Margaret and Margarita / Margarita y Margaret [Paperback]

Lynn Reiser (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 23, 1996 | Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Margaret and Margarita
Margarita Y Margaret

Margaret speaks English but not Spanish. Margarita speaks Spanish but not English. Can they still play? Of course they can! Join two robust girls who aren't about to let anything spoil their fun.

Editorial Reviews

From Kirkus Reviews

On the left, Margaret (carrying toy rabbit Susan) and her mother come to the park, though the child protests that ``There is no one to play with''; on the right are Margarita, her mother, and a cat named Susana holding the identical conversation--in Spanish. They meet, and while the mothers (assuming that their language difference is a barrier) sit facing outward on the same bench, the little girls gesture, converse, and play with their toys, each picking up a few words of the other's language and parting as friends--with the mothers now smiling at each other. Constructed with unusual imagination and care, a bilingual story that makes a perfect first bridge from either language to the other, with simple but expressive art that will help define the words for new readers. (Picture book. 3-8) -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

"Constructed with unusual imagination and care...makes a perfect first bridge from either language to the other." -- -- Kirkus Reviews

"Constructed with unusual imagination and care...makes a perfect first bridge from either language to the other." -- -- Kirkus Reviews

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Greenwillow Books (August 23, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688147348
• ISBN-13: 978-0688147341
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 9 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #372,418 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my kindergarteners' favorites, June 19, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Margaret and Margarita / Margarita y Margaret (Paperback)

This is a great book for young children learning Spanish or English, as well as those who are bilingual. The predictability of the story helps them figure out the vocabulary in the other language. It is also a very sweet story about making new friends. My bilingual kindergarteners absolutely loved it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Margaret speaks English and not Spanish. Margarita speaks Spanish and not English.", July 20, 2006

By 

Luan Gaines "luansos" (Dana Point, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Margaret and Margarita / Margarita y Margaret (Paperback)

Two little girls, Margaret and Margarita, set out for the park with their mothers, neither of them willing participants in the outing, convinced there will be no one to play with. In this clever mix of languages, the author literally builds a bridge between two worlds: when the children meet, they must find a way to communicate, for Margaret speaks only English and Margarita only Spanish. The adults recognize the barriers their children face, but, like children everywhere, the girls see only similarities and set about making each other's acquaintance, Margaret with her toy rabbit, Susan, and Margarita with her toy kitty, Susana.

The girls spend the next hours playing together and learning the sounds of another language, the illustrations cleverly drawn to enable youngsters to make these associations. Meanwhile, the two mothers sit at opposite ends of the park bench, uncommunicative. By the end of the day, the girls draw their mothers together, happily introducing them and making plans to meet at the park another day. A well-constructed bilingual text, the language is facilitated by colorful drawings, a bit more creative than the usual Spanish/English combination for young readers. The concept of building bridges instead of barriers serves the story well, a subtle touch to a thoughtful combination of two cultures. Luan Gaines/2006.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Adorable story and illustrations, June 1, 2003

By 

"littlelcz" (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Margaret and Margarita / Margarita y Margaret (Hardcover)

My husband and I are in the process of adopting a little girl named Margarita from Guatemala. A girlfriend of mine found this perfect book for me. It's not only a really cute story, but also teaches some basic phrases and words in English and Spanish. The illustrations are adorable. I highly recommend this book to others and can't wait to share it with my little girl.