La tortuga golosa. (The Sweet-Toothed Turtle)
Reviewed by Gisela Norat, Agnes Scott Coll., Decatur, GA -- Críticas, 4/1/2008
Campos, Paula.
illus. by Macarena Ortega. U.S.: Paula Books (Había una vez en América): Jorge Pinto. 2008. ISBN 0-9795576-4-X. pap. $14.95.
Gr 2-4–This is the first title in a series that collects oral tales from diverse Latin American indigenous cultures. According to the Nahua Indians of Mexico, the turtle’s shell got its patchwork pattern by an accident that changed nature’s design. When a sweet-toothed turtle gets tired of the limited ground vegetation within her reach, she decides to climb a tree with appetizing fruit. Headstrong and brave in her quest, the protagonist falls from the trunk and cracks her shell into many pieces. The forest animals offer her feathers and sea shells to cover her nakedness; but when nothing seems to work, they decide to team up and reassemble the broken shell. The whimsical and vibrant watercolors will appeal to young readers; and the appended information, which includes a map of the Nahua settlement within the American continent, will help children better understand this culture that is still alive in parts of Mexico. Strongly recommended for school and public libraries, as well as bookstores.
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