La Princesa and the Pea (English With Some Spanish)

The traditional Hans Christian Andersen tale gets a makeover in this modern version with a twist. In her signature style of stories peppered with a liberal dose of Spanish and humor, Elya relates the account of a prince who wants to marry and his mother, the queen, who takes charge of vetting the possible candidates. In rhyming text, the author describes the lonely prince. Then one day "came a maiden, en route to her castle.../She winked at the prince, who fell for her fast./No matter what Mom does, I'll marry this lass!" The endearing and playful illustrations set the story in Peru. The Spanish words sprinkled throughout the text are in a different color and font, and kids will easily understand them through the context. (Those in need of additional help will appreciate the glossary with definitions and pronunciations.) And the pea under the mattresses test? Let's just say that the prince makes sure his chosen one passes with flying colors. VERDICT This engaging read-aloud is a fresh reimagining of a classic. A must for all libraries.—Lucia Acosta, Children's Literature Specialist, Princeton, NJ

 "Reading this would be a fabulous way to compare and contrast and use [readers's] knowledge of the first story and the colorful illustrations to make inferences as to meanings of words and phrases."—School Library Connection, starred review

"Martinez-Neal's graceful illustrations . . . really make this lively title a winner . . . . an enjoyable retelling for young audiences, [and] professionals looking to expand the diversity of a fairy-tale collection or unit of study will find it particularly valuable."—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books