Say Hello!

From School Library Journal PreSchool-Grade 1—Carmelita and her mother set out to visit Abuela Rosa. As they pass each family or store, they call out the appropriate greeting. Whether it be friends just returning from Africa (" Jambo !") or the woman in the bakery (" Bonjour !"), Carmelita's dog is ready with a friendly "Woof!" When Carmelita reaches her grandmother (" Hola !"), the two share a smile as the pup seems to understand yet another greeting. Carmelita's busy, diverse neighborhood is a place that children will enjoy, and Isadora's oil-and-collage illustrations are richly detailed. From Carmelita's huevos con tocino (eggs and bacon) to the Japanese restaurant's lanterns, textured paint and printed patterns invite readers to linger on each page. Text and illustrations work together to provide clues for readers who may be learning these greetings for the first time. Pronunciation is not included, so adults will want to prepare before reading the book aloud. This accessible story could be used to discuss not only languages, but clothing and manners as well.— Lisa Glasscock, Columbine Public Library, Littleton, CO Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Booklist One morning Carmelita, her mother, and their dog Manny go to visit Abuela Rose. Walking through their neighborhood, they run into friends and shopkeepers and stop to greet them in different languages: “Buenos días” to Señor Enrico at the bodega, “Shalom” to Mrs. Rosen and her children, “Konichiwa” to the Japanese restaurant staff, “Jambo,” to Joseph and his parents, “Al salaam a’alaykum” to the butcher and his family, and so on. In contrast, Manny greets everyone with “woof.” There’s no real drama; the text is pared down to essentials and the striking collage-style illustrations are colorful and dynamic. Richly patterned with oil paints as well as printed patterns, the cut-paper shapes show up vividly against the white backgrounds. Pair this upbeat book with Manya Stojic’s Hello World! (2002) and Lila’s Prap’s Animals Speak (2006) for opening discussions of different languages and cultures. Preschool-Grade 1. --Carolyn Phelan * "Readers will fall for the sociable Carmelita as they proudly learn a range of salutations, and the artist’s rich environment, packed with hidden details and charming animals, will delight readers with each return visit. Simply enchanting."-- Kirkus Reviews , starred review Rachel Isadora began dancing at the age of eight. She trained at George Balanchine's School of American Ballet and has danced professionally. Rachel lives in New York City with her family. Rachel Isadora has illustrated many books set in the world of dance and theater, including Opening Night , My Ballet Class , Swan Lake , The Little Match Girl , and Ben's Trumpet , which received the Caldecott Honor Award and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Award. copyright © 2000 by Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers. All rights reserved. Rachel Isadora began dancing at the age of eight. She trained at George Balanchine's School of American Ballet and has danced professionally. Rachel lives in New York City with her family. Rachel Isadora has illustrated many books set in the world of dance and theater, including Opening Night , My Ballet Class , Swan Lake , The Little Match Girl , and Ben's Trumpet , which received the Caldecott Honor Award and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Award. copyright © 2000 by Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers. All rights reserved. Read more