Cowboy Jose
Kindergarten-Grade 3–When José sees Rosita, he can hardly wait to ask her foruna cita, but thebonitagirl requires hervaqueroto havemucho dinero. So, with the help of his horse, Feo, José enters the rodeo hoping to win the necessary funds. After a successful ride on a dangerous bronco, he isricoenough for Rosita; however, in a surprising twist, he chooses friendship over beauty and spends his money on dinner for Feo. Afterward, the two ride off into the sunset together. This story has something for everyone: friendship, greed, danger, and a happy ending. Elya's engaging text features snappy rhymes and plenty of contextual clues for the Spanish words that appear in bold type. The rhyming scheme helps non-Spanish speakers with pronunciation, and a glossary at the beginning of the book provides phonetic guides and definitions. Raglin's watercolor-and-colored-pencil artwork features bright south-of-the-border colors and characters in traditional dress to accentuate the story's Mexican setting. The illustrations, especially the facial expressions, add depth and humor to the story. This rollicking tale is ideal for storytime sharing.–Catherine Callegari, San Antonio Public Library, TXCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.