illustrator: Geronimo García
Cinco Puntos Press, 2009
grades 2-up
Mexican, Mexican American
When Dieguito and his
older sister, Gabriela, each see a dog and its owner having a good time, both decide
they really, really want a dog. The sibling rivalry begins when Dieguito goes
to his parents to ask for a puppy. Gabriela hears him and flies out of her room
shouting, “No fair! I want a dog, too!” After listening to the children arguing
about why one should have a dog and not the other, their parents decide that
the two can have one dog—to share. When
the rival siblings realize it’s one dog or no dogs they agree; but each thinks
that the new dog will be more his or hers anyway.
The family visits the
Humane Society, where both children decide they want a white puppy with brown
spots. When Gabriela chooses a cute girl puppy, Dieguito, who originally wanted
a boy puppy, falls in love with her and names her Sofie.
They take Sofie home,
where Dieguito and Gabriela learn to care for her and train her, using pieces
of warm tortilla, which she loves. One day, Sofie gets very, very ill and, as
the children sleep by her side—and comfort each other—they realize that Sophie
is “our dog.”
García’s molded clay art,
in muted, natural colors—and bright backgrounds that enhance, rather than
obfuscate the clay figures—is gorgeous; I especially love the picture where
Gabriela and Dieguito are sleeping with Sofie between them. The Spanish text is
idiomatic and excellent, and Spanish words within the English are realistically
presented. For example, when Gabriela encounters the shelter dogs, she says,
“Pobrecitos…I feel sorry for them.”
I’m pleased that the
family adopts their puppy from a shelter, rather than purchasing one from a pet
store or breeder. As such, this is a wonderful story to use in a classroom
discussion about adopting and caring for pets, relationships with pets, and, of
course, sibling rivalry.
However, as a parent and
an advocate for animals, I would like to have seen a family discussion—before adoption—about the responsibility
required to care for a pet. Here, Dieguito and Gabriela successfully learn
about caring for Sofie after they adopt her and, unfortunately, this is not
often the case. Many animals are purchased or adopted impulsively and soon returned
or abandoned because their new owners haven’t thought through the kind of work
involved in bringing in a new family member.
Nevertheless, The Dog Who Loved Tortillas / La perrita que
le encantaba las tortillas can be supplemented with non-fiction books about
the care of pets and the commitment one must make before getting a pet, and is highly recommended.
—María Cárdenas
(published 2/11/14)
(published 2/11/14)
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