Pio Peep! (rpkg): Traditional Spanish Nursery Rhymes (Hardcover)

by Alma Flor Ada (Author), F. Isabel Campoy (Author), Alice Schertle (Author), Vivi Escriva (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2-Following in the tradition of Margot Griego's Tortillitas para Mama (Holt, 1995) and Jose-Luis Orozco's Diez deditos (Dutton, 1997) comes this stellar collection of nursery rhymes. Selected from the rich oral tradition of Latin America and the American Southwest, most of the verses are known throughout the Spanish-speaking world. The rhymes cover everything from early morning birds to elephants to angels, and the reason for their enduring popularity is clear. Deeply rhythmic verses, compelling rhyme schemes, and words that "play trippingly on the tongue" characterize every verse. Schertle's excellent English adaptations are not literal translations but poetic re-creations. They retain the rhythm, meter, and general meaning of the originals, making the rhymes as memorable and memorizable in English as they are in Spanish. Escriv 's watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations use brilliant hues and detail to reconstruct a young child's world. Certain to become a staple for preschool and early elementary programs, this offering is also a wonderful, reassuring lap book. A must-purchase for libraries.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
PreS. As the preface to this delightful book states, nursery rhymes and songs are an important part of Spanish oral folklore. The 29 rhymes here--some accompanied by finger plays or games, and some simply meant to be chanted on their own--in most cases came to the Americas from Spain. They are presented both in Spanish and in English, although "to preserve the charm of the original rhymes," the English versions are not translations but "poetic recreations." Even adult readers with a rudimentary knowledge of Spanish will see some of the differences, but both versions have a sweet, rhythmic simplicity that will get children singing, clapping, and perhaps making some forays into a new language. The watercolor illustrations, featured prominently on the page, are a mix of historical and contemporary, generic Latin American scenes, and pictures of animals (not Escriva's artistic strong suit). Parents, teachers, and librarians will find a multitude of uses. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Baby-Preschool
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Rayo; Bilingual edition (March 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688160190
• ISBN-13: 978-0688160197
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #59,344 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet and endearing, January 28, 2004

By	beloni (Miami, FL USA) - See all my reviews

Since my infant twins are Cuban-American, I have been looking for children's books that will teach them Spanish while also teaching them a bit of their heritage. This collection of Latin American nursery rhymes brings together a collection of sweet rhymes that also appear in English. I'm always interested to see how the translator of this work chose to translate the rhymes. Often, the translations are not word for word, so sometimes I feel like I am reading a new rhyme. The adaptations are as interesting as the original ones. The illustrations are as pretty as the rhymes. I will save this book for my twins to give to their children one day.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Rare Find, April 13, 2005

By	zia'shan (Washington DC) - See all my reviews

It is so difficult to find good children's books in Spanish in the U.S. Most of them are simply Spanish translations of English language books. Pio Peep! is an excellent bi-lingual book containing traditional Spanish nursery rhymes and songs and English adaptations (I say adaptations because great care has been taken to preserve the rhythm and rhyme of the original). The illustrations are very well done too. I highly recommend this book to anyone raising children in a bi-lingual household.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a collection!, June 20, 2006

By	Pre-K Teacher "Child at heart" - See all my reviews

This book is amazing! As a bilingual Pre-K teacher, I recommend this collection for every young class. The Spanish nursery rhymes are classics and the English adaptations help make the book even more enjoyable for bilingual readers. These poems make meaningful rhymes in both languages that are sure to delight!