Genre 2 - Traditional Literature Pio Peep! Traditional Spanish Nursery Rhymes

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ada, Alma Flor and F. Isabel Campoy. Selectors. 2003. PĺO PEEP! TRADITIONAL SPANISH NURSERY RHYMES. Ill. by Viví Escrivá. New York, NY: Harper Collins. ISBN 0688180190

2. PLOT SUMMARY
A collection of twenty-nine Spanish folktales with English translations or close “re-creations”.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The author’s intent of this book was to “stimulate children to read” and that’s exactly what it will do. The poems are fun and whimsical and children will gravitate towards them. Because these poems are from an oral folktale background, the rhyming “bounce” to them will keep children and adults entertained. Some of them should also be easy for young readers to tackle independently.
The authors collected these rhymes and songs from all the nineteen Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America. They purposely selected well known rhymes so many generations can share the book together. The authors also note the selections are personal to them because they selected rhymes that they cherished in their own childhood.
The book contains an informative author’s note, table of contents and introduction page. The author’s note and introduction should definitely be read because they explain the purpose of the book. The authors chose to create a “poetic re-creation” and not just translate the Spanish rhyme into English. Their explanation is helpful and guides the reader into deeper appreciation of the dual language rhyme sets.
“Here the Bird Laid the Egg / Aqui puso la pajarita el huevo” (pg 18-19) will be a favorite for students. The plot is simple and easy to understand. The sequence of events is laid out in a timely fashion. With the ending, “and this fat rascal gobbled it up!” kids will cheer because of the simple joke. Students will be able to relate to Escrivá’s watercolor illustrations because the faces look like they do. Like the small nest on page 19, the little details added will delight young readers.
“The Elephants / Los elefantes” (pg 32-35) involves simple actions and easily understood humor. Students will quickly grasp that elephants can’t swing from a spider’s web and that there will be some kind of consequence. The anticipation will build and students will have fun deciding what exactly happens next. Escrivá’s large illustrations will appeal to children because the elephants look playful and childlike.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Deeply rhythmic verses, compelling rhyme schemes, and words that "play trippingly on the tongue" characterize every verse. Schertle's excellent English adaptations are not literal translations but poetic re-creations. They retain the rhythm, meter, and general meaning of the originals, making the rhymes as memorable and memorizable in English as they are in Spanish.”

BOOKLIST: “Even adult readers with a rudimentary knowledge of Spanish will see some of the differences, but both versions have a sweet, rhythmic simplicity that will get children singing, clapping, and perhaps making some forays into a new language.”

5. CONNECTIONS
* Read along with other nursery rhyme books, like THE NEIGHBORHOOD MOTHER GOOSE by Nina Crews and compare.
* Have bilingual classes read the Spanish folktale and the “re-creation” and see if they can find the differences between the original rhyme and the “re-creation”.
* Have adults share any personal stories of using these rhymes when they were young with students.