Fandango: Lola's Fandango [Hardcover]

Product Details

Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Barefoot Books; Rei/Com edition (September 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1846861748
ISBN-13: 978-1846861741
Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.7 x 0.4 inches
Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)

By : Anna Witte (Author), Micha Archer
List Price : ~~$16.99~~
Price : $15.29
You Save : $1.70 (10%)

Lola's Fandango [Hardcover]

Client Critiques

In my children's room at the library the requests I receive at the reference desk from children and their parents differ broadly. On the subject of dance there's a lot of variety. If youngsters want a picture book about dancing, they frequently know what type of dance they have in thoughts. Ballet. Tap. That sort of issue. Then again, due to the fact the rise of loved ones friendly dance-related tv shows like So You Consider You Can Dance? kids are now discovering that there's a complete world of dances out there that they could possibly by no means have identified about. It gives a gal hope, especially when I get to see books like Lola's Fandango. Right here you have a amazing story with an abundance of Spanish words and terrific art that tends to make you sit up and take discover. If you happen to be looking for a book that is a small bit various, this one's got your quantity.
Items are rough for Lola. Her older sister Clementina has almost everything greater. Initial, there's her awesome name. Then there is her capability to draw. On top of that is her terrific hair, her friends, her area, the list goes on and on. Lola would like to have at least one particular thing to make her particular . . . and then she finds her mother's flamenco shoes. Immediately Lola is intrigued. Her mother doesn't dance anymore, of course, but her father utilised to and he's willing to teach her. In secret then Lola learns to dance, and when her mother's birthday arrives, Lola could have the great gift. But will she have the guts to perform in front of a crowd? The book comes with an audio CD of the text.
When you write a picture book it tends to be very good to have significantly more than a single thought floating about your story. Which is to say, if you are writing a tale like this one and you want to make it about a little girl who learns a new dance, I would highly recommend performing what author Anna Witte does right here. Which is to say, add in the jealous younger sister element. For the reason that Lola is envious of her older sister's life and accomplishments (typical stuff like wanting to draw as well, have as nice a head of hair, have pals more than, etc.) she has the impetus to want to distinguish herself in some way. If the book had been merely a story about a girl who desires to understand to dance and chooses this sort, it would not honestly carry the very same oomph, so to speak.
One element of the book that was intriguing to me was Lola's desire for a polka dot dress to dance in. It's fundamental to me that Lola accept that she will dance for her mother, stage fright fears or no and then receive the polka dot dress as a present. If the dress came too soon then the point of the book might be taken as "you can do anything your heart desires . . . as long as you sport the ideal clothes". Some kids will take away that message anyway, but at least it can be conveniently corrected by basically pointing out to them that Lola agrees to dance prior to obtaining out that there's a present in the supplying.
I was rather taken with Witte's writing in this book also. As a German raised in Spain who has lived in the States for at least eighteen years, she has a very good ear for the image book format. The book reads slightly longer than the younger fare out there. Think Patricia Polacco rather than Kevin Henkes. I like her word options as well. Immediately after staring longingly at her sister's hair the text reads, "Lola looks at herself in the mirror. Her hair is coarse and wiry like a terrier." Not just any dog, thoughts, but a terrier. When Lola basically learns the dance, the book then uses lots of enjoyable terms that sound terrific when read aloud. From the "Toca toca TICA!" of Lola's heels to the "Snap! Snap!" of her fingers and the "Swish!" of her skirt, the book is enjoyable to listen to.
Spanish words are also dipped into the narrative naturally. There are a fair quantity of books with bilingual words and phrases out there that insert mentioned words into their text with all the grace of an elephant with gout. Witte, in contrast, slips the words in exactly where they fit ideal. You might possibly not even discover that they had been there until you reached the finish of the book and found your self confronted with a Glossary of terms. It is worth noting that the book is sold in both an English version and a Spanish version, for those of you with important Spanish language collections.
Text and story are all nicely and very good, but if a picture book does not capture me with its images then I am not interested. Now the artist on this book was a Micha Archer, who has genuinely only carried out one other image book just before (The Sensible Fool). After reading this I can only hope that she'll be performing a lot significantly more image books in the future. In Lola's Fandango Archer employs a kind of Vera B. Williams A Chair for My Mother style. Employing collage she whips up this amazing array of colors, fabrics, designs, and patterns. Amazingly, for all the wide variety, they never ever truly clash. It makes for an eclectic and lively series of images.
The danger of this book? Parents, be prepared for your children to beg for a flamenco lesson or two. This book most certainly wipes the floor with those jazz/ballet/tap dance lessons your children have been taking all these years. How can tutus compare to polka dotted swishy dresses? Tap dance may well be fun at 1st, but the attitude is absolutely completely different from that of a flamenco dancer, no? And when else do you get to wear polka dots? Yes, you take your life in your personal hands when you bring this book into your house. Then once more, it's a entertaining read, covers ground I've not seen covered by picture books before, has superb art, fantastic writing, and lots of Spanish words integrated seamlessly into the text. I'd contact that a rousing achievement general. If you happen to be looking for a bit of dance for your collection above and beyond the usual ken, Lola's Fandango delivers.
For ages four-8.