The Cricket Sings: Poems and Songs for Children  •  Garcia Lorca LITERATURE •  1980 •  PAPER • YOUNG READERS (Age 4-8) This brief collection of folk songs and poems by Federico Garcia Lorca (with English and Spanish on facing pages) will delight little ones and parents alike. (SPN97, $7.95)
Eyewitness Goya  •  Patricia Wright ART & ARCHITECTURE •  1999 •  HARD COVER  • 64 PAGES • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12) An introduction to the art of Francisco Goya for readers ages 9 to 12. Presented in the typically handsome Eyewitness style, the book discusses Goya's life and times as well as his artistic influences. With a bonanza of color and black-and-white reproductions of Goya's works. (SPN162, $15.95)
I, Juan de Pareja  •  Elizabeth De Trevino LITERATURE •  1984 •  PAPER  • 180 PAGES • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12) This classic children's novel, based on a true story, chronicles the evolution of the friendship between the Spanish painter Velazquez and his African slave. It's a great introduction to 16th-century Spain, as well as a memorable indictment of slavery. It won the Newbery Medal in 1965. Ages 9-12. (SPN155, $6.95)
If You Were There in 1492, Everyday Life in the Time of Columbus  •  Barbara Brenner HISTORY •  1998 •  PAPER  • 112 PAGES • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12) Life in Spain just before Columbus's voyage to the Americas -- when tomatoes, pumpkins and Aztec gold were still unknown in Europe. This clever illustrated history gives the facts of life in the cities and countryside from a child's point of view. Middle schoolers will like it. (SPN164, $6.99)
Isabel, Jewel of Castille: Spain, 1466  •  Carolyn Meyer LITERATURE •  2000 •  HARD COVER  • 202 PAGES • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12) One in the clever "Royal Diaries" series by Scholastic, which pairs young-adult authors with famous princesses. The adolescent Isabel, exiled to Segovia by her brother the king, is primarily concerned with her impending marriage, which she hopes will be to Ferdinand of Aragon. The book is designed to feel like a real princess's diary, with gold-embossed pages and a sturdy binding. (SPN187, $10.95)
Platero y Yo/ Platero and I  •  Juan Ramon Jimenez  •  Antonio Frasconi  •  Joseph F. Dominguez  •  Myra C. Livingston BIOGRAPHY/MEMOIR •  1994 •  HARD COVER  • 64 PAGES • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12) This bilingual book presents 19 short excerpts from the Nobel laureate's tender account of travels in Andalucia. Platero the donkey is the story's star, the village of Moguer its setting. For this edition, the translators selected passages which are evocative of small-town life in Spain in the first half of the 20th century. Antonio Frasconi provided the lively woodcut illustrations. Ages 10 to 14. (SPN163, $16.00)
Secrets in the House of Delgado  •  Gloria Miklowitz LITERATURE •  2002 •  PAPER  • 182 PAGES • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12) Set in Spain in 1492 in the thick of the Inquisition, this historical novel tells of what happens when a Catholic orphan, taken in by a Catholic family of Jewish ancestry, agrees to spy on her protectors. Evocative of daily life in 15th-century Spain and informative about the religious persecution there, it's a novel for ages 9-12. (SPN188, $8.00)
Shadow of a Bull  •  Maria Wojciechowska LITERATURE •  1964 •  PAPER  • 151 PAGES • YOUNG ADULTS Manolo's father was a spectacular and beloved bullfighter. Now, as Manolo nears his 12th birthday, he must choose his career path. Will he become a bullfighter as great as his father, as all the citizens of Arcangel hope? Or will he please himself and pursue a career in medicine? This compelling young-adult novel won the Newbery Medal in 1964. Not surprisingly, it features vivid descriptions of bullfights. (SPN160, $4.99)
Spain, the Culture  •  Tara Steele  •  Noa Lior CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2001 •  PAPER  • 32 PAGES • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12) An illustrated introduction to Spain's arts, literature, dance, music and folklore, geared for 9-12 year-olds. (SPN166, $7.95)
Spain, The People  •  Tara Steele  •  Noa Lior CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2001 •  PAPER  • 32 PAGES • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12) A pictorial and factual introduction to the people of Spain, geared for middle-schoolers. Chapters cover traditions, history, city and village life, homes, school, entertainment and food. (SPN165, $7.95)
Usborne Flashcard Spanish  •  Jo Litchfield LANGUAGE & PHRASEBOOKS •  2004 •  FLEXI-BOUND  • 50 PAGES • YOUNG READERS (Age 4-8) A standard playing card-size deck of 50 nicely illustrated flashcards geared for younger children. Each card features a colorful illustration with the Spanish word on the reverse. Vocabulary includes numbers, colors, food, animals, and other basic vocabulary that will appeal to young children. (GEN203, $8.99)