¡Vamos! Let's Go to the Market

K-Gr 2-It is an exciting day for Little Lobo. Today, he is going to the market with his dog, Bernabé. The desert town is vibrant with commerce, street vendors, and an array of animal inhabitants. For Little Lobo there is no stopping; he absolutely enjoys greeting acquaintances, delighting in street performances, and fulfilling his job of delivering supplies at the market. Gonzalez has created a simple narrative that includes Spanish vocabulary, which is playfully positioned surrounding the many streets, food stores, and buildings, encouraging readers to say the Spanish words as they turn the pages. The cartoon images set a festive tone, inspired by El Mercado Cuauhtémoc in Juárez, Mexico, with a soft- toned autumnal palette. The book contains a glossary with the vocabulary words and their respective pronouns. VERDICT This picture book entertains and informs readers through fresh and engaging art, advancing Spanish vocabulary and cultural references. A winner.-Kathia Ibacache, Simi Valley Public Library, CA

February 1, 2019
Little Lobo and his dog, Bernabé, journey through a Mexican mercado delivering diverse goods to a variety of booths.With the aid of red words splattered throughout the spreads as labels, Raúl the Third gives an introduction to Spanish vocabulary as Little Lobo, an anthropomorphic wolf, leaves his house, fills his cart with objects from his warehouse, and delivers them to the market's vendors. The journey also serves as a crash course in Mexican culture, as the images are packed with intertextual details such as food, traditional games, and characters, including Cantinflas, Frida Khalo, and Juan Gabriel. Readers acquainted with Raúl the Third's characters from his Lowriders series with author Cathy Camper will appreciate cameos from familiar characters. As he makes his rounds, Little Lobo also collects different artifacts that people offer in exchange for his deliveries of shoe polish, clothespins, wood, tissue paper, paintbrushes, and a pair of golden laces. Although Raúl the Third departs from the ball-pen illustrations that he is known for, his depiction of creatures and critters peppering the borderland where his stories are set remains in his trademark style. The softer hues in the illustrations (chosen by colorist Bay) keep the busy compositions friendly, and the halftone patterns filling the illustrations create foregrounds and backgrounds reminiscent of Roy Lichtenstein's pointillism.A culturally intricate slice of a lupine courier's life. (glossary) (Picture book. 4-7)

COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from January 28, 2019
This picture book graphic novel by Raúl the Third (Low Riders to the Center of the Earth) celebrates the richness of border-town culture. The artist shows Little Lobo and his dog Bernabé as they make deliveries to Mercado de Chauhtémoc la Curiosidad, “a maze of pathways, shops, and booths.” Spanish and English words intermingle on the page as Little Lobo goes first to a warehouse to pick up items merchants have asked for (“clothes pins—pinzas para la ropa”), then heads for the market. Witty, stylish panel artwork crackles with funky comic energy, and the market churns with activity as merchants sell sweets (Little Lobo buys a churro), make piñatas, and paint on velvet. Little Lobo brings the clothespins to Señor Duende, who gives him a comic book about his favorite luchador, El Toro. “It would be great if we could meet El Toro one day,” Little Lobo sighs. Miraculously, as if the pleasures of churros and comics were not enough, he gets to give his hero a ride home. Most pleasing is the market’s atmosphere of warmth and affection: “Siempre tiene prisa!” the jarmaker clucks fondly after Little Lobo: “Always in a hurry!” Spanish words define background objects throughout (fuego describes a fire breather’s warm emanation) and a Spanish-to-English glossary concludes this inventive picture book. Ages 4–7.

February 1, 2019
Grades K-3 Excellent for English and Spanish language learners alike, this bilingual book for young readers combines language acquisition and cultural themes, telling a simple story while giving readers a real feast for the eyes in its richly detailed, full-color cartoon scenes depicting the animal denizens of El Mercado. Little Lobo's day at the market involves running around everywhere delivering packages. While he's at it, readers can wander around the pages full of background action in the Richard Scarry-like scenes, filled with busy merchants and labyrinthine layouts, a maze of pathways, shops, and booths. Everything is inconspicuously labeled with Spanish terms, the dialogue is often translated for non-Spanish speakers, and the scenery references many aspects of Mexican culture, such as sugar skulls, Cantinflas and other icons, cultural dress, cuisine, folk music and dancing, Lucha libre, and much more. A helpful glossary at the end fills any gaps. This lively, inviting picture book offers readers a playful glimpse into a desert world surrounded by mountains and cactuses.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)

