SATA
ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: THE VERY HUNGRY MUMMY
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.josecarlosandres.es/
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY: Spain
NATIONALITY: Spanish
LAST VOLUME: SATA 324
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born 1969.
EDUCATION:Earned diploma in teaching.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer, children’s author, playwright, theater director, educator, storyteller, and actor. El Clan del Clown (a theater company), founder, 2007.
WRITINGS
Also author of the books El ratolinet de les dents, El último Clown, and Bruja Pochala.
SIDELIGHTS
(open new)José Carlos Andrés is an educator, clown performance artist, and children’s book writer. He used his love of performance on stage as inspiration to entertain young readers in his books. In an interview in the Sol Book Box Inc. website, Andrés admitted: “My motto is that it’s better to go through life with a smile. With humor, we can discuss anything with our small people, our little boys and girls.”
In Carlota Wouldn’t Say Boo, young Carlotta has always been able to communicate through glances and gestures, meaning she never needed to speak. When she gets locked in a pantry with inanimate objects, though, she realizes she may have to learn quickly how to speak up. A Kirkus Reviews contributor described it as being “a tale gently told of finding our inner strengths.”
With the bilingual My Dad Is a Clown/Mi papa es un payaso, a young boy is proud that his father works as a clown. He follows him around one day and witnesses first hand all the challenges that go into rehearsing for the part to get it just right. A contributor to Publishers Weekly noticed that the book “is less concerned with making children laugh than reminding them that it’s good for the soul to do so.”
The once fearless Captain Scaredy Cat finds that he is suddenly afraid of everything in The Journey of Captain Scaredy Cat. When he gets stuck on a haunted pirate ship, he must convince himself that the monsters he thinks he sees are not actually real to regain his bravery. A Kirkus Reviews contributor commented that the book’s strategy for coping “won’t work for all children, but if read with proper gusto, the book will be a sure storytime hit.”
In Ozzy the Ostrich, the titular character is upset to find lions lurking nearby wanting to make a meal of her and her eggs. Ozzy suggests that she and the other ostriches bury their heads in the sand and then try to scare the lions away. Luckily for her, it works with comedic effect. A Kirkus Reviews contributor observed that “humorous paintings, full of action and set in an imaginary African savanna, accompany a silly but rhythmic text.”
With The Untold Story of the Tooth Fairy, Lady Oyster is very sad to have lost her pearl. A mouse goes looking for a substitute to replace what Lady Oyster lost. A Kirkus Reviews contributor opined that the “origin story from Spain makes just as much sense as a single tiny fairy doing all the work–possibly more.”
In Adopting a Dinosaur, Ali wants any pet she can get, but her parents always refuse her request. One day, she finds and cares for an egg, which later hatches into a dinosaur. Unknowingly, her parents agree to let her have a dinosaur if she can ever find one, granting Ali her first pet. A Kirkus Reviews contributor stated: “Humorous without a trace of snark, this Spanish import hatches just right.”
I’m a Zcary Vampire introduces a young vampire that struggles to scary people. A young girl feels bad for him and helps him to develop his skills, while also helping her overcome her fear of vampires. A Kirkus Reviews contributor noted that “loose, cartoonish illustrations are colorful.”
The Spanish-language Ten cuidado, Bruno!, which translates to “Be Careful, Bruno!,” is set in the world established by the film Encanto. The story finds Bruno’s parents being overly protective of him. He begs his parents to be less protective, allowing them to see it is fine if he gets a little wet in the rain or a scrape on his knee when at the playground. A contributor to Publishers Weekly said that “the snappy comedy style and exaggerated cartooning aesthetic focus on the family’s panicky exploits.”
In Who Stole My Leg?, Captain Grislygrin is a fearsome pirate who scares everyone with his stern walk and peg leg. One night, his leg is replaced by a rubber duck, making him more humorous. When it gets replaced by a pencil another night, he writes stories with every step he takes. In a review in School Library Journal, Selenia Paz found it to be “a humorous, unique story with an unexpected ending that will invite repeated readings.”
The residents of Scaryville are annoyed by the putrid smell of a local ghost in The Ghost with the Smelly Old Underwear. Old Granny Fanny buys a new pair of underwear and gets the ghost to change into them, making everyone happier. A Kirkus Reviews contributor noted that “underwear proves underwhelming in this weak attempt at eliciting preschool giggles.”
With Ruby the Rambunctious, Ruby fell down a lot before a doctor suggested she had a muscular disability. Her parents stop punishing her, leading Ruby’s frustration to grow before she demands to be treated equal to her brothers. A Kirkus Reviews contributor found the picture book to be “humorously insightful.”
In Sleeping Is Not for Me!, Daddyphant tries to get Littlephant to fall asleep on the savanna. Daddyphant attempts a lullaby to get Littlephant to sleep like the other animals. A Kirkus Reviews contributor suggested that the story is “cute but far-fetched.”
