February's Libro del Mes: Lola's Fandango

Lola's Fandango, El fandango de Lola

by Anna Witte

illustrated by Micha Archer

narrated by the Amador Family

We are deviating just a bit from our normal selections for this month's libro del mes. Instead of a bilingual book, we have chosen a bilingual audio book published by Barefoot Books.

Lola's Fandango is a heart-warming story about a young girl named Lola, who feels trapped in the shadow of her vibrant, older sister, Clementina...until one day when she discovers a pair of dancing shoes in her Mami's closet. After a little bit of pleading, Lola's Papi finally agrees to teach Lola the art of flamenco. But does Lola have the duende needed to really master the dance?

My children and I first listened to this book at their bedtime reading routine. I popped the CD into the player and we curled up on my daughter's bed. It was so much fun listening to this story while turning the pages of the book. The storytelling CD is filled with not just the voice actors' words, but also with music and sound effects that truly bring this book to life. And before I knew it, we were tapping our feet and clapping our hands to the rhythms within the story.

The Spanish version of this book is just as rich and entertaining as the English version. I really appreciate the quality of the CDs and the recording by the Amador family - and I think you will, too. Both versions come with a 3-track CD that includes an intro, a read-aloud, and a follow-along with page-turn signals.

The illustrations are bold and colorful, creating an feeling of movement and rhythm to the story. I could see snapshots of my own family in Spain embedded within the book and I was happy to introduce some of the scenes to my children.

I have been super pleased with the audio books that we've listened to lately. And I have found them to be a wonderful tool for developing my children's literacy skills. So I am extremely happy to recommend this particular book as the LBBC's February Book of the Month.

Teachers and parents: This book is great for studies on flamenco, Spain, and family relationships. Other good topics would be sibling rivalry, individuality, music, and dance. Best suited for children ages 4 and older

To purchase your own copy of Lola's Fandango/El fandango de Lola, visit Barefoot Books' website.