Maya Papaya and Her Amigos Play Dress-Up [Hardcover]

In this rhyming celebration of playtime, bilingual Maya Papaya welcomes all four seasons with a flair for dress-up and an inclusion of Spanish words in an English narrative. Strong writing, a spunky protagonist, and themes of playtime and the changing seasons lead to a celebration as Maya Papaya plays dress-up and speaks to her toys in English and Spanish, going on adventures and making the most of their time together. Expert author Susan Middleton Elya is a former Spanish teacher and known for her prolific, award-winning bilingual books for children.Follow Maya Papaya and her peluches as they dance and play through the seasons. ¡Ay, Guacamole! This is a bright little book, full of cheery illustrations and well-metered rhymes that create a delightful story. Maya and her amigos—her stuffed toys, her dog, and her cats—do everything together. From swimming to sledding to jumping in mud puddles, they do it all in style (thanks to their gafas del sol, tacones, and other fun clothes). Small children will easily relate to Maya and her need to adventure with her furry friends and will certainly see themselves in the playful games they enjoy together. Spanish words are used throughout (printed in italics), and most children and adults will be able to figure out their meanings using context clues, even if they do not know Spanish. However, a glossary in the back defines anything readers may be unsure of, with helpful phonetic spellings of all words. As the illustrated narrative begins with dressing and ends with Maya cuddled up in bed, this is not only a great book for teaching the seasons as well as beginning Spanish vocabulary, but a sweet bedtime book to read aloud. Maya has dark hair, pale skin, and large, dark eyes that seem to be all pupil. The language is fun, the Spanish just rolls off the tongue, and the illustrations offer just enough whimsy.
—Kirkus Reviews

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