Dela Costa
Ana Sebastian, Illustrator
Simon & Schuster, 2022
117 pages
Grades 2-4
Meet Isla, a young girl growing up in the happy island community of Sol who has a big secret: she can talk to animals. Although she can talk to every animal on the island, Isla's special friend is a gecko named Fitz. Isla's life is happy enough, living with her single mother and her grandparents next door and Fitz is a great best friend. What she longs for is a human friend. When a new girl moves in the long unoccupied house next door, Isla is excited. Could this be a new friend? At first glance it doesn't seem hopeful. Tora is dressed in pink from head to toe and doesn't seem to like playing outside and getting dirty. When Tora's beloved "La Ciudad" pin, her reminder of the life she left behind, is stolen by a seagull, it is Isla's chance to save the day and impress her new neighbor. While negotiating with the sassy bird, Tora witnesses Isla's secret in action. Oh, no! Will Tora think she is weird? Find out how Tora reacts and if the two becomes friends in this brand new chapter book series.
Costa offers a first installment in a new chapter book series, just right for new readers taking the plunge to the next step. The print is large, clear, and dark. The vocabulary is controlled and the chapters are short. Cartoon-like illustrations are on literally every page, sometimes taking up full pages, giving the novel a graphic feel and welcoming reluctant readers. Spanish words are carefully inserted within the text and names are cleverly sometimes the Spanish equivalent (ex: the Island of "Sol"/sun). Isla is cheerful, likable and as sunny as her island home. Kids will relate to her problem of finding friends and envy her ability to communicate with animals. The story and illustrations are welcoming and cozy. Fitz the Gecko is particularly cute and endearing. The second installment in the series, The Secret Cabana, has been released simultaneously, with an excerpt at the end of the first volume to encourage kids to pick up the sequel. A great starter series for both Spanish and non-Spanish speaking young readers.
No comments:
Post a Comment