cover image El Perro con Sombrero: A Bilingual Doggy Tale

El Perro con Sombrero: A Bilingual Doggy Tale

Derek Taylor Kent, trans. into the Spanish by Gabriela Revilla Lugo, illus. by Jed Henry. Holt, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-8050-9989-8

The life of a homeless dog named Pepe changes when a sombrero lands on his head, and a movie director casts him in his movies. Pepe takes on various roles—a cowboy dog, a singer—all while wearing the gigantic sombrero. Another movie star rival, a jealous “gato en zapatos,” absconds with Pepe’s hat. In the book’s liveliest sequence, Pepe chases the cat “Through markets. Por los mercados. Through cinemas. Por los cinemas. Through weddings. Por las bodas,” as Henry pictures them bounding over the heads of movie patrons and smashing through a wedding cake. A happy ending sees both animals enjoying an early retirement, choosing a loving family over fame. It’s a sweet and swiftly moving story filled with physical humor. Ages 4–7. Author’s agent: Eric Myers, Spieler Agency. Illustrator’s agent: Justin Rucker, Shannon Associates. (Aug.)