Starred review from March 1, 2019
Waking up when the rooster crows is not hard to do if the day ahead includes a trip to the mercado. Rooster Kooky Dooky's cries ( �Vamos! ) wake up Little Lobo and his dog Bernab�. They eat breakfast (huevos rancheros con tortillas de ma�z) and get ready to deliver goods to their friends in the local marketplace. As they go about their errands, Little Lobo and Bernab� cross paths with a lively array of neighbors starting their workdays. Side by side the two travel, immersed in the sights, sounds, and smells of the town's streets and its plaza bursting with colors and activity. A few clues along the way hint at the surprise they will find when they complete their deliveries. The comics-style illustrations of anthropomorphic creatures, objects, and places are full of detail and very enjoyable to explore. The colors are largely muted so they do not compete with the many items on the riotously bustling and crowded pages; a double-page sepia spread partway through identifies Mexico City's historic Mercado de Cuauht�moc as the location. Since most objects are labeled in Spanish, like a visual dictionary, and cultural references (a cinema called Bu�uel, Cantinflas and Frida Kahlo puppets, Chapul�n Colorado dolls) are interspersed throughout the book, this simple morning walk turns into a scavenger hunt of Spanish words and Mexican cultural elements. A glossary is appended. alicia k. long

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

March 1, 2019
Waking up when the rooster crows is not hard to do if the day ahead includes a trip to the mercado. Rooster Kooky Dooky's cries ( �Vamos! ) wake up Little Lobo and his dog Bernab�. They eat breakfast (huevos rancheros con tortillas de ma�z) and get ready to deliver goods to their friends in the local marketplace. As they go about their errands, Little Lobo and Bernab� cross paths with a lively array of neighbors starting their workdays. Side by side the two travel, immersed in the sights, sounds, and smells of the town's streets and its plaza bursting with colors and activity. A few clues along the way hint at the surprise they will find when they complete their deliveries. The comics-style illustrations of anthropomorphic creatures, objects, and places are full of detail and very enjoyable to explore. The colors are largely muted so they do not compete with the many items on the riotously bustling and crowded pages; a double-page sepia spread partway through identifies Mexico City's historic Mercado de Cuauht�moc as the location. Since most objects are labeled in Spanish, like a visual dictionary, and cultural references (a cinema called Bu�uel, Cantinflas and Frida Kahlo puppets, Chapul�n Colorado dolls) are interspersed throughout the book, this simple morning walk turns into a scavenger hunt of Spanish words and Mexican cultural elements. A glossary is appended. alicia k. long

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2019
Colors by Elaine Bay. Little Lobo and his dog Bernabi deliver goods to their friends in the �cf2]mercado�cf1]. Detailed comics-style illustrations feature anthropomorphic creatures, objects, and places; colors are largely muted so they don't compete with the many items on the riotously bustling and crowded pages. Most objects are labeled in Spanish, like a visual dictionary, and cultural references (a cinema called Buquel; Cantinflas and Frida Kahlo puppets) are interspersed throughout. Glos.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

February 1, 2019
Little Lobo and his dog, Bernab�, journey through a Mexican mercado delivering diverse goods to a variety of booths.With the aid of red words splattered throughout the spreads as labels, Ra�l the Third gives an introduction to Spanish vocabulary as Little Lobo, an anthropomorphic wolf, leaves his house, fills his cart with objects from his warehouse, and delivers them to the market's vendors. The journey also serves as a crash course in Mexican culture, as the images are packed with intertextual details such as food, traditional games, and characters, including Cantinflas, Frida Khalo, and Juan Gabriel. Readers acquainted with Ra�l the Third's characters from his Lowriders series with author Cathy Camper will appreciate cameos from familiar characters. As he makes his rounds, Little Lobo also collects different artifacts that people offer in exchange for his deliveries of shoe polish, clothespins, wood, tissue paper, paintbrushes, and a pair of golden laces. Although Ra�l the Third departs from the ball-pen illustrations that he is known for, his depiction of creatures and critters peppering the borderland where his stories are set remains in his trademark style. The softer hues in the illustrations (chosen by colorist Bay) keep the busy compositions friendly, and the halftone patterns filling the illustrations create foregrounds and backgrounds reminiscent of Roy Lichtenstein's pointillism.A culturally intricate slice of a lupine courier's life. (glossary) (Picture book. 4-7)

COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from December 21, 2018

K-Gr 2-It is an exciting day for Little Lobo. Today, he is going to the market with his dog, Bernab�. The desert town is vibrant with commerce, street vendors, and an array of animal inhabitants. For Little Lobo there is no stopping; he absolutely enjoys greeting acquaintances, delighting in street performances, and fulfilling his job of delivering supplies at the market. Gonzalez has created a simple narrative that includes Spanish vocabulary, which is playfully positioned surrounding the many streets, food stores, and buildings, encouraging readers to say the Spanish words as they turn the pages. The cartoon images set a festive tone, inspired by El Mercado Cuauht�moc in Ju�rez, Mexico, with a soft- toned autumnal palette. The book contains a glossary with the vocabulary words and their respective pronouns. VERDICT This picture book entertains and informs readers through fresh and engaging art, advancing Spanish vocabulary and cultural references. A winner.-Kathia Ibacache, Simi Valley Public Library, CA