Note: This review covers both the English language original and the Spanish translation by Liliana Valenzuela.
Rating: Very Good
Greenwillow, 2009, $17.99
English: 9780061722806
Spanish: 9780061722837
Age/Grade level: Grades 2-4
In this fourth book about Rosa, Vera Williams again shows the warmth and vitality of family life. Central to the story, though, is Rosa's steadfast love for the now old velvet-rose-covered chair so beautifully described in A Chair for My Mother. Now that a new baby is about to be born in the family, Grandma suggests that the worn fabric could be replaced. Her mother even mentions buying a new chair, causing Rosa's offended outburst: "Don't you even care about history?" She reminds them how long it took to get the chair and all the memories associated with it. She already looks forward to telling it all to little Benji and asserts that no matter where she goes in the future, this chair will go too! The lovely gouache illustrations wonderfully enrich and enhance the text.
In the Spanish version, lovingly translated by Liliana Valenzuela, the text perfectly conveys the spirit of the original. The soft, sunny gouache illustrations which capture the atmosphere of the story will make this book an appealing choice for many Hispanic families.
Reviewer: B. Carswell, Orange County Public Library/West Garden Grove
