The Cazuela that the Farm Maiden Stirred

by Samantha R. Vamos, Rafael Lopez (Illustrator)

Overview

This is the story of how the farm maiden and all the farm animals worked together to make the rice pudding that they serve at the fiesta. With the familiarity of "The House That Jack Built," this story bubbles and builds just like the ingredients of the arroz con leche that everyone enjoys. Cleverly incorporating Spanish words, adding a new one in place of the English word from the previous page, this book makes learning the language easy and fun.

Rafael Lopez covers each page with vibrant, exuberant color, celebrating tradition and community.

Back matter includes a glossary of Spanish words and a recipe for arroz con leche—perfect for everyone to make together and enjoy at story time.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781580892421
Publisher:	Charlesbridge
Publication date:	02/01/2011
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	10.10(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Samantha R. Vamos is the author of THE CAZUELA THAT THE FARM MAIDEN STIRRED, a Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Book, ALPHABET TRUCKS, and BEFORE YOU WERE HERE, Mi AMOR. Samantha lives near Seattle, Washington.

Editorial Reviews

Farm animals collaborate to make a pot of rice pudding in this energetic riff on "This Is the House That Jack Built." Animals and their contributions are first introduced in English ("This is the donkey/ that plucked the lime"), but ensuing verses feature Spanish translations in bold (a multitasking hen lays eggs "while grating the limón/ plucked by the burro"). López's acrylics-on-wood paintings have a burnished copper glow, while the menagerie exudes cartoonish joie de vivre. The seamless integration of Spanish vocabulary makes this a rousing primer. Ages 5–8. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

This cumulative tale in the style of the House that Jack Built begins with the pot, the cazuela, which a girl on a farm is stirring. Butter goes into the pot next; a goat churns the cream to make the butter. As each new ingredient is mentioned in English, the one before is named in Spanish. The cow that made the milk is next, followed by the duck who goes to the market to buy the sugar. A donkey picks a lime and carries the pato, duck, to the mercado, market. A hen lays the necessary eggs; a farmer plants the rice. When it is all mixed, there is a celebration. Everyone says gracias for the arroz con leche stirred by the campesina. The double page comic illustrations are highly stylized representations of the characters and objects painted on wood in warm toned acrylics with accents of blue and purple. Even the sun has a human face and a spiked hairdo. Lively action and patterns pervade the pictures. The delightful scene across the jacket of the animals running after the smiling maid trailing the smell from the pot invites the reader in. There is a glossary of the Spanish words and a recipe for arroz con leche as well. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz

Children's Literature - Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz

Gr 1–3—In a colorful nod to "The House That Jack Built," a young farm girl stirs her pot (cazuela) with the help of all the animals, and the resulting accumulation of ingredients and helpers produces a celebratory explosion of music and festivity. Past the first simple sentences, increased text and single images suddenly blossom into paintings of vibrantly warm and detailed graphics that quickly pull readers into the rhythmic repetition of the tale; animals (and foods) are given their Spanish names and a riot of jewel-toned colors emerge in full-page illustrations. "This is the duck/that went to the market/to buy the sugar/to flavor the leche/made fresh by the vaca/while teaching the cabra/that churned the crema/to make the mantequilla/that went into the cazuela that the farm maiden stirred." Spoons, banjo, maraca, and drum sound to tapping feet while voices sing—all as the cazuela bubbles—in anticipation of the final stir of arroz con leche (rice pudding). A recipe is appended to this delicious cumulative tale. Its images are spiced with a feast of richly colorful characters, the warmth of a Southwestern palette, and lush, swirling colors. The artistry of this book makes it a must buy for all libraries.—Mary Elam, Learning Media Services, Plano ISD, TX

School Library Journal

With the help of her animal friends, a farm maiden begins to cook. The goat lends some butter; the cow, fresh milk; the chicken, a few eggs—all for a pot of rice pudding. Inspired by "The House that Jack Built," Vamos offers a fresh, new twist, playfully introducing Spanish into this cumulative tale. The pot becomes thecazuela; the goat, thecabra; the butter, thematequilla; and so forth, until the text is bursting with bilingual energy. With each repetition, the momentum builds and bubbles until it reaches a boiling frenzy. Vamos then skillfully ties it all together, as each animal's Spanish name and accompanying ingredient is reiterated in a simple phrase—allowing readers to recall their meaning and relationship to the rice pudding. A party ensues, and all return to thecazuelato give thanks and share in their communal creation. López's artwork, with its desert palette punctuated by brilliant primary colors and its graphic, hard edges, suggestive of folk art, is a perfect match. His sophisticated, multilayered textures create depth, give form and work together to create an image that's easily readable, humorous and harmonious. Complete with anarroz con lecherecipe and glossary of Spanish words, this thoughtful work will appeal to both Spanish speakers and learners. A wonderful read-aloud, filled with merriment and conviviality.(Picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews