FICTION

Small Nap, Little Dream

by Talia Aikens-Nuñez (text) & illus. by Natalia Colombo
Penguin/Nancy Paulsen. Jun. 2021. 32p. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780525517825.
COPY ISBN
PreS–“Look at me RUN./ Mis pies go fast!/Look at me JUMP. / Mis piernas are strong.” So begins a simple introduction to the Spanish words for body parts. A multicultural group of four children cavort among trees and flowers with an assortment of animal friends, working up the need for a small nap and a little dream before they jump back into play. Sweet illustrations in colored pencil and acrylic are rendered in perky primary colors on a white background. Complete with a Spanish/English glossary and pronunciation guide, this begins with promise but falters with naptime, because, despite the title, the story is mostly a celebration of activity and the human body. While this could be used for a guessing game to introduce Spanish, it should be noted that the word brazos has been overlooked in the glossary.
VERDICT Attractive and of some use for bilingual programs, the book comes to an abrupt end without a clear focus.
Reviewed by Jan ­Aldrich Solow, formerly Fairfax County Public Sch., VA , Jul 01, 2021

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