Blog Tour Review of Escucha Means Listen by Talia Aikens-Nunez

Publisher: Musa Publishing
Format Read: PDF
Release Date: November 30, 2012
Buying Links:  Amazon   Musa   Barnes & Noble

Book Blurb (from goodreads):

From the mowing of the lawn to the splish-splashing of rain puddles, Talia Aikens-Nuñez’s bilingual picture book Escucha Means Listen introduces toddlers and babies to the sweet sounds around them.

Take a journey through the world—just listening. Escucha Means Listen helps children discover sounds around them in English and Spanish.

Reviewed by: Bea

Bea's Thoughts:

I love when childrens books are available in languages other than English or in multiple languages such as this book. They introduce children to other languages and cultures, build their vocabulary and language skills and can assist in providing much needed diversity in a classroom. Working in a toddler room, with children who speak American, Hindi, Spanish, and Mandarin, it can be a challenge finding appropriate books.

"Escucha Means Listen" is written primarily in American English. Each page has text in English with a noun and sometimes a phrase in Spanish (I think it's Castilian Spanish, but I'm not positive.) For example:

Ding Dong! Que oyes? (What do you hear?) Las Campanas (the bells) are ringing from the tower.

The artwork illustrates the text which enables the children to make the connection. The pictures are bright and cheery with a moderate amount of detail; not so much that it could be overwhelming but not stark and spare either. I wish there were more of a story and a more rhythmic flow. Instead, we have a series of random objects and occurrences with little to no context. I doubt that most kids will care, but I would have liked it.

This is a cheerful, easy story for young readers that doesn't patronize or condescend its audience. Nor does it hit you over the head with the message that you are learning another language; it's casual and breezy. I would recommend it for parents and classrooms.

I received a PDF from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer for review.