Not a Bean by Claudia Guadalupe Martinez - ESSENTIAL

Not a Bean by Claudia Guadalupe Martinez, illustrated by Laura Gonzalez. PICTURE BOOK. Charlesbridge, 2019. $17. ISBN 9781580898157

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) EL – ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Part Spanish counting book, part moth life cycle narrative, this book follows  a jumping bean caterpillar, inside its “not a bean” seedpod, for a day as it jumps out of the sunlight, away from animal sounds, and around a playing board drawn on the ground. The next day, the saltarine (jumper) is still. The caterpillar inside is now busy spinning a cocoon until, several days later, it emerges as a moth.

A glossary of Spanish words and an author’s note provide additional information for the reader. Told in rhyme, this is an entertaining and educational introduction about a little-known wonder of nature.

P.K. Foster, MLS, elementary school teacher-librarian