Delacre, Lulu. Arrorró, Mi Niño: Latino Lullabies and Gentle Games. Illustrated by Delacre, Lulu. Lee & Low, 2004. ISBN 9781600604416. $16.95. 32 p.
Reviewer: Alison Canar
Reading Level: Toddler, Preschool
Rating: Outstanding
Genre: Picture books; Poetry;
Subject: Nursery rhymes, Spanish American; Lullabies, Spanish--Texts; Children's songs--Latin America--Texts; Books--Reviews;
Music can foster a special bond between mother and child. In this charming book, Delacre provides resources for caregivers to share traditional Spanish songs and musical games with their children. Oil wash illustrations accompany the lyrics to each of the fifteen songs, with the text presented in both the original Spanish and English translations. Additionally, the end of the book contains sheet music for the melodies.
This collection is ideal for immigrant or multi-cultural families who want to want to share a Latin American heritage with their little ones while raising them in the United States. Delacre gathered the tunes from fourteen Spanish-speaking countries, although the precise origins for each song are not specified. Her illustrations earned the book a Pura Belpré Honor Award in 2006.
Volume 30, no.3 (January/February 2010)