ALA Booklist (Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2014)

A young boy recounts his joy spending time with his abuelo (grandfather) as the two ride horseback, camp out, get lost, and confront a mountain lion. "When I was little, / Abuelo and I would ride / with the wind, el viento,' / washing our faces. / We could ride anywhere." Later, when the boy's family moves to the city, the memories of Abuelo and la pampa (the plains) help him adjust to his new urban surroundings: "Little by little, I began to know the city. / It was wide in different ways, like La Pampa. / I talked with Abuelo, and we visited. / Now, even when I cannot see Abuelo, / he always rides with me." Dorros seamlessly incorporates Spanish into his lyrical text, allowing listeners to naturally absorb this vocabulary. Colón's mixed-media artwork beautifully complements Dorros' prose. His luminous landscapes and numerous setting details bring this Argentinian vista to life. Perfect for a grandparent-themed story hour.

Horn Book

Employing his signature crosshatching-like textures and colors of the earth and sky, Colsn creates an expansive South American Pampas setting where Abuelo, a gaucho, shares adventures and advice with his grandson; Abuelo's guidance stays with him after the boy moves to the city. Spanish words and phrases are integrated naturally within the oral narrative, and the strong grandson-grandfather bond transcends time and place.

Kirkus Reviews

More than 20 years after Abuela, illustrated by Elisa Kleven (1991), Dorros offers a gentle story of the lessons a grandfather imparts to his grandson while riding horses together on the plains before the boy moves to the city. This picture book also calls to mind the author's Papá and Me, illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez (2008), as it lovingly expresses the lasting impact that time spent with a caring adult family member can have on a young child. The brief English text weaves in Spanish words and phrases with literal translations immediately provided (" ‘No te preocupes,' don't worry, Abuelo told me..."). Though this technique is somewhat redundant, it may be helpful for readers who do not know Spanish. Colón's watercolor-and-pencil illustrations expertly bring to life both expansive landscapes and subtle emotions, as the grandson transitions to city life. The lessons learned on the open plains help the young boy come to feel at home in the city—laughing when he feels fear, standing strong against a bully and finding comfort in gazing at the city stars. This book succeeds at both specificity and universality, presenting the distinct culture of the gaucho cowboy and the plains of South America through a story that will resonate broadly with many children and families. (Picture book. 4-7)

School Library Journal (Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2014)

K-Gr 3 Col&3;n's bright mixed-media illustrations are the highlight of Dorros's tale of a boy and his " abuelo gaucho " as they ride across what appears to be the pampas of Argentina. The dynamic interaction between the man and his grandchild is affectionately portrayed. Under the grandfather's gentle tutelage, the torch is passed from one generation to another as the child learns to apply valuable lessons to everyday lifesuch as standing firm when faced with a bully. Whereas the intention of enriching the story with a sprinkling of Spanish vocabulary is laudable, the placement of the words and the subsequent definitions are jarring in places and distance readers from the story: "We rode into the clouds/with the sky, 'el cielo,'/wrapped around us." Also, the prose fluctuates from poetic to flat description: "At night, we could see forever" and "I talked with Abuelo, and we visited." In the end, the boy moves to the city, leaving his abuelo behind. That's when he truly understands and appreciates his grandfather's gifts of love and wisdom. All in all, this is a beautifullyillustrated, sweet story. Mary Margaret Mercado, Pima County Public Library