Around The World In Six Books

By Gabriella Salas -- Críticas, 10/15/2005

As more and more U.S. and international children's publishers release books about the Latino immigrant experience, the Críticas editors thought it would be important to highlight Spanish-language works that reflect other cultures from around the world. Below is a list of recently released, highly recommended children's books set in China, Angola, Morocco, and Alaska. Early readers will learn foreign myths, legends, and traditions, while delighting in beautiful illustrations that reflect each culture.

Fowels, Shelley.
El solterón y la alubia.
(The Bachelor and the Bean)
adapt. by Miguel Ángel Mendo. illus. by author. Spain: Ediciones Serres. 2004. unpaged. ISBN 84-8488-162-8. $12.50.

PreS-Gr 3–This retelling of a Judeo-Moroccan folktale, follows a bitter old bachelor who gets upset when he drops the last bean in his plate down a well. In order to stop his complaints, an imp who inhabits the well gives him a magic pot that produces food on command. An envious neighbor steals the pot, and the bad-tempered bachelor finds a perfect partner. Shelley's sense of humor will keep young readers laughing throughout. Her full-color, stimulating illustrations offer some sense of locale; the use of patterns in clothing design and in the borders for text blocks adds visual interest.

Gómez, Luis Marcelino.
Memorias de Angola: Cuentos Africanos.
(Memories of Angola: African Stories)
illus. by Esperanza Vallejo. Colombia/U.S.: Panamericana Editorial. 2003. 131p. ISBN 958-30-1257-2. pap. $12.

YA–Gómez, a Cuban doctor and writer, interned in an Angolan hospital from 1980 to 1982, during that country's civil war. Here, he gathers 11 stories about his experience, focusing on the life and customs of the locals he met, Angola's Portuguese culture, and its African landscape. The wide range of genres offered here, from first person narratives to personal letters Gómez wrote to a brother he left in Cuba, will keep readers interested. Vallejo's colorful illustrations take readers from Cuba to Africa, depicting local fauna and flora, as well as each country's political landscape.

Jiang Hong, Chen.
El caballo mágico de Han Gan.
(Han Gan's Magic Horse)
tr. by Rafael Ros. illus. by author. Spain: Editorial Corimbo. 2004. 37p. ISBN 84-8470-173-5. $27.99.

Gr 1-3–Based on a painting by Chinese artist Han Gan (742–783 C.E.), this beautiful picture book tells the legend of an artist whose immeasurable talent made his art come to life. One day, a fearless horse jumps out of one of his canvases, making its rider invincible. The many victories turn the rider into a reckless warrior, however, and the disillusioned horse returns to the canvas. Author/illustrator Jian Hong pays homage to Han Gan's work by utilizing his same artistic techniques. The beautiful illustrations will make a great introduction to Asian art.

Jiang Hong, Chen.
El príncipe tigre.
(The Prince Tiger)
tr. by Rafael Ros. illus. by author. Spain: Editorial Corimbo. 2005. 46p. ISBN 84-8470-213-8. $31.99.

Gr 1-4–As El caballo mágico (see above) this charming children's story is based on a piece of Chinese art. Jian Hong's inspiration here is an 11th-century bronze sculpture from the Shang dynasty of a tigress carrying a young boy in its mouth. Beautifully illustrated in bright oranges, grays, and greens, this book follows a brave young prince who is sent into the wilderness to appease a deadly and aggressive tigress. A close relationship, filled with respect and caring, evolves between the two. By the time the prince returns to his throne, he already knows the essentials of being a true ruler.

Krebs, Laurie.
Vamos todos de safari: Un recorrido numérico por Tanzania, Africa.
(We All went on Safari: A Counting Journey through Tanzania)
tr. by Eunice Cortés. illus. by Julia Cairns. Mexico/U.S.: Destino: Planeta. 2003. unpaged. ISBN 970-690-873-0. $11.95.

PreS-Gr 2–Colorful, geometrical drawings transport young readers to the wild grasslands of Tanzania, as a group of Maasai children counts African wildlife. Elephants, zebras, monkeys, and other local animals appear in quantities from one to 10, teaching young readers how to count in both English and Swahili. A glossary of Swahili terms, and information about Tanzania and its wildlife are also included. The rhyming singsong verse and the vivid colors of Cairns's illustrations will have young readers counting in both languages in no time.

Sugobono, Nahuel.
Esquimales.
(Inuit)
illus. by Alejandro Ravassi. Argentina: Longseller (Leyendas, mitos, cuentos y otros relatos). 2005. 96p. ISBN 987-550-623-0. pap. $10.15.

Gr 4-6–This latest addition to Longseller's Legends, Myths, Tales, and Other Stories series presents several Inuit legends, while teaching readers about Inuit culture and customs, and their geographical span (they inhabit a wider geographical range than any other aboriginal people, including Greenland, Alaska, and Siberia). A map and a glossary of Inuit terms are included. Other recent titles in the series are Aztecas and Incas.