Soap, Soap, Soap / Jabon, Jabon, Jabon

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2–Hugo’s mother sends him off to the store to buy soap. On his way, the boy slips in a mud puddle, is wrongfully blamed for causing an old woman to drop her eggs, and is accosted by the school bully. Although he keeps forgetting what he is supposed to buy, sweet little Hugo perseveres, buys the soap, and navigates his way back home. His mother does not ask any questions but ushers him off to the tub. In spite of this, Hugo remains optimistic and seems happy with a hardy scrubbing. Full-color acrylics in bright oranges, yellows, greens, and earth tones fill the pages. Dulemba exhibits exceptional talent for capturing the key action, utilizing perspective and integrating human emotion into her characters’ expressions. Predominantly in English, the bilingual text intersperses basic Spanish words, which are highlighted in red ink. A useful choice for children just learning Spanish.–Cristi Jenkins, Fort Vancouver Library District, WA