Mummy Queen Andages wakes up wanting to eat after sleeping in The Very Hungry Mummy. She scares the tourists when she leaves the pyramid but finds that brave, young Nessa is willing to share her potato chips with her. A Kirkus Reviews contributor remarked that “this tale of a hangry young hero is sure to satisfy.”(close new)
Andrés once told SATA: “I started writing when I was a little child. I used to do it for fun. And I kept doing it. It’s great to create stories and characters. Some may be based on real events, such as Carlota Wouldn’t Say Boo, illustrated by Emilio Urberuaga and published by NubeOcho. Converting reality into fiction is hilarious.
“When creating a new story, it always takes me back to when I was little and used to play ‘pirates’ with my friends. From a single word, a story is born—a story to play in and have fun with. That’s what I like about literature: creating my own world so that everyone can play in it.
“I write most of my stories quickly, in a few days, but then it can take several years to complete them, to send them to a publisher, to decide that they are ready and that they are perfect. The first process, that of writing, is quite intense and so much fun. The next thing is to fight with the words to ensure they are the most appropriate to the story and the reader. And when it is finally over, I have contradictory feelings: happy, for giving life to a group of characters and to the story; and sad, because I can no longer ‘play’ with them. But the sadness does not last long since there is always a new one on the way.
“At the moment I have thirteen published books and all of them have given me many different types of joy. Maybe the one I love most is The Journey of Captain Scaredy Cat, illustrated by Sonja Wimmer and published by NubeOcho. The story was born from a scene of a play that I wrote a few years before the book was published, something that reaffirms to me that picture books and theater go hand in hand. It also helps a lot to have your book illustrated by a person you admire, such as Sonja Wimmer. And having a publisher who was very committed to this text—even though it was coming from an author who was not especially known yet—filled me with enthusiasm.
“There are many things that make me happy, like cooking, eating, telling stories and laughing … AND MAKING PEOPLE LAUGH! I love making people laugh. When someone is happy, the world improves. But if it’s a girl or a boy who laughs, the world can change for the better. And that’s what I hope I can achieve with my book: a better and happier world. The only thing that I strive to achieve through writing is to make whoever reads my books happy while reading the story. And if the next day that someone still remembers the story, then that’s wonderful. Is achieving a change in the world through literature very ambitious? Maybe it is. But it is my ambition.”
When asked who or what particularly influences his work, Andrés said: “The public to whom my stories are destined. As I write, it seems that I see the reaction they have with each word or with a twist of the story. If in that fiction that is created in my head I feel that something is not going to delight my readers, I have to change it. Readers are my end and my beginning of action.”
When asked what is the most surprising thing he has learned as a writer, Andrés said: “Discovering in social networks, in various book fairs or in reading events in schools, that there are people who love your stories because they were moved by them. They made them laugh or think. Think! How wonderful it is to make someone think! That the readers transmit their feelings to you is something that makes you grow as a person and as a writer. It makes me more considerate with what I write. What has surprised me the most is that the readers appreciate the good moments you have offered them through your story. Can you ask for anything more?”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Kirkus Reviews, February 15, 2016, review of The Journey of Captain Scaredy Cat; April 1, 2016, review of Carlota Wouldn’t Say Boo; April 1, 2017, review of The Untold Story of the Tooth Fairy; April 15, 2017, review of Ozzy the Ostrich; April 1, 2019, review of Adopting a Dinosaur; August 1, 2020, review of I’m a Zcary Vampire; June 1, 2022, review of Who Stole My Leg?; July 15, 2022, review of The Ghost with the Smelly Old Underwear; March 15, 2023, review of Ruby the Rambunctious; October 15, 2023, review of Sleeping Is Not for Me!; April 1, 2024, review of The Very Hungry Mummy.
Publishers Weekly, November 21, 2016, review of My Dad Is a Clown = Mi papa es un payaso, p. 107; October 17, 2022, review of Be Careful, Bruno!, p. 59.
School Library Journal, May 1, 2016, Sarah Stone, review of Carlota Wouldn’t Say Boo, p. 74; April 1, 2022, Selenia Paz, review of Carlota no dice ni pio, p. 124; July 1, 2022, Selenia Paz, review of El pirata de la pata de pato, p. 69; August 1, 2022, Monica Fleche, review of Who Stole My Leg?, p. 74; November 1, 2022, Selenia Paz, review of Ten cuidado, Bruno!, p. 48.
ONLINE
José Carlos Andrés website, http://www.josecarlosandres.es (September 15, 2024).
Mother Daughter Book Club, https://www.motherdaughterbookclub.com/ (January 31, 2017), Cindy Hudson, review of My Dad Is a Clown.
Sol Book Box Inc. website, https://solbookbox.com/ (May 24, 2022), “Q&A: Children’s Author José Carlos Andrés.”
In Spanish
José Carlos Andrés
Writer Nubeocho
Teacher by career choice, José Carlos Andrés never managed to practice because theatre entered his life. When he went on stage for the first time, he discovered that making his audience laugh is something as magic as a fairy broom or a witch wand, but it takes you even further. His mother, father and sister always called him a clown, and he ended up taking their word for it. One day, he put on a red nose, and he has since worn it to make others laugh and see life with its help. He says that it is much more fun to live the world this way. He started writing theatre for children. And stories, loads of stories. He is fascinated by writing, because it allows him to create new worlds full of laughter and emotions. He has published theatre plays for children and families, a theatre guide, storytelling, theatre art and clowning for all ages, stories for picture books…
2022-05-24
Q&A: Children’s Author José Carlos Andrés
...
