Using the cut-paper technique for which she is applauded, Rebecca Emberley has fashioned appealing books about colors, food, numbers, opposites, and shapes that give the Spanish and English words for each of the simple objects or concepts she illustrates. It is never too early to begin to learn another language, and these four stylish books will help the youngest English and Spanish speakers prepare for the multilingual society in which they will find themselves.
My Foods (Mi Comida) FROM THE PUBLISHER Following on the great success of her first four bilingual board books, Rebecca Emberley has created another set of brightly colored board books that toddlers and their parents will adore. The subject of each book appeals directly tot a child's experience of the everyday world: clothes, food, animals, and toys. It is never too early to begin to learn another language and these four stylish books will help the youngest English and Spanish speakers prepare for the multilingual society in which they will live. FROM THE CRITICS Publishers Weekly English and Spanish translations of familiar words appear side-by-side in four bilingual board books by Rebecca Emberley-My Animals/Mis Animales; My Clothes/Mi Ropa; My Food/Mi Comida; and My Toys/Mis Juguetes-all illustrated with colorful fabric collage against a stark white background. Each object or concept gets its own page, but clever pairings (e.g., "car/el auto" featuring a red car and "truck/el camion" depicting a blue and yellow truck) make the most of each spread.
Children's Literature - Candice Ransom
Point-and-name books for young children have come a long way since cloth books illustrated "ball" and "cat." Emberley lifts point-and-name books to fine art. Aimed at toddlers just beginning to identify everyday objects in their world, these sturdy board books are a treat for grown-ups, too. Within bright covers, striking cut-paper illustrations are showcased against white backgrounds, the way a single-framed painting is highlighted against a bare wall. Cut-paper collage looks deceptively simple, but Emberley's tomato slice looks real enough to drip down the page. And the crumpled paper bow-tie pasta made me look twiceżżżno, it wasn't a photograph of the real thing. Some of the foods are shown whole, such as the tasseled carrots; others are cut in half, like the apple. The English text is displayed in easy-to-read lower case type; just beneath in boldface is the Spanish translation. These books are a wonderful alternative for children in bilingual households. Among the jumble of inappropriate board books published every year, Rebecca Emberley's books stand out as examples of excellence. 2002, Little Brown, Ages 1 to 3.
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