Manuelita, ?Donde Vas?

Gr 2-4-Following the travels of Manuelita, readers get to set foot, albeit momentarily, in regions, countries, and places throughout the world. They meet characters who turn up throughout the girl's adventures, as well as other characters who seem to disappear without a trace. Told in short chapters, each one loosely representing a different location or point of interest, the protagonist's tale may make youngsters smile. However, what they encounter at each stop is simply an unimaginative, stereotypical look of that region or country. Moreover, at some of Manuelita's stops, it is not even clear where she has landed, or why she is there. The illustrations are colorful but also uninspiring and not always accurate depictions of the action they strive to represent. Marietta Barral Zacker, Atlanta Book Consulting, GA