Dale, dale, dale: Una fiesta de numeros/ Hit It, Hit It, Hit It: A Fiesta of Numbers

by Jr. Saldana

Overview

“Today is my birthday, and I am so excited. / One piñata filled with candy. / Two hours until the party. / Three tables set for all of the guests.” Mateo counts to twelve as he anticipates the fun he'll have at his party!

There will be family, friends and lots of goodies for the children: tops, marbles and even toy cars! But before the children can hit the piñata, they will sing the birthday boy a song and enjoy eating a delicious cake. And then Mateo will be “the happiest boy in the whole wide world,” because he gets to swing at the piñata first with everyone cheering him on: ¡Dale! ¡Dale! ¡Dale!

Acclaimed kids' book author René Saldaña, Jr. creates another winner with his first picture book, illustrated in vibrant colors by Carolyn Dee Flores, for children ages 4 to 8. Kids will relish practicing their counting skills while dreaming about hitting a piñata at their very own fun-filled fiesta.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781558857827
Publisher:	Arte Publico Press
Publication date:	05/31/2014
Edition description:	Bilingual Eng/Spa Edition
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	446,855
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 11.20(h) x 0.30(d)
Lexile:	480L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

Editorial Reviews

05/01/2014
PreS-Gr 2—What kid doesn't love a piñata? In this birthday party counting book, simple text and colorful art carry the day. The illustrations are an interesting mix of drawings with colored-added photography. The protagonist is the birthday boy, and it is a very Latino-inspired celebration, counting items such as trompos, burbujas, canicas, y primos (tops, bubbles, marbles, and cousins). Especially enjoyable is the inclusion of the popular Latino piñata song, hence the title. The translation is good, but some of the word choices are questionable. For example, the translation for the word "excited" is "ansioso," whereas "emocionado," or "entusiasmado" would have been better choices. Another example is the word "guests": "niños" is used rather than "invitados." However, these instances should not deter selectors. This book would make a good supplemental purchase for libraries serving Latino communities or those with users learning about Latino customs and celebrations.—Maricela Leon-Barrera, San Francisco Public Library

School Library Journal

2014-03-17
Mateo's birthday is full of excitement, family and many things to count in English and Spanish. With minimal bilingual text, readers count along throughout Mateo's birthday fiesta. As he waits for the party to begin, he helps prepare the decorations and takes a peek at the party favors that have been prepared for his guests. There are five lucha libre masks, six tops, seven bubble bottles and nine toy cars. When his 11 cousins arrive to celebrate, there is music and birthday cake. But best of all, there is the birthday piñata that Mateo will strike open as together they sing a traditional song, "Dale, dale, dale." The lyrics to the piñata-breaking song are included in both English and Spanish, but the lack of any note or information about it is a missed opportunity. However, the exuberant energy of the book as a whole makes up for this oversight. The full-spread illustrations capture Mateo's enthusiasm and the work his family has put into preparing such a lively party. While many of the illustrations are photorealistic, others are more playful, such as the images of Mateo striking his best lucha libre poses or an image of all of the children at the party displayed on the screen of a digital camera. A contemporary and festive Latino birthday celebration. (Bilingual picture book. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews