Alma, Head to Toe / Alma, de pies a cabeza

Starred review from May 15, 2023
Preschool-Kindergarten *Starred Review* Adorable Alma, first seen in Alma and How She Got Her Name (2018), makes her debut in the world of board books with this entry in the new bilingual series, Alma's Words / Las Palabras de Alma. Smiling in red-striped pants and a heart top, the girl stands with her arms and legs outstretched and every visible bit of her labeled. Readers then get to see those body parts in action as simple sentences identify them ("Here are my arms, hand, and fingers. / Aqu� est�n mis brasos, manos y dedos.") and show Alma using them, such as when she pets her bird companion, Parajito, who is "soft as a flower / suave como una flor." Martinez-Neal's irresistible, softly textured illustrations are scaled large and rest against white, double-page spreads, sharing space with color-coded text: black for English, red for Spanish. An effervescent reading experience and sweet celebration of self.

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Starred review from December 1, 2023

Toddler-PreS-The lovable title character of Caldecott Honor Book Alma and How She Got Her Name stars in her own concept board book series. With the same cozy art and fluid line, Martinez-Neal revisits Alma and her sweet family to introduce concepts in English and Spanish. In Alma and Her Family/Alma y su familia, the little girl presents her family, from her father to her pet bird, and shares how she likes to demonstrate her love for each of them. "I kiss my daddy./ Le doy un beso a mi papi. I squeeze my mommy./ Apachurro a mi mami." In Alma, Head to Toe/Alma, de pies a cabeza, the toddler celebrates the parts of her body in both languages. She also explains how she uses them to explore her world. "Here are my arms, hands, and fingers./ Aqu� est�n mis brazos, manos y dedos. Pajarito, you are as soft as a flower./ �Pajarito, eres tan suave como una flor," she says as she caresses her pet bird. The glimpses of her plump body as she moves are dancelike and free. The English text appears first with black font; the Spanish text is blue. The mostly pink-white-black palette will attract little hands. Warmth exudes from each spread, and the cuddle-worthy heroine is full of so much joy. Readers will embrace these books with much enthusiasm, regardless of the language they understand. VERDICT Every collection needs more Alma. These titles are a must-purchase.-Shelley M. Diaz

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