cover image Bravo, Chico Canta! Bravo!

Bravo, Chico Canta! Bravo!

Pat Mora and Libby Martinez, illus. by Amelia Lau Carling. Groundwood (PGW, dist.), $17.95 (32p) ISBN 978-1-55498-343-8

Chico Canta, the youngest of 12 mouse siblings, saves the day thanks to his ability to “speak” Dog, proving just how important being multilingual can be. The father-daughter team of Mora and Martinez adapt their story from a Mexican folktale, and Carling’s mixed-media paintings create a cozy Latin American environment for Chico’s family, which lives and performs in an old theater. Despite threats from Little Gato-Gato the cat and Chico’s overall distractibility, the Cantas’ performances go off without a hitch. Spanish and Italian words are scattered throughout, giving readers a chance to pick up new words themselves. Ages 4–7. (Apr.)