Mi Casa Is My Home
(English With Some Spanish)

A light brown-skinned child named Lucía introduces their casa--and their "big, loud, beautiful familia," which has roots in Puerto Rico and España--in this picture book by Sala. As Lucía treats the audience to a tour of the family's casa in a seamless blend of English and Spanish ("Esta es la cocina... It's where I watch Mamá perform milagros"), González Hoang offers context clues for non-Spanish-speaking readers in soft watercolor, colored pencil, and digital spreads, showcasing the family and community's range of skin tones along the way. The immersive Spanish may present a learning curve for some ("cumples," "ropa vieja," and "Sana sana colita de rana!" for example, are nowhere near cognados to their English translations), but familiar elements--"Abuela puts smelly stuff on my chest when I'm sick"--ensure that readers of this bilingual picture book will find much to appreciate. Ages 3-7. (Sept.)

Gr 2-4--Lucia is a friendly young girl with a large family and a beautiful yellow house. In this book, she takes readers on a tour of each room in her home, su casa, explaining what happens there with her friends, family, and pets. In la cocina, her mother cooks yummy soups. In la sala, Lucia builds couch forts with her cousins, sus primos. The book itself is a friendly square shape, and Lucia is a happy narrator and guide in her bright blue rainbow shirt. Hoang's watercolor and colored pencil illustrations are cheerful and vibrant. On almost every page, characters of a variety of skin tones and dress smile, play, and dance. The Spanish words are naturally incorporated into the text, without italics or parenthetical translations; those unfamiliar with the vocabulary can use context clues from both the text and art to decode meaning. Sala's choice not to provide a glossary or translations helps show readers that Spanish isn't a separate language but one that fits perfectly alongside English in Lucia's home--and in other homes, too. VERDICT A must-buy. This book is perfect not only for bilingual readers but also for those seeking to connect more with another language.--Chance Lee Joyner, Haverhill P.L., MA