The Horn Book Guide

LANGUAGE

Cofer, Judith Ortiz

La poeta del piso de arriba

32 pp. | Piñata | May, 2014 | Trade ISBN 978-1-55885-788-9 $17.95
New ed. (2012)

(4) K-3 Translated by Gabriela Baeza Ventura. Illustrated by Oscar Ortiz. Juliana, an enthusiastic young artist, grows interested in her new upstairs neighbor, a well-regarded poet "who lived on an island" like Juliana's mami had. The two form a friendship, during which Juliana learns about the nature of creation and collaboration, and that "words can change the world." The Spanish translation of the prosaic English text is enlivened by the tropical-hued illustrations.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl