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"Goin’ To The Zoo / Vamos Al Zoologico"
Talking to the Animals—Bilingually!,
Reviewed by M. Allen Greenbaum (California)
Kids who want to improve their English or Spanish—or who just love animals—will enjoy this colorful bilingual romp through the zoo with young guides Mandy and Andy. However, it’s a far cry from a conventional language text: The story and pictures will appeal to animal lovers conversant in any language.
Tom Stiglich’s bright, color-soaked illustrations are a visual treat featuring saturated hues and unexpected color combinations (for example, a golden brown owls against a purple night time sky; the shadowed light blue faces of Mandy and Andy as they look through a glass enclosure at snakes and lizards). Stiglich draws big eyes on his faces; this makes it easy to discern the "emotions" of the reptiles, birds, lions and tigers and bears (oh my!), monkeys, seals, peacocks, and other zoo citizens depicted here. He makes the zoo an inviting, friendly place...even the polar bear resembles a friendly mouse more than the mighty ruler of the North Pole.
Author William Adams keeps the zoo tour lively and uncluttered, foucsing on one animal enclosure at a time. "Books Kids Can Flip Over." Adams’ slogan is not only a clever pun, but the key to reading the book biligually. Start with either the Spanish or English versions, read to the middle, and then close the book and flip it over (from top to bottom, not from side to side). Now you can read the book in the other language!
Here’s an example of the bilingual animal fun: "Owls and bats mostly come out at night, The peacocks and flamingos, Are such a beautiful sight..." Close the book,flip the top towards yourself, and you’re looking at the Spanish version.
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