Estrellita se despide de su isla - Estrellita Says Goodbye to Her Island, Del Sol Books

A lovely poetic homage graced by lively illustrations of a young girl's native island.

This lyrical book is Estrellita’s farewell song to her island home. The gentle words paint a picture of her beloved environment in vivid strokes, filled with images of, in Estrellita’s charmed words, the “little island / darling little piece of my heart!” Estrellita’s beautiful tribute is framed by the window of the gigantic airplane that carries her away from her beloved world that will forever be imprinted in her mind. She tells of the rooster calling to her in the morning, the coquí appearing in her bed, and the people that populate her lovely countryside. Estrellita’s song of her home gives readers aged 3 to 7 a peek at her world, introducing them to a love of the island and the love of a home. Estrellita gives a magical taste of her island, leaving the reader hungry for another read.

Listen to Vienna Rose read Estrellita Says Goodbye to Her Island to you. A marvelous example of the magical encounter between a child and books that we wish for all children.

Booklist : Gr. 3-5. This bilingual picture book for older children begins as a child bids goodbye to her island home: not only to the rooster's morning call and the "sweet, gallant coqui / Jumping and frolicking in my bed," but also to intangibles--"the clear melodies of illusion / From your fine and famous guitars," to "Your skies, your rivers, your charm / All of which the painter dreams." Using broad brushes and opaque paints, Torrecilla depicts a series of stylized, bright, tropical scenes in which every leaf, cloud, and streak of sunlight is sharply defined. The Spanish verses rhyme and are printed above their unrhymed English translations; both are reprised at the end of the book. The voice here isn't very childlike, and Estrellita's woodenly inexpressive features add an odd, discordant element to the warm pictures. What comes across best is the poet's strong feeling for the island's "exquisite Caribbean song," which will strike a response in readers, whether recent immigrants or not.

School Library Journal : “. . . the spirit comes through, making this ode to an island home a selection with wide appeal.”

Bilingual Collection Blue Books :