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ABeCedarios

Críticas

Seemingly the typical alphabet book with large type, this volume stands out for its artwork: gorgeous animal wood sculptures created in Oaxaca. Every letter is illustrated with a full-page photograph of a colorful hand-carved animal whose name either begins with or includes that letter.

Weill displays the English and Spanish names below the image and include notes on a few of the letters, such as in the “ch” and “ll”, which are no longer part of the Spanish alphabet, and the “rr”, which is a commonly used sound yet not part of the ABC’s. Also mentioned is the “ñ”, which belongs only to the Spanish language and is used to spell vicuña (one of the few unfamiliar animals, along with wapiti).

An outstanding alphabet book, this is highly recommended for all libraries and bookstores.

- November 15, 2007

Publishers Weekly

A is for…Children can learn their alphabet (in two languages) as well as get an introduction to an array of unique animals in ABeCedarios.

Featuring vibrant wooden sculptures by a Oaxacan family of artists, the primer offers up animals both familiar (“the flamingo/ el flamenco”) and unusual, such as the nutria and vicuna, for each letter of the alphabet, as well as for uniquely Spanish sounds, such as “ll,” “ñ” and “rr.” The highly saturated color backdrops and stunning sculptures should win over readers of all ages.

- January 7, 2008

Midwest Book Review

ABeCedarios is a bilingual English/Spanish ABC book featuring photography of stunningly beautiful carved wooden figures of animals, done in the Oaxacan tradition by sculptors Moises and Armando Jimenez. There is a carved animal for each letter of the alphabet (including the letters unique to the Spanish alphabet, such as n with a tilde), in this colorful and inventive way for teaching a young child their ABCs.

Highly recommended; even adults will enjoy lingering over the unique animal artistry

- January 9, 2008

School Library Journal

Gr 2-4- Mexican folk-art figures are the focus of this colorful alphabet book. Each page presents a small Oaxacan woodcarving of an animal done in a rainbow of colors. The only text is the animals' names in Spanish and in English. For example, "the Dolphin/el Delfín"; "the Elephant/el Elefante." The sculpted figures display personality and enough vibrant energy to leap off the pages. Unusual or rare creatures-a hybrid Zedonk, a unicorn, and imaginary "X" animal-appear as examples in whimsical colors and imaginative patterns. An attractive choice for folk-art study or libraries with large collections of artistic ABC books.

The Santa Fe New Mexican Magazine

"Children’s books with Spanish and English text side-by-side are not uncommon, but this one has an extra treat: photos of animal carvings by a well-known family from Oaxaca, Mexico...lovely and colorful creatures that add charm to the book. Certainly something to catch a child's eye."

Children’s books with Spanish and English text side-by-side are not uncommon, but this one has an extra treat: photos of animal carvings by a well-known family from Oaxaca, Mexico.

Each photo by K.B. Basseches takes up the whole page and the text by Cynthia Weill is the name of each animal. Some translate letter-for-letter, as in “the coyote-el coyote”, others translate through letter shifts (“the buffalo-el búfalo”) while others are more complex (“the turtle-la tortuga”, “the snake-la serpiente”). Some of the animals are exotic (“the quetzal-el quetzal”, a tropical bird). And a couple names don’t translate straight across, as in “el zorro” for fox, “el ñu” for gnu and “el chapulín” for grasshopper. And one animal doesn’t exist: “the X-el/la X.” Well, do you know an animal that begins with the letter “X”?

The sculptures were created by the Jiménez family from Mexico, led by brothers Armando and Moisés, grandsons of Manuel Jiménez, who the book credits with starting the carved-animal art. The result is some lovely and colorful creatures that add charm to the book. Certainly something to catch a child's eye.

The book uses three letters that have been removed from the Spanish alphabet: ch ("chapulín), ll ("llama"), and rr ("zorro"). It's a good bet the letters still are being taught. Otherwise, what would we call La Llorna?