My Food/Mi comida

Publishers Weekly

English and Spanish translations of familiar words appear side-by-side in four bilingual board books by Rebecca Emberley-My Animals/Mis Animales; My Clothes/Mi Ropa; My Food/Mi Comida; and My Toys/Mis Juguetes-all illustrated with colorful fabric collage against a stark white background. Each object or concept gets its own page, but clever pairings (e.g., "car/el auto" featuring a red car and "truck/el camion" depicting a blue and yellow truck) make the most of each spread.

Children's Literature

Point-and-name books for young children have come a long way since cloth books illustrated "ball" and "cat." Emberley lifts point-and-name books to fine art. Aimed at toddlers just beginning to identify everyday objects in their world, these sturdy board books are a treat for grown-ups, too. Within bright covers, striking cut-paper illustrations are showcased against white backgrounds, the way a single-framed painting is highlighted against a bare wall. Cut-paper collage looks deceptively simple, but Emberley's tomato slice looks real enough to drip down the page. And the crumpled paper bow-tie pasta made me look twice—no, it wasn't a photograph of the real thing. Some of the foods are shown whole, such as the tasseled carrots; others are cut in half, like the apple. The English text is displayed in easy-to-read lower case type; just beneath in boldface is the Spanish translation. These books are a wonderful alternative for children in bilingual households. Among the jumble of inappropriate board books published every year, Rebecca Emberley's books stand out as examples of excellence. 2002, Little Brown, Ages 1 to 3.
— Candice Ransom