Publisher: Candlewick Press
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 05/08/2012
ISBN-13: 9780763646165
ISBN-10: 0763646164

Nothing makes Sierra happy like soccer does -- but since her auntie, with whom Sierra lives, works every Saturday and never gets to see her play, nothing makes her sad like soccer, either. This simple yet moving story about a city kid trekking out to the suburbs to play a sport she loves is "realistic without being sentimental" (Booklist). It's also lengthy enough to make room for some drama and suspense (Sierra's aunt gets permission from her boss to watch Sierra's last game...which is promptly rained out), but what's most memorable is the warm, loving family at its center.

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 06/12/2012
ISBN-13: 9780375970870
ISBN-10: 0375970878

Anyone who's spent time with a toddler knows better than to separate a little one from her "lovey" -- be it a special blanket, toy, or stuffed critter. But when one takes one's special comfort object everywhere the way that Small Bunny does his blue blanket, one's special comfort object will eventually require a bath. Written in a decidedly kid-like tone (assured that the washing machine cycle will "only take a minute," Bunny notes that "It actually took 107.") and illustrated with scribbly, expressive artwork, this minimalist ode to a beloved blanket has a charm and warmth reminiscent of Kevin Henkes' Owen.

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion Books
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 06/05/2012
ISBN-13: 9781423143291
ISBN-10: 1423143299

In this retro-styled book, a puppy swipes a shoe and his young owner gives chase, providing a bevy of opportunities for counting things (as well as an update to a potentially confusing nursery rhyme -- after all, not too many kids' shoes buckle these days). Leaping over three teddy bears and zipping past four toy blocks, all carefully pictured next to corresponding numerals, the pup zooms out the door...and the chase goes all the way to ten. According to Horn Book, it's "a step above most counting books, and the clean, bold art is superb."

Publisher: Disney/Hyperion Books
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 06/19/2012
ISBN-13: 9781423152323
ISBN-10: 1423152328

Señor Sasquatch is a big fella, and he does NOT like being squished. In this completely ridiculous book, he embarks on a bus ride that is sure to test his limits -- and just as sure to elicit audience participation from listeners. After Miss Elephant Shark, Mr. Octo-Rhino, and Miss Goat-Whale board Mr. Blobule's bus, it's pretty crowded...and then Miss Loch-Ness-Monster-Space-Alien boards. Kablooey!! With frenetic, wacky art, an irresistible refrain (see title), and a surprisingly sweet ending, this one's sure to be a hit.

Publisher: Frances Foster Books
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 07/03/2012
ISBN-13: 9780374350048
ISBN-10: 0374350043

On many pages drawn very small and (literally) blue, it's the mom in this story, not the kid, who's full of anxiety about her son starting kindergarten. In the morning, the boy assures his nervous mom that he's got all of his school supplies packed, that he'll have enough time to eat his whole lunch, and that he's not going to be late. He's ready for every potential challenge of kindergarten...until he's standing in front of the open doorway to his classroom. The boy rallies, however, and finds out that "kindergarten is awesome" -- as is this emotionally on-point, reassuring read.

Publisher: HarperCollins
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 04/01/2003
ISBN-13: 9780688160197
ISBN-10: 0688160190

Hailed by reviewers as "delightful" (Booklist), "stellar" (School Library Journal), and "wonderful" (Criticas), Pío Peep! collects more than two dozen nursery rhymes from Latin America and the American Southwest. Presented in Spanish alongside English adaptations -- literal, word-for-word translations would have wrecked the rhyme -- these sing-able poems are illustrated with charming watercolors and provide a nice sampling of Spanish-language folklore and culture.

Publisher: Children's Book Press
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 09/27/2011
ISBN-13: 9780892392353
ISBN-10: 0892392355

Marisol McDonald is a nonconformist, Peruvian-Scottish-American with brown skin and red hair, and she knows exactly what she likes. Polka dots with stripes? Absolutely! Writing in both print and cursive at the same time? Why not? Playing soccer while simultaneously pretending to be a pirate and a princess? It's the best! But when she is teased by her classmates because she never matches, Marisol decides to give blending in a go...with unhappy, but thankfully temporary, results. Presented in both Spanish and English, this joyful book "encourages readers to embrace their uniqueness and be exactly who they are" (School Library Journal).

Publisher: Disney/Hyperion Books
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 09/07/2010
ISBN-13: 9781423112525
ISBN-10: 1423112520

This sprightly, fun retelling of the tale of Goldilocks and the Three Bears intersperses a fair number of Spanish words amongst its mostly-English text, with the Spanish words in a different font color to highlight them. But even if you aren't looking for a bilingual version of the traditional story, Rubia and the Three Osos is worth tucking into your book bag! It's illustrated in a bright and cheery palette, shot through with sly humor, and features a repentant young trespasser who returns to apologize -- as well as a family of particularly gracious bears.

Publisher: Albert Whitman
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 03/01/2012
ISBN-13: 9780807573020
ISBN-10: 0807573027

This adaptation of the tale of the Gingerbread Boy re-sets the story in the Southwest, where a scrumptious gordita (little corn cake) escapes from Miss Spider's kitchen and eludes a series of hungry pursuers...until she meets a clever owl. In the book's richly colored, shadowy illustrations, the villains -- which include a lizard, a mustachioed snake, a scorpion, and a wild boar -- look slightly scary, lending Miss Gordita's repeated "flip and a skip and a zip-zoom-zip" exits real urgency. Complete with a glossary of the Spanish terms woven into the text (mostly animal names) and a recipe for gorditas, Señorita Gordita is a real treat!

Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Check Library Catalog Pub Date: 06/27/2006
ISBN-13: 9780689867507
ISBN-10: 0689867506

When nighttime noises keep a young child awake, the little one tries counting ovejas, or sheep -- and ends up herding increasing numbers of variously colored sheep out the door. With appropriately repetitive text in both English and Spanish ("Cuatro ovejas rosas. Four pink sheep. / !Adios, ovejas rosas! Good-bye, pink sheep.") and swirly, colorful illustrations brimming with whimsy, Counting Ovejas is a cozy, delightful bedtime book as well as a good choice for kids just learning numbers and colors in Spanish.