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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