This story follows the metamorphosis of a desert caterpillar within its seedpod home. It eats theinside and drinks the moisture produced by the plant until the hardened pod drops to the ground.The caterpillar is able to move the pod in a way that makes it seem to be jumping, hence itsreputation as a jumping bean. The jumping bean travels through the desert startling the animalsit encounters. First, it meets rattlesnakes, making “¡clic, clac!” noises like the snakes’ tails. Then,it startles some coyotes and ravens with its movements and sounds. Lastly, a group of childrengather several of the beans, delighted by their unusual behavior. Eventually, the caterpillarbegins to change within its pod and emerges as a full-grown moth. This Spanish translation ofNot a Bean (2019) is at a higher level than many picture books, making it a great choice forprimary-grade readers. The text is well supported by González’s illustrations, which detail theprocess of the caterpillar’s transformation well, and an informative author’s note.
—Booklist
Part story, part poem, part non-fiction book, this Spanish translation of Not a Bean is a winning combo. Told with lyricism, Martínez’s text explains the life cycle of the Cydia saltitans, a moth that lays its eggs inside of a seed pod. Once it’s dry, the seeds fall on the ground with a growing larva inside. As the little critter shifts inside the pod, it moves, so it’s best known as a “Mexican jumping bean,” though it’s clear from the title that the pod is not, in fact, a bean. With a desert setting rendered at various times of day, in blues and tans, and with an increasing number of local fauna, this beautifully illustrated book is a crowd pleaser. It’s a great choice for those learning the language or who are already fluent. An author’s note offers more facts about this fascinating bug. VERDICT A gorgeous nonfiction title recommended for all Spanish-language picture book collections.
—School Library Journal
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