Chicos y Altos

Children's Literature - Mandy Cruz

In a book comparing short and tall animals one expects to see a giraffe's long neck and an ostrich's long legs. The penguin and his short legs are not a surprise, but one certainly does not expect to see sea rods. Sea rods are actually animals and the opposite of sea rods are the hawkfish that hide in them. Aside from the comparison of the animals, the animals' characteristics are compared. The peacock's tall feathers versus the short of the egrets, the tall antlers of the elk contrast the horns of the horned lizard's, and even the baby gorilla's nominal height is compared against an adult gorilla. The concept of opposites is effectively demonstrated in this delightfully lively book. The facts that are dotted throughout the pages are simple enough to fascinate and intrigue young readers, and the photos are the perfect complement to bring them back to have a second look. Reviewer: Mandy Cruz

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2–These bilingual titles are highly effective due to the combination of full-color photographs and simple sentences that help listeners and beginning readers understand the texts and concepts introduced through animal opposites. The photographs contribute to the books’ appeal. Fascinating Did You Know?/Sabías que? sections provide fun facts about key animal traits to entice readers into further learning. Librarians, teachers, or caregivers can attract reluctant, early, or emergent readers with these offerings.–Eric Gómez, Broward County African-American Research Library, Fort Lauderdale, FL