Dewey Guide: 400s

Subjects Listed in This Directory

400 LANGUAGE

Shaskan, Trisha Speed.  IF YOU WERE A COMPOUND WORD.  Illus. by Sara Gray. Minneapolis, MN: 
    Picture Window Books, 2009.  24 p.  ISBN: 9781404847712 lib.bdg; $26.60.       Gr. 2-4     j 428.1

          This book defines a compound word on the title page.  Compound words are capitalized within the sentences to help the reader find the words. Sailing down the Mississippi River from Minnesota to Louisiana, compound words describe the trip.  Bright acrylic collage-type illustrations fill this book.  I do have one problem with the illustration on page 12.  The compound word for the page is woodchucks, but the animals illustrated appear to be beavers.  At the end of the book, readers can partake in additional activities including word lists, more to read, and Fact Hound on the web.  The book also includes a glossary and index. In spite of the error in the illustration, I would recommend this book for students of the English language from ages 7-10.
          Denise Engel, Director, Wakefield Public Library

Tullet, Herve'  NIGHT DAY:  A BOOK OF EYE-CATCHING OPPOSITES.
    Boston:  Little, 1999.  144p.  0-316-84244-3 hb., $14.95.   Gr. K-3      j428.2 

     Originally published in France, this book uses die cut holes to reinforce the concept of synonyms and antonyms.  There are over 30 opposites including  round/square, black and white/color, hot/cold, light/shadow, order/disorder, boat/airplane,  leaving,/returning, everything/nothing.  The pages are a bit stiffer than usual to protect the holes in the pages.  Most books of opposites are for preschoolers and kindergartners but this book can be enjoyed by primary students as well.
    Mary Ann Paulin; Director, Superiorland Preview Center

Wilbur, Richard.  THE PIG IN THE SPIGOT.  Illus by J. Otto Seibold.  San Diego:
    Harcourt, 2000.  48p.   0-15-202019-5; hb. $16.00    Gr. 3-6    428.2 

    The almost 30 rhymes in this book each include word plays.  One of the two words in italics is found within the other; i.e. "Because a chicken is a hick at heart" or "A throne, friends, is a seat reserved for one."  Sometimes the words rhyme and sometimes they do not.  Gifted students will appreciate the poems and can use them as patterns for thinking of similar phrases that contain "words within words."  The computer-generated illustrations are bright and surreal.  Most of the illustrations are opposite the poem; a few are integrated into the pages within the text.  Sometimes the background color is the same for both pages.  When the short poem is opposite the picture in a different color, it is less successful.
    Mary Ann Paulin; Director, Superiorland Preview Center, Marquette, MI 49855
 

[ To the top of this page ] | [ To SPC Homepage ]

 420 LANGUAGE - ENGLISH

[ To the top of this page ] | [ To SPC Homepage ]

 430 LANGUAGE - GERMAN

[ To the top of this page ] | [ To SPC Homepage ]

 440 LANGUAGE - FRENCH

[ To the top of this page ] | [ To SPC Homepage ]

 460 LANGUAGE - SPANISH

Ada, Alma Flor.  GATHERING THE SUN: AN ALPHABET IN SPANISH AND
     ENGLISH.  English trans. By Rosa Zubizarreta.  Illus by Simon Silva.  New York: 
    HarperCollins, 1997.  40p.  0-688-17067-6; pb., $6.95  96-3701  Gr. K-5+   j460 

    Because the poems for each letter honor migrant workers, the first word is Arboles or trees with a listing of specific kinds which were harvested by the author’s family.  Because the hardback was printed before 2000, the letters Ch and Ll were considered separate letters in the Spanish alphabet so they are included.  A note at the front of the book indicates that they will no longer be part of the alphabet in 2000.  Ch of course has to be Cesar Chavez, leader of the farm worker’s movement. M is Mexico, the place the author’s grandparents came from and where her parents returned.  Q is Querer/love.  Zanahoria is a carrot, one of the crops picked by the workers.  The illustrations are rich and expressive of the story told.  This book is not just for Hispanic children or for students taking Spanish classes but is important for anyone who wants to understand an important contribution to our society.  
    Vicki Poupoure says  “Although this is considered an ‘Alphabet in Spanish and English,’ I would consider it a Spanish alphabet with English translations.  The title is a bit deceiving.”  “This book gives an excellent depiction of the important work done by migrant farm workers.  The poetic alphabet is delightful to read and the illustrations are also beautiful.  The cultural lessons are very important.” 
    Vicki Leathers-Poupore, Spanish teacher, Negaunee Middle/High School, Negaunee, MI
    Nine years of experience as a Spanish teacher.

