¿Y si me come una ballena?

K-Gr 2–Martín is an active boy who loves space and has a grand imagination. Sometimes, his imagination leads him to worry about things that might happen, and he begins to doubt whether doing things, such as attending parties, is a good idea. His mother, María, assures him his worries won’t happen, but when Martín questions whether he should go on a trip to the forest with his friends, María takes a different approach. Instead of assuring Martín everything will be okay, she decides to go along with it, but shows him where his focus should be: What if something wonderful happens? As Martín throws out possibilities—What if he gets lost? Is swallowed up by a whale?—his mother offers him wonderful possibilities that could transpire instead. And what if none of these amazing things happen? Then he will have a fun time with his friends, anyway. Beautifully detailed illustrations depict Martín and his imagination; his creative musings on what might be are brought to life in lush pastels. The Spanish text conveys Martín’s worries in larger type, with paragraphs providing insight into Martín’s thoughts and his mother’s responses in a whimsical tone. Readers may see themselves reflected in the protagonist, especially those who worry or analyze situations more than others, and be comforted by the possibility that situations may lead to something amazing.