José Carlos Andrés is one of our favorite children’s authors, and his books are without fail among the funniest in our library. Here, he answers 7 of our most pressing questions about writing, humor, and his own work…
1. Our readers love books that are funny, but sometimes it’s really hard to find them! How do you make sure to include your sense of humor, that funny way of writing that makes us laugh, in your books?
My motto is that it’s better to go through life with a smile.
With humor, we can discuss anything with our small people, our little boys and girls.
Problems come all on their own and we have to face them the best way we can. If we look at them with the clear and shiny eyes of children, or with those of a clown, we can even laugh at them.
What I most enjoy doing in life is laughing, and so I try to make books that readers will enjoy and find amusing.
2. Which was the first book that made you laugh?
The first thing I ever read was a comic book. I was about four and a half years old or five. When I stopped reading, I would mark the page with a pencil, because I would get very tired. But I couldn’t stop cracking up! The author was Mort Walker.
I learned to read as if it was a game. Honestly, I think I learned to read because I was kind of my sister’s toy: she liked to play at being the teacher, and I was her only student.
I kept reading comic books, comic books, comic books… and after that, more comic books.
The book for adults that has made me laugh the most is Sin noticias de Gurb, by Eduardo Mendoza. The children’s book I’ve laughed at the most is El pequeño Nicolás, by Sempé y Goscinny.
3. If you weren’t a writer, what would you like to be?
This is the easiest question: A CLOWN.
The thing is that I’m already a clown. I’ve studied a lot to be a clown. And I will keep studying and working at it until I’m an even better clown!
4. How many books have you written? Which one did you most enjoy writing?
At this time I’ve published more than 20 books, I have nine more waiting to be published in the next few years, and several more that I’ve written, but haven’t sent to publishing houses yet.
The book that made me laugh the most while I was writing it is Un vampiro peligrozo; you could hear me laughing in my studio all the way on the opposite side of the house!
5. Can you tell us about an author you really admire?
The Spanish poet Gloria Fuentes– her work for adults as well as for children.
Very few authors have been as successful in both the world of children’s literature and adult literature.
I also admire and crack up while reading Molière and Darío Fo.
In the current world of children’s literature, there are so many magnificent writers that it would be impossible to choose just one of them.
6. When you begin writing a new book, do you do anything special to prepare before starting?
YES! My studio table is truly organized chaos by the time I finish writing a book. There are mountains of books, planners, papers, pens, pencils… at this very moment I even have A BURNED-OUT LIGHTBULB ON MY DESK! When I finish writing, I put everything back in its place and clean everything really well. I like to start “from scratch,” as if I was in an operating room awaiting a new patient.
7. If any of the characters you’ve created came to life, which one would you most like to meet?
Without a doubt I’d want to meet Cacurcias, the protagonist of Los miedos del capitán Cacurcias. He’s a pirate, he’s brave, and he admits to his crew that suddenly, he’s afraid of everything; he has a crew that loves him and he’s able to overcome his fears. What more can you ask for from an admirable and endearing character?
Thank you Sol Book Box for this wonderful interview, with clear questions that go straight to the heart.
***
Thank you so much, José Carlos! You can keep up with José Carlos and find out all about his upcoming books by following him on Instagram or checking out his website, if you’d like!
*Editor's note: This interview was conducted in Spanish. We've translated it to English for our Sol Book Box readers.
ANDRES, Jose Carlos. Carlota Wouldn't Say Boo. tr. from Spanish by Robin Sinclair. illus. by Emilio Urberuaga. 40p. NubeOcho. Jun. 2016. Tr $15.95. ISBN 9788494292958.
PreS-Gr 2--For years Carlota, the diminutive star of this Spanish import, has communicated only with facial expressions and gestures. Her parents, her friends, and even passersby have understood her every need and want. Until one day she accidentally locks herself in the pantry and finds that the tomato cans and jars of jam are not so adept at interpreting her grimaces. Frightened and alone, she uses her voice to yell for her parents and discovers afterward that she has a great deal to say after all. The whimsical narrator addresses readers directly, asking questions, giving warnings and asides, and even commenting on the narration itself. The flat areas of color, thick outlines, and abstracted backgrounds give the illustrations a folk art or expressionist feel that may be jarring to American audiences. Vignettes of Carlota's (possibly imaginary, certainly mischievous) friend Tom the mouse add levity. VERDICT A charming but odd additional purchase for collections where European imports are popular.--Sarah Stone, San Francisco Public Library
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Stone, Sarah. "Andres, Jose Carlos. Carlota Wouldn't Say Boo." School Library Journal, vol. 62, no. 5, May 2016, p. 74. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A451409796/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=9e7b05cf. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.