 Emberley, Rebecca.  LET'S GO: A BOOK IN TWO LANGUAGES/VAMOS:
    UN LIBRO EN DOS LENGUAS.  Illus. by author. Spanish trans. by Alicia Marquis.
    Boston:  Little, 1993. 28p.   0-316-23033-2; pb., $7.95   92-37278   PreS-Gr.3+   463.21

     The collage illustrations in this bilingual picture book are clear and appealing.  The vocabulary describes the pictures and the four illustrations representing the seasons will entice readers of all ages to turn the page.  Other areas represented by double pages are zoo animals, aquarium fish, camping, the beach, circus performers, a museum, rides at a fair, airplane parts, picnic food, and band instruments.  Recommended for school and public libraries for use with patrons of all ages.
    Mary Ann Paulin; Director, Superiorland Preview Center, Marquette, MI

 Emberley, Rebecca. MY DAY: A BOOK IN TWO LANGUAGES/MI DIA:
    UN LIBRO EN DOS LENGUAS.   Illus. by author. Spanish trans. By Alicia Marquis.
    Boston:: Little, 1993.  28p   0-316-22983-0; pb., $7.95.    PreS-Gr.3+     463.21

     This bilingual picture dictionary is a fun way for a reader to learn vocabulary about activities from morning until night.  The colorful cut paper collage illustrations begin the book with telling time from  1:00 o'clock through midnight as well as the words for morning, afternoon, and evening.   Other concepts featured on double page spreads are washing, brushing teeth, eating breakfast, carrying books and lunch to school, science experiments, the cafeteria, recess, art class, homework, dinner, reading a story, going to bed.  Because each of the six to ten objects per page are labeled with both languages, this book can be used by children or adults who have either English or Spanish as their primary language.  Recommended for school or public libraries.
    Mary Ann Paulin; Director, Superiorland Preview Center, Marquette, MI

 Numeroff, Laura.  SI LE DAS UN PANQUEQUE A UNA CERDITA .  Illus. by Felicia Bond.
    New York: Harper Arco Iris, 1998.  32p.  0-06-028316-5; hb., $15.95    Gr. 2-9+      460

     IF YOU GIVE A PIG A PANCAKE and similar books by Numeroff about feeding cookies and muffins to a mouse and a moose are favorites of English speaking children.  There very few children in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and even in Michigan as a whole who have Spanish as their primary language.  This book is not just for those children.  It can be used by Spanish teachers whose children are English speaking.  Leathers-Poupore says  "I love this book!  It is a very useful tool for teaching the future tense to my advanced Spanish students.   Numeroff's book is a fun way to brush up on Spanish grammar skills."
    Vicki Leathers-Poupore; Spanish teacher, Negaunee Middle School/High School, Negaunee, MI  
 
 Numeroff, Laura.  SI LLEVAS UN RATON AL CINE.  Illus by Felicia Bond. New York: 
    Geringer/Harper, 2000.  32p.  0-06-62302-1; hb., $16.95.    PreS-Gr. 3      460 

    IF YOU TAKE A MOUSE TO THE MOVIES (Geringer/Harper, 2000) begins with taking a mouse to the movies where he wants popcorn which leads to decorating a Christmas tree with it, making a snowman, having a snowball fight, singing Christmas carols, making ornaments which leads back to the popcorn decorations and the movies. Vicki Papoure, recommends the book for young children or beginning Spanish students.  “As a middle and high school Spanish teacher, I would read this aloud to my students during the holiday season.  The illustrations are wonderful.  The story, like the others in this series, is very creative and fun.”  Collections needing Spanish editions of titles can’t go wrong with this one. 
    Vicki Leathers-Poupore, Spanish teacher, Negaunee Middle/High School, Negaunee, MI
 
Reiser, Lynn.  THE LOST BALL; LA PELOTA PERDIDA.  Illus by author.  Trans. by M. J. Infante. 
    New York: Greenwillow/Harper, 2002.  32p.  0-06-029763-8; hb. $15.99  0-06-029764-6;
    lib.bdg., $15.89    2001-033272   K-Gr. 3    E   or   460      PAULIN’S PICKS

    This is a very clever book.  There are two boys, two dogs, two sets of illustrations,  two sets of captions, and  two languages.  The black line illustrations are accented with orange watercolors for English and green for the Spanish.  Each boy loses a ball and his dog brings back the wrong ball.  So the Spanish-speaking boy has an orange ball and the English-speaking boy has a green ball; they have each other’s ball.  In order to find the owner, they confront many people playing games and ask the same question “Is this your ball?”  The answer is the same, “No, our ball is a …..”  The appropriate ball is pictured to help readers translate the text.  Another clue is the picture of the people playing with the ball in the proper courts.  The balls are in appropriate colors and patterns and are the only color in the picture books except for the orange and green on the boys, their ball, and the collars of their dogs.  Besides the repetition in the text, there is a review of the six balls they found.  The clever ending is perfect.  The end papers include colorful balls captioned in English or Spanish.  This book is an excellent example of a bilingual book.  Purchase for school and public libraries, even those where Spanish is not spoken or taught. 
    Mary Ann Paulin; Director, Superiorland Preview Center, Marquette, MI

[ To the top of this page ] | [ To SPC Homepage ]

  490 LANGUAGE - OTHER

[ To the top of this page ]

[ SPC Homepage ] | [ preview@uproc.lib.mi.us ]