#blogbookaday: A Bilingual Tale of the Legendary Creature Known as… El Chupacabras

Summary:  “A long time ago, a girl named Carla lived on a goat farm with her father, Hector. One night, a goat disappeared from the farm and turned up flat as a pancake. Only one creature could do that–El Chupacabras, the goatsucker! Legend has it that El Chupacabras is a fearsome beast, but you can’t believe everything you hear…and sometimes the truth is even more interesting.

Told in equal parts English and Spanish by bestselling author Adam Rubin, and cinematically illustrated by acclaimed Hollywood creature creator Crash McCreery, this lighthearted take on a modern legend is not told in the traditional bilingual style.
Each sentence is half-Spanish/half-English followed by a repetition of the same line translated the other way around. This mirroring technique allows the languages to intermingle equally. A fun and unique way to introduce either Spanish or English to new readers. ” (Taken from Goodreads)

Review: Carla and her father, a farmer named Hector lived on a goat farm. One day a goat disappears and when Carla finds it, it has become as flat as a pancake, the doings of El Chupacabras! With the help of a flower lady, Hector protects his goats, but at what cost to the town?

Personal Reaction: I’ve never seen a book told in this same way, usually bilingual books offer English and the Spanish translation or are mostly in English with a few Spanish words sprinkled throughout. Each line of this story is a combination with the line directly underneath it to be the opposite. I loved the tiny little, well-dressed El Chupacabras and the hilarious way they learn to re-inflate their goats. Overall, I loved this story and would really enjoy hearing it read by a fluent Spanish speaker as my Spanish is limited and very clunky! This is a must-read addition to the folktales section of your library.

Title: A Bilingual Tale of the Legendary Creature Known as… El Chupacabras
Author: Adam Rubin
Illustrator: Crash McCreery
Publisher: Dial Books
Publication Date: March 27, 2018

This is a new idea I’m trying on my blog this year that was inspired by @donalynbooks and @heisereads – to provide a brief review of a picture book every day of 2018. You’ll get a brief summary of the story, a review of the content, illustrations and theme, my personal reaction to the book and all the pertinent publication information! Enjoy!