Andres, Jose Carlos CARLOTA WOULDN'T SAY BOO nubeOCHO (Children's Picture Books) $15.95 6, 6 ISBN: 978-84-942929-5-8
Once upon a short time ago, there was a girl named Carlota who had a unique power: everyone understood her just from her gestures and glances. So this Spanish import's fair-skinned protagonist never talks--until one day, she needs to. Carlota's power of communicating without talking works when she's hungry; when she's on the playground and doesn't feel like running anymore or wants to play a new game; and even in the classroom when her teacher asks a question. (Like Carlota, her classmates, teacher, and family all present as white.) But one day she accidentally gets locked into the pantry, with only jars, cans, pots, and a broomstick with bristles full of fluff. As Carlota realizes her communication method will not work on these inanimate objects, she must overcome her fear and try something she has never done before: talk! The whimsical, tongue-in-cheek narration asks readers questions ("Are you ready to know?") and adds little asides ("Yes, I know I have already said this, but..."), making readers feel the story is being told just to them. Urberuaga's simply drawn illustrations, heavily outlined in black and using a richly saturated palette, perfectly complement the charm and humor of the story. Readers will want to watch out for Tom the mouse, Carlota's friend, and his antics while Carlota is locked in the pantry. A tale gently told of finding our inner strengths. (Picture book. 5-7)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Andres, Jose Carlos: CARLOTA WOULDN'T SAY BOO." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Apr. 2016. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A447747752/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=dd3dd87b. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.
My Dad Is a Clown/Mi papa es un payaso
Jose Carlos Andres, illus. by Natalia Hernandez. NubeOcho (Consortium, dist.), $14.95 (40p) ISBN 978-84-944137-6-6
A boy with two fathers learns that being a clown is serious business in this tender bilingual story from Andres (Carlota Wouldn't Say Boo), who is himself a professional clown, and Spanish illustrator Hernandez. Andres's young narrator couldn't be prouder of his father's work: "Imagine how important it is. He makes people laugh. Laugh!" (He's equally proud of his other father, Pascual, a doctor.) In a somewhat discursive sequence of events, the boy and Pascual secretly follow the boy's father to one of his rehearsals, during which the boy muses on adult life ("I thought it was rather boring, running and cycling without going anywhere," he says after catching up to his father at the gym), sees the work that goes into clowning (including practicing falls and pretending to cry), and contemplates his own future careers. Hernandez contributes playful black and white cartoons, accented with red, that feature a cast of chunky-headed, emoji-cute characters. More family story than comedy, Andres tale is less concerned with making children laugh than reminding them that it's good for the soul to do so. Ages 4-up. (Feb.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC
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"My Dad Is a Clown/Mi papa es un payaso." Publishers Weekly, vol. 263, no. 47, 21 Nov. 2016, pp. 107+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A471274024/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=2403576e. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.
Andres, Jose Carlos THE JOURNEY OF CAPTAIN SCAREDY CAT nubeOCHO (Children's Picture Books) $16.95 4, 12 ISBN: 978-84-943691-4-8
A once fearless pirate captain gets his mojo back--just in time for bed. For no good reason, Capt. Scaredy Cat, formerly unafraid of sharks, storms, or even girls' kisses, is now jumping at his own shadow. What's his worried crew, "rude, tough, and wild," to do? (That description's not echoed in Wimmer's jolly depictions of children in diverse theatrical costumes. And though the costumes are diverse, the crew is not, mostly being as white as the captain with the exception of one dark-skinned sailor and a dog.) Unfortunately, "thinking was not their thing," as the Spanish original's translators put it, so they leave him aboard a haunted ship to be menaced by a succession of deliciously hulking monsters, whose sudden appearances in the shadowy, atmospheric illustrations will be greeted by young audiences with screams of delight. Though initially the captain "almost doodied in his pants," firm repetitions of the mantra "they don't exist, they don't exist, they don't exist" cause the ghost, the vampire, and the "ugly, ugly, ugly...truly ugly" werewolf to vanish--after which he snuggles down, "never ever afraid again." The suggested coping strategy won't work for all children, but if read with proper gusto, the book will be a sure storytime hit. (Picture book. 5-7)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Andres, Jose Carlos: THE JOURNEY OF CAPTAIN SCAREDY CAT." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Feb. 2016. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A443086732/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=24613420. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.
Andres, Jose Carlos OZZY THE OSTRICH nubeOCHO (Children's Fiction) $15.95 6, 12 ISBN: 978-84-945415-9-9
Ozzy is about to be a mother when lions arrive for an attack!This Spanish import starts as a quiet, repetitive counting book, as first one, then two, then "three ostriches found three flowers." The counting motif continues as one, then two, then "three lions saw three ostriches, licked their lips and their whiskers and claws, and thought: YUM! YUM! YUM!" But then there is a break in the pattern. Ozzy, the first ostrich, lays her egg, spies the predatory lions, and angrily yells: "Nah-nana-naa-nah...Not you, nor you, nor you can get this egg!" There is an anxious moment when the lions advance toward the three large birds, but at Ozzy's "whistle" command, "the big birds buried their heads in the sand." At Ozzy's second signal, their heads come up, and they shout: "BOO!" The effect of this action is quite bizarre; the lions are so frightened that one "turned white," the second "lost all of his fur," and the last lion's "teeth fell out." There are more physical transformations in store, and the lions actually become friends with the ostriches, until three new lions appear. Who can save the friends from these new enemies? Humorous paintings, full of action and set in an imaginary African savanna, accompany a silly but rhythmic text that sometimes sounds like a folk tale. It is also available in Spanish as El Avestruz Mariluz. An amusing trifle for those that like animal stories. (Picture book. 3-6)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Andres, Jose Carlos: OZZY THE OSTRICH." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Apr. 2017. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A489268474/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=11738aaf. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.
