No es un frijol
Claudia Guadalupe Martinez, author
Claudia Guadalupe Martínez grew up in sunny El Paso, Texas where she learned that letters form words from reading the subtitles of old westerns with her father. She now lives with her husband and 3 children in Chicago.
Read more about Claudia.
Laura Gonzalez, illustrator
Read more about Laura.
- Coming soon!
Booklist
This story follows the metamorphosis of a desert caterpillar within its seedpod home. It eats the inside and drinks the moisture produced by the plant until the hardened pod drops to the ground. The caterpillar is able to move the pod in a way that makes it seem to be jumping, hence its reputation as a jumping bean. The jumping bean travels through the desert startling the animals it encounters. First, it meets rattlesnakes, making “¡clic, clac!” noises like the snakes’ tails. Then, it startles some coyotes and ravens with its movements and sounds. Lastly, a group of children gather several of the beans, delighted by their unusual behavior. Eventually, the caterpillar begins to change within its pod and emerges as a full-grown moth. This Spanish translation of Not a Bean (2019) is at a higher level than many picture books, making it a great choice for primary-grade readers. The text is well supported by González’s illustrations, which detail the process of the caterpillar’s transformation well, and an informative author’s note.
School Library Journal
Part story, part poem, part non-fiction book, this Spanish translation of Not a Bean is a winning combo. Told with lyricism, Martínez's text explains the life cycle of the Cydia saltitans, a moth that lays its eggs inside of a seed pod. Once it’s dry, the seeds fall on the ground with a growing larva inside. As the little critter shifts inside the pod, it moves, so it’s best known as a “Mexican jumping bean,” though it’s clear from the title that the pod is not, in fact, a bean. With a desert setting rendered at various times of day, in blues and tans, and with an increasing number of local fauna, this beautifully illustrated book is a crowd pleaser. It's a great choice for those learning the language or who are already fluent. An author’s note offers more facts about this fascinating bug. VERDICT A gorgeous nonfiction title recommended for all Spanish-language ¬picture book collections.
English Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-58089-815-7
Spanish Hardcover
ISBN: 978-1-62354-482-9
E-book
ISBN: 978-1-63289-667-4 EPUB
ISBN: 978-1-63289-668-1 PDF
Ages: 3–7
Page count: 32
11 x 8 1/2
Publication date: April 2, 2024