Maya Papaya and Her Amigos Play Dress-Up (English With Some Spanish)

Maya Papaya loves to play dress-up with her pets and stuffed animals. Beginning in spring, the story weaves through the seasons of the year as Maya chooses different clothes for her dog, cats, and stuffies based on the weather. The predominantly English text rhymes and Spanish words, in italics, are interspersed throughout. For example, "Maya Papaya puts on tacones/to dance with her tigres and bears and leones./All her peluches silently clap, /while two little gatos secretly nap." The italicized words are all featured in the illustrations, which enhances comprehension. Each Spanish word is also located in the glossary at the end of the book, with the correct article (el, la, los, las), a pronunciation guide, and the English translation. The detailed illustrations are digitally created and feature soft pastel colors. Learning opportunities abound in this picture book, beyond the obvious vocabulary and second language development. A science extension with the weather and seasons and a math tie-in with basic counting are two suggestions. VERDICT A great addition to early childhood classrooms and most library collections.—Katie Darrin, Boulder Valley School District, CO