Andres, Jose Carlos THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE TOOTH FAIRY nubeOCHO (Children's Fiction) $16.95 5, 8 ISBN: 978-84-944446-1-6
Who could have guessed that the tooth fairy has "secret assistants"?Weeping operatically--and looking very much like a brown-skinned, zaftig diva in Zacarias' mixed-media (paint and cut-paper-collage) illustrations--Lady Oyster laments the loss of her only pearl: "Oh, I am very, and I mean very, so very sad." News of the tragedy passes from a purple octopus to a French sardine (sporting the requisite beret and with a baguette under one armlike fin) to a crab and then to a mouse. This last goes in search of "something small, white, hard and shiny" to make up the loss. After discarding a button and other options the mouse finds what he needs, as readers might guess, beneath the pillow of a sleeping girl. Then, leaving a coin in exchange ("He would have liked to have left her a book, but he didn't have one with him at the time"), he passes the tooth back down the line to a delighted Lady Oyster. "This is perfect!" Why a mouse? Because, according to an introductory note, it's a mouse that comes for lost teeth in France, Spain, and South America. This origin story from Spain makes just as much sense as a single tiny fairy doing all the work--possibly more. (Picture book. 4-7)
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"Andres, Jose Carlos: THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE TOOTH FAIRY." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Apr. 2017. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A487668632/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=1c5e0916. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.
Andres, Jose Carlos ADOPTING A DINOSAUR nubeOCHO (Children's Fiction) $16.95 6, 25 ISBN: 978-84-17123-63-5
A girl's quest for a pet, any pet, takes a turn when she finds a dinosaur egg in the park.
Ali is a little girl with puppy fever. And kitten fever. Really, she'd settle for just about any animal to call her own, but her parents shut her down. So of course when Ali finds the giant egg, she brings it home, and after a week of love and attention, a dinosaur hatches. Cleverly, Ali asks her parents for a dinosaur. When they indulgently tell her, "Okay, if you find one, you can adopt one," Ali's won. Kimo the saltasaurus is both cute and fast-growing, and the story concludes in the only way the laws of real estate allow: The dinosaur parents show up, and Kimo becomes a beloved occasional visitor. If the ending is predictable and the story familiar, this stands out in its above-and-beyond execution. The writing is snappy, especially when the dialogue is rendered in large hand-drawn letters ("WOAH, WOAH, WOOAAAHHH THAT'S A DINOSAUR!"), and the art throughout is consistently delightful. Kimo, of course, turns out to be the most adorable-est, cuddliest dino, and when he's covered with licks by his adoring saltasaurus family while a child on a ladder pats one of the parents…let's just say no reader will be able to resist. A Spanish-language edition, Adoptar un dinosaurio, proves just as charming. Ali and her parents present white.
Humorous without a trace of snark, this Spanish import hatches just right. (Picture book. 4-8)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Andres, Jose Carlos: ADOPTING A DINOSAUR." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Apr. 2019. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A580520810/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=942b5498. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.
Andres, Jose Carlos I'M A ZCARY VAMPIRE nubeOCHO (Children's None) $16.95 9, 1 ISBN: 978-84-17673-85-7
Even a vampire’s skills need propping up.
In Transylvania, a diminutive young vampire is distressed when his puny shadow fails to frighten a little girl. He tells her that if he can’t scare anyone, he won’t pass his upcoming “tezt.” (This vamp substitutes “z” for “s” and “th.”) His fate if that happens? He’ll go to “banana peeler zchool.” Pitying him, the girl offers to help. The next evening, she encounters a gigantic shadow cast by the vampire, greatly enlarged from what it would be naturally thanks to interesting props. The girl faints in mock terror. The vampire’s cronies congratulate him on his success, and he receives a medal for “biggest scare.” The wee ghoul thanks his friend for her assistance and boost to his self-confidence. In a concluding twist, the girl thanks him for helping her overcome her fear of vampires! This odd, unfunny Portuguese import has glaring problems: The vampire explained he could fail his exam next day but didn’t manage his “scare” until the next evening. What happened at the exam? More problematic are the Z’s in the vamp’s speech: Instead of being comical, they’re offensive gibes at “foreign” accents. Additionally, the “banana peelers” are depicted insultingly as unintelligent, with dangling tongues and crossed eyes, as if their task is too difficult. Loose, cartoonish illustrations are colorful; numerous pages feature purplish backgrounds. Humans present White. A Spanish version publishes simultaneously.
This isn’t a Halloween treat to savor; skip it. (Picture book. 4-7)
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"Andres, Jose Carlos: I'M A ZCARY VAMPIRE." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Aug. 2020. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A630892151/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=a395268f. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.
