Genre Two - Traditional Literature

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Ada, Alma Flor, F. Isabel Campoy, and Alice Schertle. 2003. !PIO PEEP! TRADITIONAL SPANISH NURSERY RHYMES. China: Harper Collins Publisher. ISBN 0688160190

PLOT SUMMARY:
!Pio Peep! is a collection of Spanish Nursery Rhymes presented in both Spanish and English languages.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
Many of the nursery rhymes involve animals and nature. They are very short so children can repeat and memorize the easily. The illustrations that accompany the nursery rhymes are colorful and pleasing to the eye. This is a great book to be read to very young children.

REVIEW EXCERPTS:
School Library Journal (starred review) – “Stellar…The rhymes cover everything from early morning birds to elephants to angels.”
Booklist – “both versions have a sweet, rhythmic simplicity that will get children singing, clapping, and perhaps making some forays into a new language.”

CONNECTIONS:
This is a great book to use in bilingual or ESL classes. It would help native Spanish speakers see familiar words translated and would also help English speakers learn to read and speak Spanish.
Students could compare and contrast the Spanish nursery rhymes with traditional English nursery rhymes.
Young students could use puppets to retell the rhymes.
Students could make up their own short poems based on an animal or favorite toy.