Arroz con leche / Rice Pudding

October 25, 2010
A boy draws parallels between the wonders of nature and the wonders of rice pudding in this ode to his favorite dish. Functioning as a jubilant recipe, the boy's poem walks readers through the process (steps needing adult assistance are marked with an asterisk). "Sprinkle the rice into the pot./ The little white grains of rice/ rain music and sing/ as they fall./ In the kitchen the rice is singing." With a retro palette of orange, green, and teal, Vilela's illustrations have a funky exuberance that play up the boy's excitement, while nodding to the dish's heritage in the patterned surfaces of the family's home. Ages 4–7.

September 1, 2010

A lyrical recipe presented in the form of a free-verse poem, this bilingual (Spanish/English) selection combines the fun of cooking with the tenderness of a mother-son relationship. Subtle, stylized illustrations convey a sense of joy and excitement in this paean to rice pudding as a boy embarks on a culinary adventure with help from his mom. Asterisks indicate when an adult's help is needed, and young readers will delight in following the simple-to-prepare recipe. The text sparkles with clarity and purpose in both languages, and youngsters will appreciate the very accessible yet graceful and gently humorous poetic descriptions ("The little white grains of rice / rain music and sing / as they fall"). Naturally, the last part of the poem deals with the serving of the delicious pudding to the whole family. The warmth and love put into the dish radiates out over the dinner table to the boy and his parents and sister and then rises in clearly fragrant ribbons outside their cozy home. A nice introduction to the joys of cooking, as well as a strong bilingual addition to any collection. (Picture book. 4-8)

(COPYRIGHT (2010) KIRKUS REVIEWS/NIELSEN BUSINESS MEDIA, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.)

September 1, 2010

PreS-Gr 3-A boy goes to the market to buy ingredients for rice pudding. What ensues is a poetic journey of making the sweet treat, step by step. The bilingual text is not a straightforward recipe, but could be followed to make the traditional dish. With his mom in the background, the boy adds rice to the pot and soon "the kitchen is raining little white grain drops." Parent supervision or participation is required for parts of the story, as indicated by an asterisk, as when it's time to "take the salt cellar and dance around." The remarkable illustrations are the perfect complement to Argueta's lush language. Vilela uses a printmaking technique to bring to life the simple action and turn it into something quite extraordinary. A first purchase for schools and libraries.-Shannon Dye, Peoria Public Library, Peoria, AZ

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2011
A young boy prepares rice pudding. Using vivid imagery, Argueta describes how the rice sings and the milk becomes a waterfall as it's added to the pot. The text can also serve as a recipe; stages for which an adult's help is necessary are marked. Vilela's blocky, swirling illustrations capture the text's magic.

(Copyright 2011 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from November 1, 2010
Grades 3-5 *Starred Review* A lyrical, lovely bilingual ode to rice pudding? Well, lovers of that creamy confection wont be surprised at the emotion it engenders. After first telling readers how he likes all kinds of ricewhite, brown, fried, stewedaward-winning poet Argueta proceeds, making every step in preparing the dish sound like a great adventure. When you sprinkle the rice, it doesnt just hit the pot: little white grains rain music and sing / as they fall. The flames on the stove are rainbow hands, and as the rice cooks, foamy waves and clouds turn the pot / into sea and sky. While the words are evocative and dreamy, Vilelas ink drawings, incorporating collage, rubber stamps, and digital elements, are not only polished and attractive; they put the focus on the fun, including the way the boy dances around the kitchen as the steam from the pot expels white birds. A similarly lyrical Spanish translation appears alongside the English text, making this a wonderful book to use across cultures. One quibble: an actual appended recipe would have been nice. Youll want rice pudding after this.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)