Conejito: A Folktale from Panama [Hardcover]

Margaret Read MacDonald (Author), Geraldo Valerio (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

An all-star author-illustrator team delivers a timeless story about finding love and acceptance.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 4-Based on a folktale from Panama, this lively retelling has a delightful blend of Spanish and English. MacDonald skillfully provides word meanings in context, as in this example: Conejito is told by his Mama that when he visits Tía Mónica, She will feed you cakes and cookies and every good thing-¦until you are¡Gordito! ¡Gordito! ¡Gordito! Fat! Fat! Fat! The plot skips along predictably as Conejito meets and tricks Señor Zorro (Mr. Fox), Señor Tigre (Mr. Tiger), and Señor León (Mr. Lion). Children will eagerly join in singing Conejito's song: I have a sweet old auntie,/my Tía Mónica!/And when she goes out dancing-¦/they all say 'Ooo la la!' Valério's full-color acrylic illustrations stretch across each spread, reflecting a folk-art motif that perfectly complements the story. Movement and energy are captured in the animated characters. A pronunciation guide and an author's note giving the source for both the story and song are helpful additions. This book is sure to encourage participation. It begs to be read aloud with a group.-Lee Bock, Glenbrook Elementary School, Pulaski, WI
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

K-Gr. 3. Tricksters from around the world echo in the character of Conejito, Little Rabbit, who emerges unscathed from a risky journey in this Panamanian folktale. He must go up the mountain to visit his aunt, but how will he evade Senor Zorro (Mr. Fox), Senor Tigre (Mr. Tiger), and Senor Leon (Mr. Lion)? Clever Conejito stalls, telling them that he is much too skinny (Flaquito!) but that when he returns from his aunt's he will be plump (Gordito!). Sure enough, Tia Monica feeds him up until he is "healthy and strong and fat as a butterball," then sends him home with sly advice about how to distract the predators. Rhyming refrains invite the participation of young listeners, who will especially enjoy singing Conejito's special "Tia Monica Song" to the tune provided, and repeating the smoothly incorporated Spanish words and phrases (for which a pronunciation guide is appended). Valerio's splashy tropical colors and elongated, rubbery characters, often stretching across an entire spread, capture the tale's bouncing energy. GraceAnne DeCandido
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: August House (January 27, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0874837790
• ISBN-13: 978-0874837797
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 11.3 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #351,825 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Margaret Read MacDonald travels the world telling stories....always on the lookout for more great folktales to share. She shapes these found stories into tellable tales which anyone can share with ease. Filling her folktale collections with these delightful tales, she creates perfect read alouds for you and your family. MRM wants everyone to experience the joy of a beautifully told tale. She hopes you will read them a few times...then put down the book...put down the electronic device...and just TELL the story to your children!

Some of her favorite folktales she expands into picture books...hopefully with delightfully readable language while will roll right out of your mouth. Share them with your children and then....act the tales out! Revisit the tales by TELLING them! At bedtime. While on the road. Fill your pockets with great stories to share wherever you go.

Joining her Folklore Ph.D. with her 30 plus years as a children's librarian, Margaret brings folktales to life in playful, lilting language which should delight both reader and listener.

See her performance schedule at: www.margaretreadmaconald.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I think I have just met my LUNCH!, October 24, 2007

By 

Kim (CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Conejito: A Folktale from Panama (Hardcover)

My (mainly Spanish-speaking) kindergarteners love this story, and enjoy helping their hopelessly monolingual teacher pronounce the Spanish words. The repetition is great for this age, the song is catchy, and the humor makes the story fun for the teacher too. We also took the time to examine Panama (where the story originated) on the map.

This is one of the handful of books I pull out when we've got that extra 5-10 minutes, or when they're wild and I need to get them focused again.

5.0 out of 5 stars Conjito, June 2, 2011

By 

Patricia Suhoski (Phoenix, AZ) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Conejito: A Folktale from Panama (Hardcover)

This is a really fun story. I am a teacher and have read this story many times to my students. The children love the story and always say out loud the repeating lines in the story. It is also beautifully illustrated.

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book is bilingual without translating!, July 8, 2010

By 

ecmorgan - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Conejito: A Folktale from Panama (Hardcover)

My kids looove this book. My son brought it home from the library (he picked it out!) and it was an instant hit. We had to purchase it for our own library. The book has a great rhythm to it. There are a few phrases that are repeated in English after they are stated in Spanish but for the most part it incorporates Spanish into the book very smoothly without any awkward translations (although a translation key is available). It has a variety of phrases that repeat and of course children learn an repeat quickly. The storyline is simple and uncomplicated. It would be a great addition to any child's library regardless of their abilities to speak or understand Spanish. I wish I could find more books like this! A+++