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¡HOLA! Let’s Learn Spanish: Visit New Places and Make New Friends
Written and Illustrated by Judy Martialay
PoliglotKidz Press 11/30/2015
978-0-9911324-0-9
30 pages   Ages 6—10

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“¡HOLA! gives children 6-10 an early and fun start in learning Spanish. Parents can use it with their children, whether or not they know Spanish. Kids take an imaginary trip to Mexico where they meet Panchito the Mexican Jumping Bean. They follow his adventures while being drawn into the culture and learning Spanish. Activities follow to practice Spanish. They include a treasure hunt and a skit. Culture Corner gives more ideas for practicing Spanish, while learning more about Mexico, including the song for breaking a piñata. Children can follow directions for making a traditional Mexican Mask.” [FROM AMAZON]

Review
[WC 242]
¡HOLA! Let’s Learn Spanish zooms kids to Mexico in a magical plane with Pete the Pilot. Along the way, Panchito, a Mexican jumping bean, guides kids through the language and culture of his homeland. Divided into six sections, beginning with Pete the Pilot’s welcome, kids begin to learn basic Spanish words and phrases along with the English translations. Pete the Pilot starts kids off with courtesy words, such as Hello (Hola), Goodbye (Adiós), My name is (Me llamo), yes (sí), no (no), please (Por favor), and thank you (Gracias).
A Mexican jumping bean called Panchito then becomes the narrator, he tells the only story in ¡HOLA! Spanish words, with English translations, are tossed in without interrupting the flow of Panchito’s story. A section on culture introduces kids to popular Mexican food and the Mexican market. Word lists run throughout every section.
Martialy’s series of language chapter books—French arrives later this year—will help those interested in learning a new language decide if Spanish is the language they want to learn. ¡HOLA! offers children and adults an easy way to experience a new language and, though vicariously, a new culture.  ¡HOLA! offers enough basic words that one could easily understand most of a guided tour or a vacation on the beach. An audio version is available for free download. This offers a way to hear the correct pronunciation of each Spanish word, but there are no chapter divisions, meaning you must start the audio from the beginning each time it is played.
Young children will like the book with its simple illustrations. Panchito is the largest Mexican jumping bean I’ve ever seen, meaning proportionally, its size is off but kids won’t care.  ¡HOLA!, though it never calls itself a chapter book, is definitely laid out as such. Kids at the older end of ¡HOLA!’s intended age might find the book as more of a school book than a fun book to read on their own. After the short story, most pages are simple lists of words and translations, with illustrations, a song, a skit, and a Cultural Corner (simply further clarification of the beans used in Mexican dishes and a short paragraph about markets). Also included is a section on making a “Mexican mask” but the section seems dropped in for filler.

¡HOLA! could make an adjunct text for teachers and homeschooling parents who want to introduce young children to the Spanish language.  ¡HOLA! Let’s Learn Spanish  is Judy Martialey’s debut children’s book. Bonjour! Let’s Learn French arrives later this year.

¡HOLA! LET’S LEARN SPANISH: VISIT NEW PLACES AND MAKE NEW FRIENDS! Text and illustrations copyright © 2015 by Judy Martialay. Reproduced by permission of the publisher, PoliglotKidz Press, Sea Cliff, N.Y.

Amazon—Indie Books—PoliglotKidz Press

Add ¡HOLA! Let’s Learn Spanish to Your Goodreads Shelf HERE.
Teacher Page (with download options and classroom activity ideas) HERE.
Download Audio Version HERE.

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Reprinted with permission from ¡HOLA! LET’S LEARN SPANISH © 2015 by Judy Martialay, PoliglotKidz Press. Illustrations © 2015 by Judy Martialay.

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Copyright © 2015 by Sue Morris/Kid Lit Reviews. All Rights Reserved

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¡HOLA! Let’s Learn Spanish: Visit New Places and Make New Friends!
Written and Illustrated by Judy Martialay
PoliglotKidz Press 11/30/2015
9780991132409