Rafi and Rosi: Carnival! (I Can Read Book 3) [Hardcover]

Lulu Delacre (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up | Series: I Can Read Book 3

Puerto Rico's magical Carnival is full of sights and sounds to explore. Rosi CoquÍ is determined to show her brother the very best way to enjoy the parade, while Rafi has a plan to make his sister queen for a day! But when Rafi scares Rosi with his terrible vejigante mask, she decides it's time to teach him a lesson. Little sister has a few tricks up her sleeve–and it's all part of the mischief of Carnival!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 3-This easy reader opens with a glossary of Spanish words. Each of the three stories centers on the relationship between two Puerto Rican tree frogs as they celebrate Carnival. In the first, Rafi casually assures Rosi that she could be chosen Queen of Carnival, and she is crushed when she is told that she's too young. Rafi then decorates his wagon and pulls her up and down their street in her very own parade. The other two stories concern the Carnival parade and the periscope Rafi uses to watch it, and Rosi's fear of the terrible vejigante masks. These frog siblings are mischievous, but it is clear that they love and appreciate one another. Their emotions and experiences are universal to childhood. The charming cartoon illustrations are integral to the amusing text. A concluding Did You Know-¦ section has information as well as instructions for several crafts relating to the stories.-Elaine Lesh Morgan, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 1-3. In this I Can Read book, Rafi and Rosi are frog siblings who live in Puerto Rico, where it's Carnival time. In the first of the four short chapters, Rafi tells his sister that she can be Carnival Queen, which is hotly disputed by her neighbor, Do'f1a Carmen, who is one of the judges. Rafi tempers Rosi's disappointment by making her a float from a wagon. Eventually, the two get to the parade, but Rafi's mask scares Rosi, who runs off, thus scaring her brother. There are several problems here, including Rafi's propensity for upsetting Rosi. The addendum of projects (including a periscope with mirrors) doesn't mention safety or the need for adult help except for a note about attaching an elastic band to the back of a mask. The draws here are a text peppered with Spanish (there's a glossary up front), the Puerto Rican setting, and a chance to learn about a new celebration. The watercolor artwork is nice but too often illustrates the least dramatic of the events. For libraries that serve a Puerto Rican community or where there's demand for easy readers or books with Spanish words. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Rayo (January 31, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 006073597X
• ISBN-13: 978-0060735975
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,325,908 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

LULU DELACRE has been writing and illustrating children's books for almost thirty years, striving to create quality literature. Her Latino heritage and her wide ranging life experiences inform her books.

Delacre's many beloved books include Horn Book Fanfare Book, "Arroz con Leche: Popular Songs and Rhymes from Latin America" and "Salsa Stories", an IRA Outstanding International Book. "The Bossy Gallito", "Arrorro mi nino: Latino Lullabies and Gentle Games" and "The Storyteller's Candle" are winners of the Pura Belpre Honor Medal for Illustration.

"Alicia Afterimage", the author's latest work is the Delacre's first book for young adults. It was written in memory of her daughter, who was killed in a car accident at the age of sixteen. After Alicia's death in 2004, Delacre interviewed twenty-two of her daughter's friends; the thoughts, emotions, and memories they shared became the basis for the book. "I believe that if this book helps bring some solace to others who must endure grief," she says, "it will have achieved its goal."

Delacre has lectured extensively throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and France. She is a grantee of the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, Maryland, and has been honored both as a Maryland Woman in the Arts and as a Write from Maryland Author.

A native of Puerto Rico, Delacre lives in Maryland.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars More Coqui Frogs - Rafi & Rosa and Carnival!, July 22, 2010

By 

KSL "emma-and-me" (Florida, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rafi and Rosi: Carnival! (I Can Read Book 3) (Hardcover)

In this book all 3 stories are about Carnival! Brother Rafi and sister Rosi are Coqui frogs.

In Queen for a Day - Rosi wants to be this year's parade Queen. Rosi finds out she's too young to be the parades queen she is sad. Using a wagon Rafi makes a parade float and pulls Queen Rosi down the streets of their neighborhood.

X-Ray Eyes - Rafi makes a periscope and tells Rosi he has x-ray eyes and can see the parade from inside the house.

Terrible Mask - Rafi makes a Vejigante costume which has a scary mask. It is the best part of Carnival for Rafi.

This book also includes a glossary in the front of the book, what a novel idea and it shows you how to pronounce the Spanish words and gives the definition as well. Also on page 61 - 63 is a Did You Know.... This book talks about Carnival and how it last for 7 days and ends with the Sardine's funeral and candy. It also shows how to make a Wagon Float, a periscope and a Vejigante Mask.