Melodía en la ciudad

Gr 4—6—Alejandro lives in a city in which everyone works in the same miserable factory. He knows that if he doesn't escape, he is doomed to lead the same boring existence as his parents. Life is dismal until a band of Gypsies comes to town with a traveling circus. Alejandro falls in love with beautiful, young Elena, who promises to kiss him if he will write her a song. (The lyrics are included at the end.) The beautifully detailed, full-page illustrations have an ethereal quality and feature gray industrial scenes contrasted with glowing shades of rose, teal, and amber to depict the Gypsies and the circus scenes. Some of the images and descriptions of the sideshow "monstrous," such as the limbless girl, wolf-faced boy, and Siamese twins, may be disturbing to young children. The vocabulary is advanced and at times the European "vosotros" form is used. Recommended for libraries that serve advanced readers of Spanish—Rebecca Hickman, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL