K-Gr 3—A Castilian Spanish translation of the best-selling picture books
How To Babysit a Grandma and
How To Babysit a Grandpa. The titles are narrated by a nameless girl and unidentified boy, respectively, who inform readers of all the important details necessary to care for a grandparent when parents leave for the evening. The children speak directly to readers and provide lists of important grandparent
snacks and activities, all the while actively engaged in the exploits they narrate. Teachers and librarians should note that the version of Spanish in this book may not be easily comprehensible for young U.S. Latin@ children, particularly for those of Mexican or Central American heritage, given its use of Iberian Spanish terms for common vocabulary words (e.g.,
tentempiés rather than
meriendas for snacks), as well as the employment of the
vosotros verb conjugation. The translation is also a bit forced at times, presenting a literal translation of the original English, rather than its meaning and effect. This factor makes the visual representation of the text in its engaging illustrations particularly important for young readers.
VERDICT This translation may require significant adult assistance for children to comprehend, unless their linguistic background is Peninsular Spanish.
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