Customer Reviews

Just a Minute!: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book (Pura Belpre Medal Book Illustrator (Awards))

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4 star:		(2)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

Yuyi Morales is having a great year. After creating a series of deft and meaningful illustrations for Kathleen Krull's heartfelt Cesar Chavez picture book, "Harvesting Hope", she wrote and illustrated a second 2003 Pura Belpre winner. "Just a Minute" is both a trickster tale and a basic counting story. Taking the dark conceit of outwitting death through meticulous partying, the story is a delightful dance with the macabre.

It is Grandma Beetle's birthday, and a most unexpected guest is at the door. Standing as nice as you please is Senor Galavera. The handsome skeleton informs the older woman that it is just about time for her to go away with him. Grandma Beetle delays him, asking to have time to sweep her ONE house. Then she has TWO pots of tea to boil. Next, it's THREE pounds of corn to make into tortillas. As more and more time goes by the previously patient Senor Galavera becomes more and more impatient. Finally, it's party time and the finicky skeleton finds that he's had so much fun that he'll be sure to come back for Grandma Beetle's birthday at the same time next year.

Who can resist the idea of outwitting Death himself through a simple counting game? Better still, for every English number pronounced there's a Spanish one for easy translation. But as fine an author as Ms. Morales is, she's an even better illustrator. First of all, Senor Galavera is a fabulous site. Anyone familiar with a skeleton from the Day of the Dead will appreciate his appearance. Sporting a jaunty fedora and a delicately detailed body, he's really quite attractive. His mouth is a series of blue and orange alternating stripes. His eyes are the stars of the anise seed. Better yet, along his vertebrate, forearms, forehead, and kneecaps are tiny intricate details. Grandma Beetle is more than a match for this supposedly dire apparition. She's even able to coerce him into donning an apron (falling loosely on his bony hips) and mixing some pots of delicious food. Kids reading through this book several times will enjoy locating the sly kitten that follows our two heroes about from page to page. To my mind, the best part of these pictures is their luminosity. They pulsate with the deep blues, greens, reds, and other shades that line the pages. "Just a Minute" has rapidly become my number one favorite illustrated picture book of the year 2003 (outside of my beloved "Diary of a Wombat" that is). A book that intrigues, teaches, and is filled with a deep emotional warmth such as this book has is a rare find. Be sure to read it and then share it with everyone you know.

I use this book for movement, we create a movement for each job that Grandma has to do. The students love it.

It doesn't matter which language you speak, you'll enjoy this hilarious trickster tale. Grandma Beetle tricks and annoys the strange skeleton, Senor Calavera, by saying, "Just a minute!" over and over again. The skeleton, who never speaks, may have been there to take her life. Each time she delays Senor Calavera, something funny and interesting happens. The sly look in Grandma Beetle's eyes lets you know that she is tricking Senor Calavera. Recommended for people of all ages, but use carefully with young children who may be afraid of skeletons.

I often read this to my five year old daughter. She is usually quite hyper at bedtime and has difficulty focusing on books. However, she loves this book, as do I. The art and story are wonderful, one of the best "counting" books I've come across (and I've read quite a few). I haven't yet attempted to explain the meaning to her, but that's the charm of the book--you don't need to in order to enjoy it. I highly recommend it.

I read this book to my Kindergarten class and they loved it. They found it funny and charming...they joined in on the line "Just One More Minute..". A great read for children of all ages.

I borrowed this book for my daughter from the library several times and then went ahead and just bought the book - it is so good.

The Pictures are wonderful, the story very simple(from a child's perspective). Something about the grandmother preparing a feast for her grandchildren on the occassion of her birthday is very evocative of all kinds of warm childhood memories.

My 3 year old ( I first read her this book when she was 2) loves the cadence of the prose. She learned to count to 10 in spanish from the book and, as an additional bonus, Senor Calavera has sparked her interest in the human skeletal system - she looks at the various bones and tried to feel them in herself - the ribs, the backbone, the collar bone... :D

All in all, a highly recommended book.

Did I mention wonderful illustrations... gorgeous, gorgeous colours!

Beautifully written and illustrated story. I keep a copy for our library and keep copies for gift giving as well.

In this gorgeous book, Grandma Beetle, winking at the audience, outwits Senor Calavera, who's expressions are so full of emotion - patience at first, but eventually a full-blown temper tantrum! When finally, Senor Calavera finds he is the tenth guest at Grandma Beetle's birthday celebration with her nine grandchildren, he decides she doesn't need to go with him right away, after all!

This is a educational book that can be used for those young students learning spanish. Additionally, it can also be used for educating both the younger and older children about life and death. The story is referring to senor calavera coming for grandma and taking her to her death, it concludes with a happy ending. Although, the story sounds funny and the characters spice up the story. The bright colors and the illustrations display the characters actions, admiring when Senor Calavera, rolled his eyes at Grandma Beetle. This will be a great book to read in a group, as I did to my grandchildren.

This book would be great for a read aloud with children. Page by page it tells a story of Grandma Beetle procrastinating about leaving with the skeleton, Senor Calavera. It's a great trickster tale and counting book. I really like that the numbers are written in the story in English and Spanish. The illustrations display Mexican customs and traditions. They are rich and vivid in color. I thought the unexpected twist in the end was cute! :) As a future teacher, a million lesson plans and higher order thinking questions that could be asked if this story was used with my students as a read aloud were running through my head. I would definitely recommend this book to teachers and parents!