ANDRES, Jose Carlos. !Ten cuidado, Bruno! illus. by Jose Fragoso. 40p. NubeOcho. Nov. 2022. Tr $ 16.99. ISBN 978841813343 5. SP
PreS-Gr 2--In this Spanish-language book, parents want to make sure their children are safe and healthy. Bruno's parents sometimes go a little overboard. They wrap Bruno up in several scarves and gloves, even if it isn't cold out. At the park, they clean the equipment and make sure Bruno wears a helmet. When Bruno attempts to play on a slide, the safety measures his parents put in place get in the way, and a tired Bruno tells his parents he simply wishes to play like other children. Bruno soon plays, runs, and slides, and although his parents are reluctant at first, they find that even if Bruno isn't wearing layers of clothing or it rains and they get a little wet, it isn't a big deal. The expressive and slightly comical illustrations capture the worry and concern from Bruno's parents, contrasting them with other carefree visitors at the park, while the Spanish text adds to the emotions as Bruno's parents shout for him to be careful and an exasperated Bruno puts his foot down. This picture book shows that while it is understandable to be protective, sometimes we have to let go a little. VERDICT A humorous exploration of how a caregiver's love can lead to overprotection, this picture book shows that children must also be allowed to be children. More for adults than children, this would make a nice choice for Spanish-language collections.--Selenia Paz
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Paz, Selenia. "ANDRES, Jose Carlos. !Ten cuidado, Bruno!" School Library Journal, vol. 68, no. 11, Nov. 2022, p. 48. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A724886619/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=0bf78438. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.
Andrés, José Carlos WHO STOLE MY LEG? nubeOCHO (Children's None) $16.99 7, 5 ISBN: 978-84-17673-65-9
The world's most frightening pirate meets his match rubber ducky-style.
"Grislygrin was the scariest pirate of the Seven Seas of all time," begins this import translated from the Spanish. How scary is he? So scary that every time he walks the deck, his crew (depicted as kids with a variety of skin tones; Grislygrin is tan-skinned) run in fear. Fear, that is, until the day one of his crew sneaks into his room at night and exchanges his wooden leg for a rubber duck. On subsequent nights, the leg is swapped for a spring and then a rambunctious dog. It's only when his leg is exchanged for a pencil that Grislygrin starts writing stories with every step, and everyone is happier for it. Much of the repetition in the text ("The whole crew was afraid very veeery afraid!") makes it clear that this is a book earmarked for read-alouds. The vibrant, exuberant art appears to always be in motion and can easily be seen across the room. The child crew itself straddles the line between terrified and delighted as they run from their leader. However, some readers may be put off by the notion of changing out the limbs of people with disabilities for gags. The energy is high, but the book cannot avoid its central premise. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Swashbuckling abounds, but even lively antics can't quite keep this ship afloat. (Picture book. 3-6)
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"Andres, Jose Carlos: WHO STOLE MY LEG?" Kirkus Reviews, 1 June 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A705356074/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=1df27533. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.
ANDRES, Jose Carlos. Who Stole My Leg? tr. by Robin Sinclair. illus. by Myriam Cameras Sierra. 44p. NubeOcho. Jul. 2022. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9788417673659.
PreS-Gr 1--When Captain Grislygrin walks the deck of his ship, "the clonk, clonk, clonk" of his wooden leg makes his crew scream with fear. One night, a brave cabin girl sneaks into Grislygrin's cabin and steals his peg leg. She replaces it with a mbber duck. "Q-u-a-a-a-a-c-k," squeaks the mbber duck at the end of his leg, and an angry Grislygrin shouts, "Who stole my leg?" Each night after that, a brave cabin girl or boy sneaks into the Captain's cabin and replaces his peg leg with either a bouncing spring, a hairy dog, or a pencil. With his pencil leg, Captain Grisygrin is transformed into a happy, grinning pirate, who "drew and wrote stories and adventures of enormous whales and hidden treasures." Subsequently, the happy cabin children beg Captain Grislygrin "to take long walks on the deck so they could listen to his wonderful pirate tales." Sierra works with pencils and graphite to illustrate the text, outline the characters, and draw the hill-page, primary-colored illustrations of rolling sea waves and shipboard scenes. Her cartoonish characters are a perfect match for the lighthearted plot. This engaging, uniquely funny story provides children with a creative outlet for their fears. VERDICT Purchase several copies of this book, and pair with Claudia Rueda's Let's Play in the Forest While the Wolf is Not Around or with Ed Emberley's Go Away, Big Green Monster! for a lively story time about laughing away your fears. --Monica Fleche
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Fleche, Monica. "ANDRES, Jose Carlos. Who Stole My Leg?" School Library Journal, vol. 68, no. 8, Aug. 2022, p. 74. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A711673769/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=24de0f6c. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.
