Southwest Children's  Literature

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Carlos and the Carnival/Carlos y la feria

Book Review:

I had the wonderful opportunity to read a book written by Jan Romero Stevens entitled Carlos and the Carnival. Carlos, the main character in the story, is an energetic young man who likes to go places on his own. Carlos makes some very interesting choices throughout this book.

The story begins in his family's home. There, Carlos receives a quick moral lesson from his father before running out the door to attend a local carnival. Gloria is his next-door neighbor, and she loves to tag along with Carlos. Although Carlos never officially invites her along, he enjoys her company. Throughout the story, Carlos and Gloria are always together. Before Carlos and Gloria begin to enjoy the day riding roller coasters and eating cotton candy, he must enter his pet rabbit into a contest. Carlos thinks his rabbit can win first place. His rabbit has long soft ears and a furry coat and has a very good chance of winning the competition. Although he loves his rabbit, Carlos has other things on his mind, like having fun. He cannot pass by a booth without trying to knock down bottles with a baseball. Winning a stuffed animal for Gloria was the only thing on his mind. This story can create feelings of excitement for young readers. This book is bilingual. Therefore, Spanish-speaking students, or students learning Spanish as a second language, can benefit from reading this title.

The oil paint illustrations are bold and colorful. The inside cover illustrates the size of the carnival in the local town. The backgrounds have texture that imitates the effect of a mural. The illustrations by Jeanne Arnold clearly define the characters' emotions and tribulations. The main characters are painted on every page; so young students can easily follow along.

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