besos de Namea is the story of a magical stone statue that people flock to in the forest to seek advice. They whisper their problems in her ear, and she in turn whispers the best advice once they raise an ear to her lips. However, she falls in love with one of her followers and the tale then develops into a love story. There is a dramatic side to this work, as Namea betrays her own good will and gives bad advice in order to ensure the best outcome for herself. The images have a marionette quality—the characters have round rosy cheeks and the backgrounds are reminiscent of a stage. The conclusion is also followed by a brief poem about what the mouth can do. This volume integrates a few of the senses in the development of the story. These enjoyable reads were originally published in Italian and are solid Spanish translations. Purchasers may also want to note that the type setting in the stories is all caps.