ANDRES, Jose Carlos. El pirata de la pata de pato. illus. by Myriam Cameros Sierra. 44p. NubeOcho. Jul. 2022. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9788494597114. SP
PreS-Gr 2--Desalmau is known to be the most fearsome pirate in all the seas, and he strikes fear within his crew every time he takes a walk out on the deck. When the smallest member of the crew finally grows tired of being afraid, she sneaks into Desalmau's quarters and replaces his wooden leg with...a rubber duck! Desalmau takes a walk out on the deck, and slips and falls. He roars, demanding to know who replaced his leg. Other members of the crew decide to replace Desalmau's leg with creative items, until finally the little pirate who started it all replaces the leg with a pencil. Now, when the fearsome Desalmau takes walks on the deck, something magical happens that leaves the crew excited for Desalmau's walk. This fun title screams story time--with its wild and luminous illustrations and its expressive Spanish text. Bold and large font makes for great opportunities to add emotion and emphasis for full effect during read alouds. A humorous, unique story with an unexpected ending that will invite repeated readings. VERDICT A hilarious addition to Spanish-language picture book collections for children, and an excellent choice for reading aloud.--Selenia Paz
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Paz, Selenia. "ANDRES, Jose Carlos. El pirata de la pata de pato." School Library Journal, vol. 68, no. 7, July 2022, p. 69. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A708597835/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=b87e6640. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.
ANDRES, Jose Carlos. Carlota no dice ni pio. illus. by Emilio Urberuaga. 40p. NubeOcho. Jun. 2022. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9788418599279.
K-Gr 2--Carlota is able to communicate with everyone through gestures and looks, and they understand her perfectly. She doesn't talk--not at school, not with her parents, not even with her mouse Tom. While chasing after Tom, Carlota walks into the pantry, and the door shuts behind her, locking her in. Try as she might, her gestures and looks are not enough to call for help, and Carlota finds she will have to do something she never thought she would need to: talk. Softly at first, then more loudly, the little girl calls for help, and her parents and Tom soon come. Carlota tells them of her experience, and from then on uses her voice--which is revealed to be incredibly beautiful. The jewel-tone, sketchlike illustrations are reminiscent of Quentin Blake's art, and are in themselves as emotive as Carlotta's facial expressions. When she is stuck in the pantry, a humorous scene takes place involving Tom and the family cat. The story is told by an unknown comical narrator, whose parenthetical commentary adds another layer of humor to this unique story. VERDICT A lovely addition to Spanish picture book collections that provides a good introduction to conversations about speaking up.--Selenia Paz
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Paz, Selenia. "ANDRES, Jose Carlos. Carlota no dice ni pio." School Library Journal, vol. 68, no. 4, Apr. 2022, p. 124. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A699585686/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=7fc6d7ff. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.
Andrés, José Carlos THE GHOST WITH THE SMELLY OLD UNDERWEAR nubeOCHO (Children's None) $16.99 9, 6 ISBN: 978-84-18599-43-9
The only thing worse than a haunting? A putrid, odiferous undergarment haunting!
The mostly human denizens of Scaryville, representing a range of skin tones, have a ghost problem. Whether they're at the movies or just trying to sit down to dinner, the ghost with the smelly old underwear, its knickers clearly in a twist, will pop out of nowhere. Something must be done, so one by one brave volunteers march into the ghost's castle, always retreating when they encounter the haunting. Fortunately, Old Granny Fanny, a light-skinned, gray-haired woman, appears with a pair of fresh new undies for the unhappy spirit, and things take a turn for the better. G�mez's cartoonish art has a childlike simplicity to it. Much of the plot's heavy lifting relies on its young audience finding the repeated phrase smelly old underwear hilarious. For those who do not, the book may be a bit of a slog. Further, the text, translated from Spanish, has its share of clunky moments. For example, the citizens of Scaryville are scared, "Because there lived // The ghost with the smelly old underwear!!!" Putting aside precisely how a ghost "lives," disconnections between text and image include visits to "the garbage dump," which appears to simply be a single trash bin. This tale fails to reach its potential. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Underwear proves underwhelming in this weak attempt at eliciting preschool giggles. (Picture book. 3-5)
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"Andres, Jose Carlos: THE GHOST WITH THE SMELLY OLD UNDERWEAR." Kirkus Reviews, 15 July 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A709933207/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=adc6ab45. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.
Be Careful, Bruno!
Jose Carlos Andres, trans, from the Spanish by Cecilia Ross, illus. by Jose Fragoso. NubeOcho, $16.99 (40p) ISBN 978-84-18133-44-2
In contrast to the notoriously under-discussed
Bruno in Encanto, the Bruno in this picture book, who's on the receiving end of some extreme helicopter parenting, probably wishes his family would stop talking about him. "Be careful, Bruno!" is his folks' constant, agency-sapping reminder: before a trip to the park on a warm, sunny day, he's mummified in woolly outerwear. After the kid makes a break for the slide, "Mom buckled him into a helmet, elbow pads, and a seatbelt while Dad strapped some knee pads onto him and then began mopping." A frustrated outburst eventually wins Bruno, portrayed with mustard-hued skin, theright to play "like all the other kids"--he's subsequently seen ecstatically romping with a group of peers shown with varying skin tones--and while Mom and Dad don't entirely shed their anxieties, they realize that some rain or a scraped knee aren't the end of the world. The snappy comedy style and exaggerated cartooning aesthetic focus on the family's panicky exploits; illustrator Fragoso's fluid pen and ink style tracks closely with the text by Andres (Who Stole My Leg?), but they remain funny in their own right; the glimpse of a slide seatbelt is particularly memorable. Ages 4-8. (Nov.)
