One of the greatest things about children’s literature through the ages is that many old classics are constantly reinvented for new audiences, new times, and new places and cultures.
For those of us that grew up hearing The Jack Tales–be it from our grandparents, Ray Hicks, or Donald Davis–we knew that the story would always be a bit different with each telling but the result, and the underlying truths, would remain.
Now, author and artist Elizabeth Dulemba re-imagines a classic Jack story in a modern bilingual version that is sure to please the next generation of listeners–and readers:
Kids will love to follow the messy adventures of Hugo as he goes to the store for his mother, and they will learn some fun Spanish words as well in Soap Soap Soap-Jabón Jabón Jabón. The illustrations are bold and colorful, and add immensely to the storyline. Repetition and easy identification mean that even younger children will have several Spanish vocabulary words down by the end of the book!
Also, Ms. Dulemba has an entire web page dedicated to the book that is filled with more information, activities, and coloring sheets.
¡Chao Pescao!
St Louis Public Library Parents 