I'm Too Big / Soy Demasiado Grande

by Lone Morton, Mary Risk

Four color-illustrated picture books entertain young children while teaching them the fundamentals of Spanish. On each page, a line of story text is in English at the top and in Spanish at the bottom.

Genres: France, Picture Books, Childrens, Animals

32 pages, Hardcover

First published May 26, 1994

Reviews

[Tweedledum · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a delightful way to spark an interest in French. Boy I wish these books by Lone Morton had been around when I was a kid. I remember just one children's book in French lived in our house "Ricquet a la houpe" evidently a story all French kids love. I don't think I ever got past the first sentence. I still don't know what it's all about. I seem to remember Ricquet bore a distinct resemblance to Tin Tin.

But I do love French and years ago even acquired a GCE in the subject complete with a French Oral section. Now I am trying to re-educate / remind myself through dipping into translations of loved children's classics. Harry Potter, Narnia . My memory won't hold up or retain loads of grammar and vocabulary now so.... French for fun... That's my credo.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comme l'éléphant, je n'aime pas mon long nez, mais contrairement à la girafe, j'aime mon long cou. Je comprends maintenant la différence entre «grosse» et «grande». Je pense....

Like the elephant, I don't like my long nose, but unlike the giraffe, I like my long neck. I understand the difference between "grosse" (big) and "grande" (tall) now. I think....

[Tayler K · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was really funny.

[Anjanabiswa · Rating 4 out of 5]

By Lone Morton, Illustrated by Steve Weatherill, Spanish by Rosa Martin
Summary: The elephant and giraffe are unhappy. One would like to be taller, the other shorter. One would like bigger ears, the other smaller ones. But finally they agree ... they like each other as they are!
Evaluation of Illustrations/Text: The illustrations fill the pages with paint color and some detail. The text is at the top and bottom of the page. The text is in one sentence. One sentence on a page is in English then the bottom of the page has the Spanish translation of the sentence.
Strategies for Use in the Classroom:
Locate specific vocabulary - The text uses English and Spanish. The students can learn Spanish words by looking at the English to Spanish translation. The book has the pronunciations of the words in the back to help the student pronounce the words.

[Natalie Chalaby · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Je suis trop gros” and the “I can read French” series is essential for introducing young children to French. The book depicts a humorous story of an elephant and a giraffe who want to look like each other and not look like themselves.

On each page children are easily able to understand simple French phrases, since the English phrases sit alongside them. The delightful visual glossary at the back of the book further consolidates the children’s vocabulary, which they have learned in the book.

All in all a fabulous and memorable way of introducing children to the French language for the first time.

[TwoDrinks · Rating 3 out of 5]

I quite liked the story which is about liking yourself just the way you are. What really made it interesting to read was the illustrations.