Señor Pancho Had a Rancho

PreS-Gr 1—In this rollicking, sing-along picture book, Colato Laínez tells the story of two neighbors, Old MacDonald and Señor Pancho, pairing a new and vibrant bilingual English-Spanish version (just try to get the catchy "cha-cha-cha-cha-cha" chorus out of your head) with the classic children's song. Just like Old MacDonald, Señor Pancho has a farm bursting with animals. But he speaks Spanish, so his farm is un rancho, his dog is un perro, and his horse says "jii," not "neigh." The spreads feature the traditional verse on one side and its bilingual counterpart on the other. Things get really interesting when Señor Pancho's vaca and Old MacDonald's cow teach each other how to "muu" and "moo," respectively; farm and rancho come together in a celebration of song and dance, with each verse expanding to include all the animals singing together in both languages. The multimedia ink and watercolor cartoons provide a visual feast, striking a solid balance between engaging detail and white space while ably moving the narrative forward. Smith's farmyard animals steal the show; they are full of humor and a playful energy to which young readers will relate. This is an excellent choice for read-alouds, but it also includes a glossary and pronunciation guide, making it useful in one-on-one contexts for young readers looking to develop Spanish vocabulary.—Ted McCoy, Oakland Public Library, CA