Book Review: UNO, DOS, TRES; ONE, TWO, THREE by Pat Mora

Books in Print (via TWU Databases). Accessed September 22, 2013.         http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2125/DetailedView.aspx?hreciid=|11543169|8008984&mc=USA

Mora, Pat. 1996. Uno, dos, tres; One, Two, Three. Ill. by Barbara Lavallee. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN-13   9780395672945

            Pat Mora’s picture book Uno, dos, tres; One, Two, Three is a bilingual, counting story set in a Mexican marketplace. Illustrator Barbara Lavallee uses watercolor images to bring to life lively colors stylized in the fashion of traditional indigenous dress. The backdrop of the setting includes a focus upon the Aztec Sun Stone, and even the people’s faces appear as if dual-colored masks from the ancient Mexican population. There is an allusion to “buying Mamá a sun” and the corresponding Aztec Sun Stone appearing on numerous pages.

            The main characters are two girls clothed in bright red and cool blue-colored dresses. A secondary character is the mother, appearing at the beginning and close of the story. The musicality of the text, as we count in both English and Spanish, is enhanced by the presence of marionettes. The rhythm of the words “five, alive” bring movement to the images. The text alternates between counting in sequence in one language, and mixing the languages together. Alliteration is skillfully used, as the “marching men” are strewn across two pages in intense red, blue and yellow.

            The story appears to be in chronological order, as the two girls travel through the marketplace to buy something for their mother. It contains a closed ending, as the girls bring the gifts to celebrate their mother’s birthday. A comment to note on this picture book’s use strictly for counting is that made by a School Library Journal review stating, “…the items to be counted are difficult to discern” (Books in Print, 2010).

            However, when used as a story time tool in my role with Fort Worth Library, I find pointing out the items to be counted is an effective method of associating the count in both languages with the illustrations. The rhythm used in counting can also be incorporated into a simple children’s song. It has been enjoyed by many children in Fort Worth, and the Early Childhood Matters Division of Fort Worth Library is proud to have some of our photos displayed on Pat Mora’s Web site for Uno, dos, tres; One, Two, Three where our preschool aged children practice their math skills. Celebrating 15 years since it was first published, this bilingual picture book is a valuable asset to any bilingual collection.

Mora, Pat. 1996. Uno, dos, tres; One, Two, Three. Ill. by Barbara Lavallee. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Aztecs at Mexicolore.  Accessed on September 9, 2013. http://www.mexicolore.co.uk/aztecs/

Books in Print (via TWU Databases). Accessed September 8, 2013. http://ezproxy.twu.edu:2125/DetailedView.aspx?hreciid=|13738136|1667617&mc=USA

Pat Mora: Author, Presenter, Literacy Advocate. Accessed September 8, 2013. http://www.patmora.com/books/uno-dos-tres/