Un graznido en español

In this endearing story about facing insecurities and building confidence when trying a new language, Max loves to spend Sundays with Abuela baking, with the help of her pet parrot, Lorito. Abuela and Lorito speak Spanish, but Max doesn't—he struggles with pronunciation, particularly rolling his r's. To top it off, his cousins tease him for his funny pronunciation. One day, while Max and Abuela are preparing rice pudding for a contest at the county fair, Lorito decides to venture off for a day, and Max has to read the recipe—in Spanish—to Abuela. He doesn't want to let her down, so he closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and musters the words in Spanish. He doesn't do it perfectly, but trying is what's important! Galotta's colorful artwork nicely pairs the story about self-consciousness and finding courage in the face of insecurity. Children in bilingual families who struggle with a language divide will particularly appreciate this cheerful, sweet story, which closes with a recipe for rice pudding. Preschool-Grade 1. Copyright 2024 Booklist Reviews.