School Library Journal Starred Review (Tue Jul 01 00:00:00 CDT 2003)

PreS-Gr 2 Following in the tradition of Margot Griego's Tortillitas para Mama (Holt, 1995) and José-Luis Orozco's Diez deditos (Dutton, 1997) comes this stellar collection of nursery rhymes. Selected from the rich oral tradition of Latin America and the American Southwest, most of the verses are known throughout the Spanish-speaking world. The rhymes cover everything from early morning birds to elephants to angels, and the reason for their enduring popularity is clear. Deeply rhythmic verses, compelling rhyme schemes, and words that "play trippingly on the tongue" characterize every verse. Schertle's excellent English adaptations are not literal translations but poetic re-creations. They retain the rhythm, meter, and general meaning of the originals, making the rhymes as memorable and memorizable in English as they are in Spanish. Escrivá's watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations use brilliant hues and detail to reconstruct a young child's world. Certain to become a staple for preschool and early elementary programs, this offering is also a wonderful, reassuring lap book. A must-purchase for libraries.

ALA Booklist (Mon Sep 01 00:00:00 CDT 2003)

As the preface to this delightful book states, nursery rhymes and songs are an important part of Spanish oral folklore. The 29 rhymes here--some accompanied by finger plays or games, and some simply meant to be chanted on their own--in most cases came to the Americas from Spain. They are presented both in Spanish and in English, although to preserve the charm of the original rhymes, the English versions are not translations but poetic recreations. Even adult readers with a rudimentary knowledge of Spanish will see some of the differences, but both versions have a sweet, rhythmic simplicity that will get children singing, clapping, and perhaps making some forays into a new language. The watercolor illustrations, featured prominently on the page, are a mix of historical and contemporary, generic Latin American scenes, and pictures of animals (not Escriva's artistic strong suit). Parents, teachers, and librarians will find a multitude of uses.

Horn Book (Sun Aug 01 00:00:00 CDT 2004)

A boy describes his classroom's preparation for a visit by author Amanda Drake, who fields his question: will she write a book about her visit? In the end, readers learn that they're holding that very book. There's no denying the excitement generated by the story's lively art and original, although self-conscious, premise, but some of the rhymes clunk.

Kirkus Reviews

<p>Hoping to introduce the rich heritage of Spanish nursery rhymes to children of all backgrounds, the editors have selected many of the best-known traditional rhymes, most originally from Spain, but now spread throughout Latin America. In this bilingual presentation, Schertle avoids a word-for-word translation and presents instead what the introduction calls a "poetic re-creation." While small details may differ, the English versions flow easily off the tongue. A few of the rhymes are associated with children's games, such as "El patio de mi casa" and children can get the sense of the game from the words, but there are few notes accompanying the individual rhymes. A preface acknowledges some sources and provides limited background information for adults. EscrivA's pastoral paintings of sweet-faced children and adults dressed in a mix of traditional and contemporary clothing are pleasant accompaniments. (Poetry. 4-8)</p>

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Passing along traditional rhymes to a new generation of children is the focus of Pio Peep! Traditional Spanish Nursery Rhymes, selected by Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy, English adaptations by Alice Schertle, illus. by Vivi Escriva. The 29 rhymes selected here celebrate childhood, from rising with the sun to playing pat-a-cake and other games to a last look at a sleepy mouse: """"A sleepy mouse/ began to snore./ This tale is told-/ there is no more."""" The Spanish rhyme and its English counterpart appear side by side, and bilingual readers may sometimes wonder at the choices made in the English versions, which are not translations but """"poetic re-creations."""" The softly rounded, glowing watercolors depict children mostly in modern dress amid lush natural landscapes.