Bilingual Picture Book Review – Tío Ricky Doesn’t Speak English / Tío Ricky no habla inglés

TIo Ricky Doesn’t Speak English
• Tío Ricky no habla
inglés

Written by Maritere R. Bellas
 
Illustrated by Jayri Gómez

(Lil’ Libros; $19.99, Ages 4-8)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Publisher Description:

“… This heartwarming English-Spanish story shows that speaking two languages is powerful and you don’t need a cape to be a hero.”

 

Review:

 

This is a WAY overdue post of Tío Ricky Doesn’t Speak English/Tío Ricky no habla inglés, written by Maritere R. Bellas and illustrated by Jayri Gómez, a picture book so well crafted that I wish I’d been able to review last year. The good news is that I’ve reread it, and once again, Bellas’s characters still jumped off the pages into my heart. Not only do I enjoy bilingual books, but I also love learning something new. In this case, the not-uncommon need for bilingual English-Spanish speakers to help their Spanish-only-speaking relatives, and how it can sometimes feel like a “have to” rather than a “want to” for young children. This must be so relatable for many readers.

This opening spread, full of excitement, sets up the story with both the prose and the emotive art:

 

 

 

The main character’s delight at his uncle’s visit is palpable, but pretty soon, readers see there are strings attached. Wherever the main character and his uncle go, the child is called on to translate, be that at the bank, at the market, with neighbors, or with the mail carrier. While Papi explains that helping each other is what families do, it doesn’t seem to ease the young boy’s burden.

 

 

 

 

 

A trip to the pharmacy to get medicine for Tío Ricky builds tension and reveals the extent of the narrator’s frustration. What the boy doesn’t realize is that his uncle feels the same way about being unable to communicate clearly with the staff. His facial expression speaks volumes.

 

 

 

 

When the boy overhears his uncle practicing his English at home, the boy’s empathy shows. I love that playing dominoes is a way for these two to connect and a great opportunity to teach some English words. In the art, readers can see on the characters’ faces how much they’re enjoying each other’s company. It’s nice that some of that annoyance has passed simply by sharing a good time together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

But when Tío Ricky complains that his head hurts and he feels dizzy, his nephew steps up and calls 911, something he learned from his parents. Just like he learned the value of family members supporting each other. I liked watching the main character grow over the course of the book. It felt natural and satisfying to see him finally embrace his skill—one I sure wish I had—when faced with an emergency.

“The paramedic tells me Tío is lucky to have me
there to help. I smile.
“Your tío is going to be fine. He just needs to take
his medicine and rest.”

Bilingualism is a gift. It’s why we sent our daughter to a bilingual school when we lived in Germany. But the truth is, many children do not appreciate this gift until they are older. Tío Ricky Doesn’t Speak English/Tío Ricky no habla inglés is an important story to share so children in similar bilingual situations will see that they are not the only kids who have to translate. It’s also a reminder that, while there may initially have been reluctance on the part of the young translator to be on call for their non-English-speaking relative, the benefits far outweighed the drawbacks. In fact, it ends up being a win-win for everyone!

I hope that by sharing this book, parents can help children embrace and celebrate the “superpower” of bilingualism.

Order your copy here.