Little Roja Riding Hood (English With Some Spanish)

PreS-Gr 2--Elya follows up Rubia and the Three Osos (her version of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears") with this Mexican influenced and modern take on "Little Red Riding Hood." The book has a flair all its own: Little Roja's mother watches telenovas, Little Roja drives an ATV, the wolf wears a bandana and skull necklace, Grandma has a laptop and a statue of Jesus, and when Little Roja saves the day, Grandma ends up investing in a good lock and security camera. Elya's engaging text features snappy rhymes and plenty of contextual clues for Spanish words, which are in easy-to-find bold type. Her rhyming scheme is essential in helping non-Spanish speakers with pronunciation. A glossary at the beginning of the book provides straightforward pronunciations and definitions for Spanish words. The main characters are well depicted and follow the story nicely. Guevara's illustrations provide a lot to see, such as the three blind mice and Roja's cat, who tag along for the entire adventure; slightly menacing sunflowers with eyes; talking magpies; and some very busy Spanish trickster elves, who are unexplained, except in Guevara's bio. Overall, the story shines through, and this is a must-have where Elya's other books have been popular.--Catherine Callegari, Gay-Kimball Library, Troy, NH

Elya remains a master at blending Spanish and English to create clever, lively verse, and she and Guevara give the story of Little Red Riding Hood an entertaining and thoroughly modern spin. Roja's mother is busy watching telenovelas, so she sends her daughter to deliver sopa to her ailing Abuela. Riding on an ATV, Roja meets a wolf ("Cuidado! !Cuidado!" wail the forest birds in a kind of Greek chorus), who beats her to Abuela's house. Guevara tucks fairy tale and nursery rhyme characters throughout her watercolor-and-gouche paintings, and Roja's tech-driven solution to prevent future break-ins will leave readers smiling. Ages 5-8. Illustrator's agent: Kendra Marcus, BookStop Literary Agency. (Apr.)