Sundays on Fourth Street / Los domingos en la calle Cuatro (English and Spanish Edition) - Hardcover

Amy Costales

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1558855203 ISBN 13: 9781558855205

Publisher: Arte Publico Press, 2009

Synopsis

''My cousin Pepe combs my hair back just like his, and Aunt Pilar laughs. Then she slides her red lipstick across my lips, but Mama wipes it off because I'm too young. Mama puts on her new jeans, and Aunt Pilar polishes her high heels. Uncle Armando finishes washing his old car.'' And then, a young girl and her family pile into the shiny car, grown-ups in the front, and kids in the back, and head to Fourth Street.
Sundays spent on Fourth Street are magical, family outings that three young cousins eagerly anticipate. Strolling down Fourth Street with their parents, the children encounter a bustling wonderland filled with music, food, and fun.
The cousins savor sharp bursts of flavor from mangos on a stick covered with lemon, chili and salt; delight in the sight of folk dancers spinning in the plaza; revel in rides and raffles at the church carnival; and yearn for clothes and toys they see in shop windows. While the children may not get the things that so often catch their attention, they can always look forward to more fun together next Sunday on Fourth Street.
Based on real-life visits to Fourth Street in Santa Ana, California, author Amy Costales has written a story that pays homage to a special street and, more importantly, time spent with loved ones. Paired with Elaine Jerome's colorful illustrations that depict lively street scenes, readers of all ages will enjoy Sundays on Fourth Street.

About this title

About the Author:

AMY COSTALES is the author of three other bilingual picture books for children: Abuelita Full of Life / Abuelita llena de vida (Luna Rising, 2007), Hello Night / Hola noche (Luna Rising, 2007), winner of the International Latino Book Award, and Lupe Vargas and Her Super Best Friend / Lupe Vargas y su super mejor amig (Luna Rising, 2006). She has taught Spanish all over the world and currently lives with her family in Eugene, Oregon.

ELAINE JEROME is the illustrator of The Woodcutter's Gift / El regalo del lenador (Pinata Books, 2007). She studied at the Academy of Art in San Francisco and currently resides in northern California.

Review:

A Mexican-American girl enjoys her family's shopping excursions where they look for cowboy boots, eat authentic Mexican food, and have fun at a church carnival. The text is on the left pages, English on top and Spanish on the bottom, both set against a textured light blue background and a small, framed picture separating the languages. The theme of the small picture is expanded upon in the facing full-page illustration. For example, the image of a pair of scissors and tresses of hair hints at the full-page barbershop scene. The text in both languages is simple, yet descriptive. The watercolor illustrations have a childlike quality, but at times the characters' expressions look a bit wooden. Children will enjoy the pattern of the text and the frequent refrain, It could be any Sunday on Fourth Street/Podria ser cualquier domingo en la calle Cuatro.
Rebecca Hickman, Sherman Library at NSU, Fort Lauderdale, FL --School Library Journal

It is Sunday, and a young Hispanic girl is getting ready to spend the day with her mother, Uncle Armando, Aunt Pilar and her cousins Pepe and Edgar on historic Fourth Street calle Cuatro in Santa Ana, Calif. They go window-shopping, ride the carousel, eat tacos, enjoy performances of folk dances, get haircuts and shop at the supermarket. At sunset they get back home, exhausted and ready to begin a new week. The story s refrain, "It could be any Sunday on Fourth Street," expresses a cultural tradition embraced by many Hispanic immigrants for years. Costales's text in both English and Spanish reflects the child s excitement, with a subtle nostalgic tone that is reinforced by Jerome's melancholic watercolors. They beautifully depict the characters' faces and skin tones but fail to represent the festive atmosphere of the populous street. Inquisitive children may notice that some of the images do not coincide with the text. Nevertheless, this is a great selection for bilingual storytimes on Mexican Americans. --Kirkus Reviews

A Mexican-American girl enjoys her family's shopping excursions where they look for cowboy boots, eat authentic Mexican food, and have fun at a church carnival. The text is on the left pages, English on top and Spanish on the bottom, both set against a textured light blue background and a small, framed picture separating the languages. The theme of the small picture is expanded upon in the facing full-page illustration. For example, the image of a pair of scissors and tresses of hair hints at the full-page barbershop scene. The text in both languages is simple, yet descriptive. The watercolor illustrations have a childlike quality, but at times the characters' expressions look a bit wooden. Children will enjoy the pattern of the text and the frequent refrain, It could be any Sunday on Fourth Street/Podria ser cualquier domingo en la calle Cuatro.
Rebecca Hickman, Sherman Library at NSU, Fort Lauderdale, FL --School Library Journal

A Mexican-American girl enjoys her family's shopping excursions where they look for cowboy boots, eat authentic Mexican food, and have fun at a church carnival. The text is on the left pages, English on top and Spanish on the bottom, both set against a textured light blue background and a small, framed picture separating the languages. The theme of the small picture is expanded upon in the facing full-page illustration. For example, the image of a pair of scissors and tresses of hair hints at the full-page barbershop scene. The text in both languages is simple, yet descriptive. The watercolor illustrations have a childlike quality, but at times the characters' expressions look a bit wooden. Children will enjoy the pattern of the text and the frequent refrain, It could be any Sunday on Fourth Street/Podria ser cualquier domingo en la calle Cuatro.
Rebecca Hickman, Sherman Library at NSU, Fort Lauderdale, FL --School Library Journal

About this edition

• Publisher: Arte Publico Press
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 1558855203
• ISBN 13: 9781558855205
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Elaine Jerome