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My Dog Just Speaks Spanish

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

A young bilingual immigrant meanders through her city park, translating for her beloved dog, in a heartwarming picture book debut.
When Aurora came to the United States, she learned to speak English. But her spaniel, Nena, did not. Sweet Nena loves to give besos, and she knows only Spanish. She doesn't know SIT, but she does know SIÉNTATE. She doesn't know WAIT, but she does know ESPERA. And while TREAT doesn't mean anything to Nena, she can certainly sniff out a POSTRE! At the park, Nena may not know what the other dog owners are saying, but she and Aurora will always understand each other just fine. Borrowing from her lived experience, Venezuelan-American author-illustrator Andrea Cáceres offers a gentle, charmingly illustrated ode to love that extends a hand—or a paw—to readers who may feel displaced or are learning a new language themselves.

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  • Reviews

    • Kirkus

      April 1, 2023
      After immigrating to the United States, a young Latine girl learns to speak English, but her dog only understands Spanish. Post-it notes surround Aurora at home, labeling every item--the lamp (l�mpara), the raincoat (poncho), her shoes (zapatos)--in English with its Spanish translation. Clearly, Aurora knows her stuff. "But not Nena." The brown-and-white dog obeys commands only when given in Spanish. So sit becomes si�ntate, espera substitutes for wait, and vente means come. Even at the dog park, Nena manages to stand out. But that's OK. Aurora helps her new friends and neighbors interact with Nena, teaching them Spanish words, and many folks they encounter can speak Spanish just fine on their own. Will Nena ever learn English? Aurora knows that with her help, Nena will be able to figure it out eventually, and Aurora can depend on her four-legged friend, too. After all, Nena is a "�BUENA CHICA!" A breezy delight, C�ceres' picture-book debut takes a modest premise to humorous heights, bolstered by a reassuring message to readers who may be in a similar spot as Nena. The artist's zesty, colorful digital illustrations have a childlike appeal (bushes, hair, and fur look as though they were scrawled with an enthusiastically held crayon) and nicely serve to encourage a light Spanish vocabulary lesson. Aurora's city is racially diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.) Pawsitively wholesome. (Picture book. 2-5)

      COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • The Horn Book

      May 1, 2023
      Aurora learned English when she came to the United States, but Nena, her cute brown and white spaniel, onlyunderstands commands given in Spanish. "She doesn't know WAIT, but she knows ESPERA." At the dog park, when someone throws a ball and yells "'FETCH'...Nena joins in only when Aurora yells 'BUSCALA!'" While Aurora helps Nena navigate the English-speaking world outside, she communicates with Nena in Spanish at home. The illustrations show household objects tagged with yellow sticky notes displaying both English and Spanish words. This book gently explores the idea of second-language acquisition, children who translate for others, and code switching, suggesting patience with those who learn at different speeds. "Aurora is not concerned that Nena doesn't know English yet, because she will always be there to help." Colorful, happy digitally rendered illustrations show the closeness between girl and dog, and Nena's friendly, affectionate nature. Concurrently published in Spanish as Mi perro solo habla espanol. Julie Hakim Azzam

      (Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

    • The Horn Book

      January 1, 2023
      Aurora learned English when she came to the United States, but Nena, her cute brown and white spaniel, only understands commands given in Spanish. "She doesn't know WAIT, but she knows ESPERA." At the dog park, when someone throws a ball and yells "'FETCH'...Nena joins in only when Aurora yells �??¡B�?SCALA!'" While Aurora helps Nena navigate the English-speaking world outside, she communicates with Nena in Spanish at home. The illustrations show household objects tagged with yellow sticky notes displaying both English and Spanish words. This book gently explores the idea of second-language acquisition, children who translate for others, and code switching, suggesting patience with those who learn at different speeds. "Aurora is not concerned that Nena doesn't know English yet, because she will always be there to help." Colorful, happy digitally rendered illustrations show the closeness between girl and dog, and Nena's friendly, affectionate nature. Concurrently published in Spanish as Mi perro solo habla espa�ol.

      (Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Formats

  • OverDrive Read

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • ATOS Level:2.1
  • Interest Level:K-3(LG)
  • Text Difficulty:0-1

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