School Library Journal Review
PreS-K--An ordinary girl, Marta, is so many extraordinary things to the creatures who surround her in this board book lesson on perspective that perfectly combines English and Spanish words. "To a horse, Marta is lenta/ Slow, very slow." Then, to a turtle on the next page, "Marta is rápida./ Fast, very fast." Readers learn she is sabrosa, or tasty to a snake, ruidosa or loud to a rabbit, and more. By the end, children will know that Marta is all these things, and none of these things, unless she wants to be. VERDICT Offering simple ideas and splendid insights, this is an ideal book for the bilingual shelves.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Arena and Dominguez nimbly combine an exploration of relativity with an introduction to Spanish vocabulary as una niña named Marta encounters various animals while exploring a junglelike setting. Though the text is minimal, Arena uses repetition and context clues to make each concept readily clear: "To a horse, Marta is lenta. Slow, very slow. To a turtle, Marta is rápida. Fast, very fast." Dominguez's loose, energetic illustrations underscore the meanings of each term and, during a run-in with a hungry snake, help demonstrate that Marta is-among other things-"ingeniosa. Clever, very clever." Ages 4-7. Author's agent: Jill Corcoran, Jill Corcoran Literary. Illustrator's agent: Linda Pratt, Wernick & Pratt. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
An energetic and smiling Marta bounces through an imaginary zoo full of creatures and offers an entertaining lesson on contrasts and comparisons. Relative to a bug, Marta is grande. Big, very big. But compared to an elephant, Marta is pequeña. Small, very small. Each well-designed page spread makes excellent use of white space in order to showcase Dominguez's playful arrangement and highlight a single comparison, written in rhythmic, straightforward lines. Spanish words are called out in a different color, and the expressive illustrations offer visual context clues in addition to Arena's literal translations for non-Spanish speakers. After a fun twist at the climax, a double-page spread features more comparisons, this time with the animal names in Spanish quiet like el conejo, fast like el caballo, and so on. Arena's clever, catchy text might invite some play-acting games, and the lively energy of her informative words is well matched by Dominguez's friendly, dynamic creatures in an earth-toned palette. This handy introduction to Spanish vocabulary is perfect for animal-lovers of all stripes.--Goldsmith, Francisca Copyright 2016 Booklist