“Hola! Let’s Learn Spanish” by Judy Martialay

HOLA! LET’S LEARN SPANISH

Judy Martialay
BookBaby (2015)
ISBN 9780991132409
Reviewed by Paola Belloso (age 9) for Reader Views (11/2016)

“Hola! Let’s Learn Spanish” by Judy Martialay takes you on Pete the Pilot’s airplane to Mexico to meet Panchito, a jumping bean who will show you more about this country.

Starting with the landing in a field of beans where Panchito begins the journey, he shows how high he can jump, and tries to make the beans on the trees play and talk to him. Soon he sees the farmer counting the rows of trees, and pulling the beans and putting them in a basket. Panchito jumped into one of the baskets and the farmer put them in his truck and went to the market to sell them.

At the market, Panchito had fun watching all around him from the basket. He jumped from the basket to another stand that had candies, and from there into a bag, and then to a piñata, and so on.

It is a fun story that will teach about the culture and food and when you are reading it, you can learn how to say it in Spanish. After the story, there are more, games, songs, and even a craft activity.

I am sure many kids will enjoy and learn not only Spanish, but also the culture of another country. I liked the size of the book and the drawings.

A note from Paola’s Mom:

“Hola! Let’s Learn Spanish” by Judy Martialay is a very complete book in which the kids will enjoy not only the story and journey of Panchito, they will read, learning also how to say it in Spanish. In Panchito’s adventures, they will find some culture, songs, a skit to practice, and a craft. For those kids that know the language like Paola, it will help them practice the language.

Paola enjoyed the book and will take it to school to share it with her classmates in Spanish class.