Movie Tie-Ins

By Gabriella Salas, Cr�ticas -- Críticas, 9/15/2005

Dahl, Roald.
Charlie y la fábrica de chocolate.
(Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)
tr. by Verónica Head. illus. by Quentin Blake. U.S.: Alfaguara: Santillana. 2005. 198p. ISBN 1-59820-059-3. pap. $9.95. FICTION

First published in the United States in 1964, this award-winning story about a young boy’s adventures inside the chocolate factory of eccentric candymaker Willy Wonka was adapted into a major motion picture in 1971. This year, the book has once again been adapted to the big screen to great critical acclaim, by Tim Burton. Considered to be one of the most beloved children’s stories of the 20th century, the book won the Millennium Children’s Book Award in 2000. This Spanish edition, illustrated by Quentin Blake, will captivate nine- to 12-year-olds.

Golden, Arthur.
Memorias de una Geisha.
(Memoirs of a Geisha)
tr. by Pilar Vásquez. U.S.: Vintage Español: Random House. 2005. 551p. ISBN 0-307-27531-0. pap. $14.95. FICTION

Golden’s brilliant debut novel tells the story of Sayuri, once a fisherman’s daughter sold into the world of artistic entertainment. After narrating her traumatic childhood in the unfriendly world of geisha houses, Sayuri recounts her days as Japan’s most important Geisha of the ’30s and ’40s. Vintage has re-released this high-quality Spanish translation to coordinate with the—rumored to be in theatres December 2005—film version directed by John Marshall (Chicago).

Safran Foer, Jonathan.
Todo está iluminado.
(Everything is Illuminated)
tr. by Toni Hill. U.S.: Random House Español. 2005. 344p. ISBN 0-30734-312-X. pap. $11.95. FICTION

With this first novel, Safran Foer won the New York Public Library Young Lions Fiction Award in 2003 and became a New York Times best-selling author. A man travels to a small Ukrainian town that was wiped off the map by the Nazi invasion to search for the woman who saved his grandfather during WWII. As he explores family ties, friendships, and the hopes of a time lost, the young narrator falls for his Ukrainian translator, and guides the reader through a laughter- and tear-filled journey. Not yet announced is the release of the film version by Warner Independent Pictures, starring Elija Woods (Lord of the Rings).