Early Years (ages 2-6)

The Flying Witch

Whirr. Whirr. Clunkety-clank. Here comes Baba Yaga! Flying her mortar and pestle, the witch with the long iron nose scours the countryside for plump young children to eat. But will she be a match for the fiesty little girl she hopes to throw into her soup? New York Times best-selling author Jane Yolen has created a clever, original story based on hundreds of traditional Russian folktales about the famed scary old witch. Vladimir Vagin’s remarkably detailed borders and intricate scenes will give readers chills and laughs as they read this witty tale.

The Race Of Toad And Deer

In this second book by the Latina pair, Pat Mora has created a poetic adaptation of the Maya version of the much-loved fable of the tortoise and the hare. The arrogant deer who boasts of his strength and speed is finally challenged to a race by the wily toad. While all the wondrous animals of the jungle – jaguar, tapir, armadillo and toucan – gathered around to watch, the toad makes a plan. He may not be as large as Venado, but he is very clever and has many friends to help him.

Rubber Shoes / Los Zapatos De Goma: A Lesson in Gratitude / Una Leccin De Gratitud

This book is a bilingual picture book about a little girl who tries to destroy the ugly shoes her mother bought for her on sale. After many failed attempts, she finally learns a valuable lesson in gratitude.

Lupita’s First Dance / El Primer Baile De Lupita

Lupita is excited about dancing la raspa, a Mexican folk dance, with her first-grade class at a celebration of Children’s Day. But she’s devastated when she learns right before the show that her partner Ernesto sprained his right ankle.

Lupita’s First Dance / El Primer Baile De Lupita has been discussed in My Take/Your Take for September 2020.

Dale, Dale, Dale/Hit It, Hit It, Hit It: Una fiesta de números/A Fiesta of Numbers

“In this bilingual counting picture book, a young boy counts to fourteen in anticipation of his birthday party: one piñata filled with candy; two hours until the party; three tables set for all of the guests, etc.”

When This World Was New

When his father leads him on a magical trip of discovery through new fallen snow, a young boy who emigrated from his warm island home overcomes fears about living in New York.

The Race

Get ready, get set, GO! A group of caribou gather together to run a race. Starting at the beginning of the course, readers join in the fun as the caribou engage in some rather outlandish tricks in order to be the first to cross the finish line. (Banana skins, for example, are an effective way to get rid of some opponents.) But in the midst of this titanic struggle for victory, some of the caribou stop to question the merits of their single-minded pursuit of winning at all costs. In the end, the reader is left to decide who the real winner is in this cautionary tale about the ups and downs of winning and losing. Illustrations are cut-paper collage.