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"Be Careful, Bruno!" Publishers Weekly, vol. 269, no. 43, 17 Oct. 2022, p. 59. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A724346145/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=2cd8182e. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.
Andrés, José Carlos RUBY THE RAMBUNCTIOUS NubeOcho (Children's None) $16.99 4, 11 ISBN: 9788418599989
An active girl with a muscular disability faces overly permissive parents.
Ruby falls down a lot. Whether dancing, running, or visiting the bakery, she somehow ends up on the ground. At first, everyone thinks she's clumsy--including Ruby herself. So when a brown-skinned doctor explains that Ruby's muscles simply "[don't] work well," Ruby is overjoyed ("I'm not clumsy!"). Her parents, however, react very differently. While her brothers still get "told off" for misbehaving, Ruby suddenly does not. Though her parents are clearly frustrated, they let her shenanigans slide--even when Ruby draws on Dad's favorite painting and brings Mom's tablet into the bathtub. "Don't you care about me?" a bewildered Ruby wonders. Finally, she erupts across a double-page spread: "I DON'T WANT TO BE TREATED DIFFERENT THAN MY BROTHERS!" But, Ruby's little brother points out, she is different--she's "the most rambunctious of us all!" To Ruby's relief, she's finally scolded. In an encouraging conclusion, a manual wheelchair enables her to race, play, and continue raising joyful mayhem. Andrés' upbeat text, translated from Spanish, will engage young readers while gently reminding parents that nondisabled and disabled kids alike need rules and boundaries. Serrano's energetic cartoon illustrations vividly depict Ruby's mischievous antics and infectious emotions. Ruby and her mom have pale skin; her dad and brothers have light-brown skin. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Humorously insightful. (Picture book. 4-6)
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"Andres, Jose Carlos: RUBY THE RAMBUNCTIOUS." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Mar. 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A740905236/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=3c82108b. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.
Andrés, José Carlos SLEEPING IS NOT FOR ME! NubeOcho (Children's None) $17.99 10, 24 ISBN: 9788419253767
A small elephant rejects bedtime; Dad is patient.
As this tale (translated from Spanish) begins, it's night, and all is silent on the savanna. Daddyphant, blue, wears a small hat, and Littlephant, pink, wears a nightcap. (Other animals are cartoonish in form but in expected colors--surprisingly bright in the starry setting.) Though it's bedtime, Littlephant wants to play: to gallop like a zebra and to remain "awake and alert" like a meerkat. Daddyphant never points out that zebras, meerkats, and other creatures sleep at night, but he counters by encouraging Littlephant to follow the example of animals like giraffes ("sleepyheads!" scoffs Littlephant), snakes ("boring!"), or hyenas--a suggestion that backfires as Littlephant begins to laugh loudly. With each suggestion, Daddyphant chants a lullaby incorporating that animal's name, which will challenge readers with the uneven meter. Littlephant's antics are disturbing the savanna but wearing him out, and he eventually falls asleep. At that point, all the animals he has awakened creep up on him and make noise, rousing him. With incredible self-awareness, Littlephant says no when they ask to play and instead chants the Daddyphant verse, causing the animals to instantly fall asleep. (Littlephant seems unaware of nocturnal animals.) The images are sweet, but the idea of a lullaby with such quick effects stretches credulity. And how many small children would reject friends' midnight efforts to play?
Cute but far-fetched. (Picture book. 3-6)
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"Andres, Jose Carlos: SLEEPING IS NOT FOR ME!" Kirkus Reviews, 15 Oct. 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A768633603/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=55da3527. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.
Andrés, José Carlos THE VERY HUNGRY MUMMY NubeOcho (Children's None) $17.99 5, 21 ISBN: 9788419607416
The third in this not-so-scary monster series features a mummy consumed by a need to consume.
A mummy named Queen Andages is having a lovely nap until she awakens, peckish and without a snack in sight. Unable to tell if it's day or night (sundials don't work particularly well in pyramids, and windows are nonexistent), she steps outside, to the shock and horror of a group of visiting tourists. Everyone flees except a light-skinned girl named Nessa, and after she shares her chips with the voracious queen, the two become fast friends. Why did everyone run away? Maybe it has something to do with the mummy's tendency to yell at the top of her voice when she wants something. So it's off to the bazaar to look for Nessa's moms, get more food for the still-ravenous Andages, and maybe find some clothing for the queen as well. Kids will enjoy noticing Andages' (rhymes with bandages) rapidly unspooling wrappings long before she does, and the gentle humor of the text, translated from Spanish, may not have them howling with laughter, but they'll certainly enjoy this brazen mummy's need to nosh. Crowd scenes are filled with a cast of different ethnicities and skin tones.
This tale of a hangry young hero is sure to satisfy. (Picture book. 3-6)
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"Andres, Jose Carlos: THE VERY HUNGRY MUMMY." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Apr. 2024, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A788096841/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=7c2ae6fa. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.