Las mil y una noches. 
(The Thousand and One Nights)

Coop Renner, formerly from El Paso Independent School District -- Críticas, 1/15/2009

Anonymous.
tr. by María Pilar Gavín Escarrá. illus. by María Barrera Castells. Spain: Zeta Bolsillo: Ediciones B, dist. by Urano (Colección Historias Selección). 2008. 301p. ISBN 978-84-96778-96-2. $13.95. 

REVIEWED WITH:
La isla del tesoro.
(Treasure Island)
Stevenson, R. L.
tr. by Flores Lazaro. illus. by Manuel Cuyás. Spain: Zeta Bolsillo: Ediciones B (Colección Historias Selección) dist. by Urano. 2008. 179p. ISBN 978-84-96778-93-1. $ 13.95. 

Un viaje a la luna. 
(A Trip to the Moon)
Verne, Jules.
tr. by José Antonio Vidal Sales. illus. by Juan Escandell. Spain: Zeta Bolsillo: Ediciones B (Colección Historias Selección), dist. by Urano. 2008. 301p. ISBN 978-84-96778-92-4. $13.95.

Gr 7+–In these new editions of books from a series that was famous in Spain in the 1950s and '60s, classics of world literature are presented in a sort of dual format–in a standard translation (adapted for younger readers) and in a comic-book retelling, the pages of which are scattered throughout the standard text and, unfortunately, not always particularly close to the more complete text they retell. Reluctant (or hurried) readers can easily flip through the books, reading only the comic pages and picking up the major plot points. More involved readers may find themselves enjoying the breezy nature of the comics, as a kind of sidelight, or may even ignore them. The style of the comics is decidedly old-fashioned and fairly simple, which may turn off fans of more contemporary graphic novels, but should still be a draw to those who would not otherwise tackle a classic. The stories are in Continental Spanish—including usage of vosotros and the attendant verb endings—which might contribute to the old-fashioned feel. Still, these titles might not otherwise be readily available in abridged versions. La isla del tesoro is downright gentle compared to more recent pirate adventures, but is still involving and enticing with its focus on the youthful narrator, Jim, and his spunky approach to danger, as he teams up with important men in his rural county to track down a hidden treasure. Un viaje a la luna may amuse more sophisticated readers with its emphatically low-tech approach to lunar exploration and “rocket” science, but the story still generates tension as the astronauts undertake their journey with no certainty of any return to Earth. Verne’s grasp on American geography is not always strong, but most teenagers will not likely notice. Las mil y una noches includes versions of famous tales such as those of “Aladdin and the Marvelous Lamp” and “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves,” along with less familiar stories such as “The Merchant and the Djinn,” “The Three Pilgrims,” and “The Magic Horse.” These tales, in which djinns, magic objects of power and enchantment, foolishness, treachery, and the eventual triumph of good are common elements, are closer to the old tales and a bit less sanitized than American English versions often are. Other titles in the series include Moby Dick, Los tres mosqueteros (Three Musketeers), Las aventuras de Tom Sawyer, El último mohicano (The Last Mohican), and Robinson Crusoe. Recommended for bookstores and libraries where classics for teenagers are popular.

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