Dinosaurios sumergidos. (Sunken Dinosaurs)
Reviewed by Liliana Barro Zecker, School of Education, DePaul Univ., Chicago, IL -- Críticas, 3/1/2008
Posada-Swafford, Ángela.
illus. by Pedro Villalba Ospina. Colombia/U.S.: Planeta (Aventureros de la ciencia). 2007. 170p. ISBN 978-958-42-1297-9. pap. $19.95 (includes DVD).
REVIEWED WITH:
Detectives del ADN. (DNA Detectives)
Posada-Swafford, Ángela.
illus. by Pedro Villalba Ospina. Colombia/U.S.: Planeta (Aventureros de la ciencia). 2007. 186p. ISBN 978-958-42-1414-0. pap. $19.95 (includes DVD).
Gr 3+–These short, entertaining novels include the right amount of factual information to hook readers typically intrigued by science-fiction stories. In these two titles, four friends travel the world with Tía Abigaíl, a famous reporter for a science magazine, as they research the structure of DNA and how dinosaurs became extinct. In the process, they have some fantastic adventures and end up attempting to solve robberies and terrorist attacks. Driven by Tía Abi’s temperament and the high energy of her four research assistants, the stories are fast paced, with the feeling of a long and exhilarating rollercoaster ride. Deftly, Posada-Swafford blends scientific facts into the narratives that perfectly capture the language of children. Both titles are supplemented by a 30-minute DVD in which different scientists explain some of the concepts alluded to in the stories. Suitable for read-alouds, the books will be mostly appealing to native speakers and advanced Spanish-language learners.
View All Blogs
