Cosas que pasan cada día. (Things that Happen Everyday)

Reviewed by Cristi Jenkins, Access & Programs, Fort Vancouver Regional Library, WA -- Críticas, 8/15/2008

Kasparavicius, Kestutis. 
tr. by Aloe Azid. illus. by Kestutis Kasparavicius. . Spain:Thule Ediciones, dist. by IPG: 2007. 80p. ISBN 978-849-647-335-5. $19.95.

Gr 3-5–This volume is comprised of 36 short, quirky vignettes. The stories twist everyday life, speaking from the point-of-view of inanimate objects and animals. A family of birds brings home a singing man and put him in a cage, but they are disappointed that he will not sing. A miniature cow reads the words on the page of a book and then eats them, but when she encounters the phrase, “don’t choke,” she decides to nibble on a geranium instead. Enamored by world inside a fridge, a cat tries to tell the machine how she feels. When she is ignored, she opens the door and consumes all its contents. Kasparavicius (1990 Golden Pen Award, 1994 UNICEF award “Illustrator of the Year”) has created an entertaining book replete with artwork that enhances the humor of the stories. Animals and trees don human attire. Brooms, silverware, and chimneys sport human faces with exaggerated rounded noses and circular cheeks. The whimsical, detailed, full-color acrylic illustrations accompanying each tale are striking and its textures and colors are reminiscent of Beatrix Potter’s style. Though this is prose, the text’s quirkiness is similar to the one exhibited in Shel Silverstein's popular poetic work for children. The Spanish translation is clear and strong. Young and old readers will enjoy these delightful and unusual tales. Highly recommended for school and public libraries, as well as bookstores.   

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