Synopses & Reviews
Every ABC book worth its cover price is bound to have bright colors and big letters. But not every ABC book has magical hand-carved animals to illustrate every letter. And very few alphabet books present those letters in more varieties than English! Very few alphabet books except the ABeCedarios, that is! In this brightly colored book, the alphabet is presented in both Spanish and English, and includes the four additional lettersandmdash;and whimsical animalsandmdash;that make the Spanish alphabet so much fun.
The famous folk artists, brothers Moisand#233;s and Armando Jimand#233;nez, carved the wonderful animal figures that illustrate each letter in ABeCedarios. Working with their wives and children in the beautiful village of Arrazola in Oaxaca, Mexico, they carved and painted each enchanting animal by hand. For many centuries, people in Oaxaca have carved wood to make toys and household objects. However, it was Moisand#233;s and Armandoandrsquo;s grandfather Manuel who started making animal figures. Now more than sixty families in Arrazola make their living from wood carving.
Cynthia Weill works at Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City. She is the co-author with Pegi Deitz Shea of Ten Mice for Tet (Chronicle Books, 2003), a book inspired by the Vietnamese embroidery she saw while working in international relief in Hanoi, Vietnam. She is trained as an art historian and studies the process of folk artisans around the world.
K. B. Basseches is an artist, photographer, and art educator. She was an assistant professor at Virginia Commonwealth University in the Department of Art Education, and served as a staff photographer at the Smithsonian Institution in the Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC. Basseches has exhibited throughout the mid-Atlantic region and in the Los Angeles area. She lives in Richmond, Virginia, with her young son and husband.
Review
"Seemingly the typical alphabet book with large type, this volume stands out for its artwork: gorgeous animal wood sculptures created in Oaxaca. Every letter is illustrated with a full-page photograph of a colorful hand-carved animal whose name either begins with or includes that letter." andmdash;Crand#237;ticas, starred review
"Featuring vibrant wooden sculptures by a Oaxacan family of artists, the primer offers up animals both familiar (and#147;the flamingo/ el flamencoand#8221;) and unusual, such as the nutria and vicuand#241;a, for each letter of the alphabet, as well as for uniquely Spanish sounds, such as and#147;ll,and#8221; and#147;and#241;and#8221; and and#147;rr.and#8221; The highly saturated color backdrops and stunning sculptures should win over readers of all ages." andmdash;Publisher's Weekly
"Highly recommended; even adults will enjoy lingering over the unique animal artistry."andmdash;Midwest Book Review, starred review
"The sculpted figures display personality and enough vibrant energy to leap off the pages. Unusual or rare creatures-a hybrid Zedonk, a unicorn, and imaginary "X" animal-appear as examples in whimsical colors and imaginative patterns. An attractive choice for folk-art study or libraries with large collections of artistic ABC books."andmdash;School Library Journal
"Childrenand#8217;s books with Spanish and English text side-by-side are not uncommon, but this one has an extra treat: photos of animal carvings by a well-known family from Oaxaca, Mexico...lovely and colorful creatures that add charm to the book. Certainly something to catch a child's eye."andmdash;The Santa Fe New Mexican Magazine
Synopsis
Every ABC book worth its cover price is bound to have bright colors and big letters. But not every ABC book has magical hand-carved animals to illustrate every letter. And very few alphabet books present those letters in more varieties than English Very few alphabet books except the ABeCedarios, that is In this brightly colored book, the alphabet is presented in both Spanish and English, and includes the four additional letters-and whimsical animals-that make the Spanish alphabet so much fun.
The famous folk artists, brothers Moises and Armando Jimenez, carved the wonderful animal figures that illustrate each letter in ABeCedarios. Working with their wives and children in the beautiful village of Arrazola in Oaxaca, Mexico, they carved and painted each enchanting animal by hand. For many centuries, people in Oaxaca have carved wood to make toys and household objects. However, it was Moises and Armando's grandfather Manuel who started making animal figures. Now more than sixty families in Arrazola make their living from wood carving.
Synopsis
A bilingual ABC book featuring beautiful, vibrant photographs of hand-carved animals from Oaxaca, Mexico.
This beautifully-illustrated, bilingual ABC book is fun for young readers and the adults reading with them. Each letter is illustrated with a photograph of a hand-carved animal in the folk tradition of Oaxaca, Mexico. The wood sculptures are carved in beautiful detail and painted eye-catching bright colors that little readers will love. Weill's choice of animals is delightfully quirky (you'll never guess what she chose for 'X') and provides a great opportunity to practice different letter sounds in Spanish and English, as each animal is named in both languages. Unlike other alphabet books, this board book includes several letters that are specific to Spanish, such as the and ll. Whether you're already a bilingual family or hoping to become one, this book is a great place to start.
Brothers and master carvers Armando and Mois s Jim nez created the animals for the illustrations, which are then sanded by their children and hand painted by their wives, Anton a and Oral a. They are following in a family tradition of wood carving that goes back to their grandfather, Manuel, who began carving animals in the 1950's using wood from the copal trees that grow nearby. The carvings have proved so popular that eighty families in their town of Arrazola, Oaxaca now make their living from carving wooden sculptures.
ABeCedarios is a sturdy board book, just the right size for little hands, and durable enough to withstand many re-readings. Little ones will love the adorable animals and bright colors. This is the perfect book for laying the foundations of bilingual literacy for your child, and makes a great gift for new parents, toddlers, and appreciators of Mexican folk art
Synopsis
Delicate hand-painted animals from Oaxaca lead little ones through a bilingual alphabet.
Synopsis
Cultural Writing. Children's Nonfiction. Art by Moises and Armando Jimenez. Photographs by K.B. Basseches. Every ABC book worth its cover price is bound to have bright colors and big letters. But not every ABC book has magical hand-carved animals to illustrate every letter. And very few alphabet books present those letters in more varieties than English! The famous folk artists, brothers Moises and Armando Jimenez, carved the wonderful animal figures that illustrate each letter in ABECEDARIOS. Working with their wives and children in the beautiful village of Arrazola in Oaxaca, Mexico, they carved and painted each enchanting animal by hand. Cynthia Weill works at Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City. She is the co-author with Pegi Deitz Shea of Ten Mice for Tet (Chronicle Books, 2003), a book inspired by the Vietnamese embroidery she saw while working in international relief in Hanoi, Vietnam. She is trained as an art historian and studies the process of folk artisans around the world.
About the Author
Cynthia Weill is a professor and mentor to teachers at Columbia University's Teachers College. She also owns a business--Aid to Women Artisans--that promotes the craftwork of artisans from developing countries. ABeCeDario is her second book. K.B. Basseches is an artist and an art educator. She taught Art Education at Virginia Commonwealth University until the birth of her son. She is now a full-time mother and fine artist. In 2005, she developed and curated a touring exhibition of adult, university and child artists' works to benefit the child victims of Hurricane Katrina.