Round is a Tortilla by Roseanne Greenfield Thong

Round is a Tortilla, A Book of Shapes (Chronicle Books, $16.99, Ages 3-5) by Roseanne Greenfield Thong with illustrations by John Parra, is reviewed by Ronna Mandel.

Round is a Tortilla has been chosen for the 2013-14 Macy’s Multicultural Collection of Children’s Literature!  

A great way for preschoolers to begin learning a foreign language is with picture books. They introduce new words in a simple, straightforward way making them fun to read with a parent and easy to remember, especially when presented in rhyme and coupled with shapes or colors. SoCal author Roseanne Greenfield Thong has done that so well with her picture books that she’s now written four in the series: Round is a Mooncake, Round is a Tortilla, Red is a Dragon, and the forthcoming Green is a Chile Pepper.

Thong does an impressive job incorporating circles, squares, rectangles, triangles, ovals and stars into scenes of daily life that could be here in the States or anywhere in Central America, places where Thong’s lived and taught English. Parra’s bright, cheerful, folksy illustrations complement every stanza making Round is a Tortilla an uplifting read-aloud.

“Rectangles are carts
with bells that chime
and cold paletas
in summertime.”

Paletas are ice pops and a little girl and boy character are about to enjoy them before they melt. They’re muy trio and muy delicious and writing about them just makes me want a cold and delicious popsicle, too! For triangles Thong’s described “Sandias (watermelon) chilled in tubs of ice, quesadillas by the slice …” She’s managed to rhyme what could have been difficult words, but everything flows beautifully. Some of the words in Round is a Tortilla are: abuela, campanas, huevos, masa and many more. Before moving onto the next shape, Thong always asks a question, “Square is a fountain from long ago. How many square things do you know?” so that parents or caregivers and children can discuss what’s been read, perhaps making a game out of searching for all the different shapes in the book, and maybe even in a child’s bedroom.  A helpful glossary of all the Spanish words in the book is included at the end.  I’m ready to learn colors now with Green is a Chile Pepper, the next book in the series which also happens to be just my speed.

RECOGNITION FOR ROUND IS A TORTILLA

Macy’s Multicultural Collection of Children’s Literature List, 2014 (Round is a Tortilla)

Georgia Book Award Nominee, 2013

Texas Library Association’s 2 x 2 List for 2014 (Round is a Tortilla)