Customer Reviews

Mr. Sugar Came to Town / La visita del Sr. Azúcar

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Mr. Sugar came to town is the fantastic, yet somewhat terrifying story of two children; manipulated by the powers of temptation. Seemingly idiotic, this book explores psychological concepts that are usually incomprehecable to young readers. Furthermore, this is a bilingual book, therefore, children who's native tounge is English, have the opperatunity to learn a limited, yet useful Spanish vocabulary. This works in the opposite way as well. I recommend this book to all people, who speak either English, Spanish, or both. It is a wonderful tale for people of all ages.

I read this story to a second grade bilingual class who just loved the story and were able to understand the message of the story. When I read it to a sixth grade bilingual class using puppets, It was just as enjoyable to the older children. Since it is in Spanish and English, the whole class was able to enjoy the story and learn what temptation can do to them. I recommend this book to anyone teaching a bilingual class or learning either language.

I first read this book years back at the library with two children I was babysitting for the summer. We read it and laughed in bemused horror.

The book chronicles the tale of two children lured to a magical wagon owned by a Mr. Sugar. His friendly countenance and gentle words urge them to try one of his confections, and thus begins the downward spiral into serious sugar addiction.

They become severely obese, jump up on the school roof, run backwards, and fall asleep in class. What have we to blame? That cursed sugar.

A surprise twist in the end pulls no punches, and teaches children with heavy-handed propaganda that sugar is bad. Very bad.

At once amusing and freaky-deaky, I've recommended this to people learning Spanish (for its bilingual aspect) and people interested in the weird and unusual.

Had this book when I was a preschool teacher and enjoyed it, the kids enjoyed it! It was great for curriculum...thinking of getting a second copy for myself personally! Thank you, have all ready read it to my now new group of kids and they enjoy the story and the message!

I am a teacher, and just read this to a class of first graders. They were both enthralled with and terrified of Mr. Sugar, but not to the point of being TOO terrified. However, they were hiding their eyes, etc. I think it's a great way to teach kids a very sophisticated lesson of the dangers of temptation: how something can seem wonderful but really be bad for you. It teaches them that too much sugar is bad for you in a way that kids understand. Adults get scared of words like diabetes and obesity, but kids need different images to help them understand that too much sugar is really horrible for you. Wonderful book!

This is a delightful story but I'm concerned that kids miss the point that an overdose of sugar is the problem. Kids do think in concrete terms. If all sugar is bad, why do my parents let me have any sugar? Do my parents want me to do things that are bad for me? Again, the answer is the balance not that all sugar is bad. Fruits and many other healthy food have natural sugar in them. I am a diabetic and I'm very aware of the problems of too much sugar. If an appropriate discussion follows the book, I think it is a good book and I agree with other reviewers. Using this book is like using sugar: do it carefully.