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Item Barcode | Collection | Call Number | Status | Item Holds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33607003454553 | Picture Books | MARTINEZ | Searching... Unknown | Searching... Unavailable |
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Summary
Summary
A Mexican jumping bean isn't a bean at all. It's a fascinating home and food source for a special kind of caterpillar!
With Spanish vocabulary and a clever counting concept, this poetic story shares the life cycle of a Mexican jumping bean. This curious jumping insect is actually a seedpod from a shrub called yerba de la flecha , into which a caterpillar burrows, living inside the pod until it builds a cocoon and breaks out as a moth. Perfect for preschoolers and prereaders, this creative picture book explores the Mexican jumping bean's daily life and eventual transformation and escape from the pod.
Author Notes
Claudia Guadalupe Martínez learned that letters form words from reading subtitles of old westerns with her father. Her debut novel, The Smell of Old Lady Perfume , received the 2009 Paterson Prize for Books for Young People, the 2008 Texas Institute of Letters Best Young Adult Book Award, and a 2009 Americas Award Commendation. Pig Park won the 2015 Texas Institute of Letters Best Young Adult Book and the 2015 NACCS Tejas Foco Young Adult Fiction Award. Not a Bean is her first picture book.
Laura Gonzalez has a degree in graphic design from Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León in Mexico, where she also studied illustration. She is a member of the Mexican Association of Illustrators (AMDI) and has illustrated several books for children. www.laugonzalez.com
Reviews (1)
School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 2--In the desert of Mexico, something special is happening inside of a yerba de la flecha plant. A caterpillar larva burrows its way into the seedpod of the shrub, where it grows by drinking the water that seeps into it. When the seedpod falls to the ground, the caterpillar is tucked inside, jumping when necessary to escape the heat of the desert or get to safety. A group of children come upon the "jumping bean" and add it to their game, hoping it will "jump" to a specific spot as they observe it. Soon, though, the bean goes still to become something entirely new. This impeccably designed book tells the story of the Mexican jumping bean. Though not a bean at all, this plant has nonetheless made a memorable name for itself through its unusual nature. Thoughtful, detailed illustrations transport readers through the Mexican desert as the caterpillar completes its journey. The text introduces Spanish words while counting from one to 10 throughout the story. VERDICT This is an excellent read-aloud for elementary school children, especially those who are looking for a gentle introduction to the Spanish language and some accompanying cultural connections. Fans of Roseanne Greenfield Thong's Green Is a Chili Pepper will appreciate the design similarities.--Mary Lanni, formerly at Denver Public Library
Excerpts
Excerpts
Next to the arroyo a seedpod grows on the yerba de la flecha, a desert shrub. The seedpod is made of smaller pods, each a bean that is Not a Bean. On a bright and early morning, una oruga - a wiggly catterpillar - burrows into the seedpod. The caterpillar eats the inside of its pod and drinks the water that seeps in. Later, the seedpod dries and hardens. It splits and falls to the ground. Midmorning, dos saguaros hold prickly arms up high as el sol scorches everything in sight. The caterpillar inside the Not a Bean rolls it into the shade. Excerpted from Not a Bean by Claudia Guadalupe Martinez, Laura Gonzalez All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.