La Princesa and the Pea (English With Some Spanish)

by Susan Middleton Elya (Author) Juana Martinez-Neal (Illustrator)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
The Princess and the Pea gets a fresh twist in this charming bilingual retelling, winner of the Pura Belpré Medal for Illustration.

El príncipe knows this girl is the one for him, but, as usual, his mother doesn't agree. The queen has a secret test in mind to see if this girl is really a princesa, but the prince might just have a sneaky plan, too . . . Readers will be enchanted by this Latino twist on the classic story, and captivated by the vibrant art inspired by the culture of Peru.
Select format:
Hardcover
$18.99

Find books about:

Kirkus

Martinez-Neal's darling, soft-edged mixed-media illustrations bring the brown-skinned characters to life in costumes from different regions of Peru.

School Library Journal

Starred Review

The traditional Hans Christian Andersen tale gets a makeover in this modern version with a twist. In her signature style of stories peppered with a liberal dose of Spanish and humor, Elya relates the account of a prince who wants to marry and his mother, the queen, who takes charge of vetting the possible candidates. In rhyming text, the author describes the lonely prince. Then one day "came a maiden, en route to her castle.../She winked at the prince, who fell for her fast./No matter what Mom does, I'll marry this lass!" The endearing and playful illustrations set the story in Peru. The Spanish words sprinkled throughout the text are in a different color and font, and kids will easily understand them through the context. (Those in need of additional help will appreciate the glossary with definitions and pronunciations.) And the pea under the mattresses test? Let's just say that the prince makes sure his chosen one passes with flying colors. VERDICT This engaging read-aloud is a fresh reimagining of a classic. A must for all libraries.—Lucia Acosta, Children's Literature Specialist, Princeton, NJ

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

 "Reading this would be a fabulous way to compare and contrast and use [readers's] knowledge of the first story and the colorful illustrations to make inferences as to meanings of words and phrases."—School Library Connection, starred review

"Martinez-Neal's graceful illustrations . . . really make this lively title a winner . . . . an enjoyable retelling for young audiences, [and] professionals looking to expand the diversity of a fairy-tale collection or unit of study will find it particularly valuable."—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Susan Middleton Elya
Susan Middleton Elya is the author of many books that cleverly incorporate Spanish vocabulary into lively verse, including La Madre Goose: Nursery Rhymes for Los Niños, illustrated by Juana Martinez-Neal, Little Roja Riding Hood, illustrated by Susan Guevara, and Oh No, Gotta Go!, illustrated by G. Brian Karas. Her writing has been described as "Perfect for bilingual classes stretching their English wings and a charming way to introduce Spanish to English speakers" (Kirkus Reviews, starred review).

Juana Martinez-Neal grew up and studied painting in Lima, Peru, and now lives with her family in Scottsdale, Arizona. Her illustrations for this book were inspired by the culture and arts of the indigenous people of Huilloc and Colca Canyon, Peru.
Classification
-
ISBN-13
9780399251566
Lexile Measure
530
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Publication date
September 05, 2017
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV019000 - Juvenile Fiction | Humorous Stories
JUV012030 - Juvenile Fiction | Fairy Tales & Folklore | General
JUV011030 - Juvenile Fiction | People & Places | United States - Hispanic & Latino
Library of Congress categories
Stories in rhyme
Fairy tales
Tales
Princesses
Beds
Spanish language
Vocabulary
Mattresses
Pura Belpre Award
Winner 2018 - 2018

Subscribe to our delicious e-newsletter!