Salsa Lullaby

by Jen Arena, Erika Meza (Illustrator)

How to get baby to sleep? Mami and Papi will try anything in this bouncy, loving, bilingual lullaby that gently says good night in both Spanish and English.

Mami starts a salsa song.
Papi keeps the beat.
Baby loves this lullaby,
moves those dancing feet.

Baila, baby, baila!
Dance, dance, dance.

When nighttime falls, it's time for baby to go to sleep. In this household, that means it's also time for mama, papa, and baby to baila/dance, canta/sing, salta/jump, and more all the way to bedtime!

This bouncy bilingual text and gorgeous, inviting illustrations gently wind down to make this a bedtime favorite no matter what language families say "good night" in!

Genres: Picture Books, Music, Family, Spanish Literature, Storytime, Latinx, Childrens

32 pages, Hardcover

Published October 15, 2019

About the author

Jen Arena is lucky to have been surrounded by great children’s books her whole life. As a teenager, she worked at a children’s-only indie bookstore in Pennsylvania, and after graduating from college, she made her way to New York City, where she found a job in children's book publishing. Since then, she’s written many books for kids. She recently left New York and now lives in Florida, surrounded by sunshine, palm trees, and really weird birds.

Reviews

[Set · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute rhyme book with a salsa element. Salsa is Cuban so I imagine that the characters are portrayed as such. And the father is portrayed as the stereotypical olive toned Hispanic. Come down to Miami, and you won't be able to tell a Cuban apart from Anglo-Americans. 65% of Cuban are white. That's why Spain is giving the grandchildren and great grandchildren of Spanish immigrants to Cuba the natural Spanish citizenship, so they can go back to the motherland in Europe. And this is why, when I travel to the north of the USA and tell people I'm Hispanic, they say, "no, you're not, you're white; you're french"; or they tell my mom, "you're Polish, you're German", etc. This is why stereotypes are not good. BTW, there is no such thing as a salsa lullaby.

[La Coccinelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Setting aside the wisdom of winding a baby up with salsa music right before bed, this is actually a really cute book featuring a family of three (four, if you count the dog) as they get ready for the baby's bedtime. Mami puts some music on, and then they go through the process of getting the kid settled down for the night: having a bottle, getting out a favourite toy, the dog lying down beside the crib as a protector. The exuberance and fun of the rituals come across clearly on the pages.

The illustrations, done in a limited colour palette by Erika Meza, are lots of fun. They have a distinctly animated feel to them, which I like. The baby and the dog are super cute.

This is a charming bedtime book that shows a loving family. As long as you don't actually put salsa music on when you read it to your kids at bedtime, you should be fine.

Quotable moment:

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warm and loving, lively and sweet. Mami and Papi (and puppy) dance and sing baby to bedtime. Their affection for one another is touching and the illustrations help convey that connection as well as the sense of movement with the dance. Simple bi-lingual text is pleasant with a rhyme scheme fits the musical tone of the story.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's time to go to bed. How shall we put baby to bed? Let's sing a salsa lullaby.

First we dance (bailer).

Then we sing (cantor).

We jump (saltar).

We look (mirar).

Finally, it's time to sleep (dormir).

A beautiful way to send a baby off to sleep.

[Neha Thakkar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely. Sweet and simple mixture of English and Spanish vocabulary and movement. Recommended. ¡Baila!

[Stefanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Jen Arena! This book is bursting with movement, music and family fun. Nice rhythm for baby and toddler storytime, group or 1-on-1.

[Margaux · Rating 5 out of 5]

Little baby's parents move and groove through bedtime, encouraging him to baila, canta, y mira. Short and sweet, this story brings new dimension to the bedtime ritual of eat, change, sleep.

[Sarah Daniluk · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is colorful, it is sweet, it'll make you want to dance and learn a little along the way. Love it.

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Salsa Lullaby by Jen Arena, illustrated by Erika Meza PICTURE BOOK Penguin Random House, 2019. $18 9780525579724

BUYING ADVISORY: Pre K - ADVISABLE

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

This family's routine for putting the baby to bed includes turning on music, then dancing and singing and jumping, but then, as baby starts to get tired, looking and cuddling and sleeping. I'm not sure how wise getting the baby all excited just before bed is, but whatever works, right?

The illustrations are very cute, the family loves each other so much and are happy - even the dog gets involved. All the key words are said in both English and Spanish, a darling primer or fun bedtime story for the bilingual baby.

Lisa Librarian
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Sarah Threlkeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet bedtime story. My 3-year old asked to read it three times in a row.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

From that first page you realize that Mami isn’t hitting play on the salsa music because the baby is having a difficult bedtime. No, the music, the dancing, is part of their ritual, their life. Papi with a baby and a book on his lap mirrors the baby’s look of anticipation and joy as Mami hits play. Soon everyone is dancing, including the dog as a ribbon of notes, color, shapes flow across pages.

The music and dance are incorporated into the bedtime process of bottle and cuddle and laying down for sleep. The words and illustrations guide the reader/listener towards bed and blissful dreams, the energy quieting while its vibrance never really waning.

Some would suggest such a wind-up unwise, as if Salsa, dancing, singing is only about building energy or exhilaration. It can be cathartic, releasing, and tender. I love the intimate and playful nature of the book, brought about by music/song. Salsa Lullaby may make bedtime more appealing for some—and I’m not only thinking about the children.

The rhyming text is bilingual with a short glossary at the end (no pronunciation guide). The baby in its bright yellow could be any sex/gender.

Of note: I find Mami’s hair mesmerizing.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

While it might not make sense to play music and dance to encourage a little one to go to sleep, that's exactly what the couple in this lively picture book do. Featuring illustrations created with watercolor and digital media, the book relies on rhyming bilingual text and lots of movement across the pages to tell the story. Parents, child, and even the family dog dance happily to the various beats that fill the book's pages. But all good things must come to an end, and eventually the pace slows, the lights dim, and even the dog yawns while bringing a stuffed toy to the baby. It finally is time for bed, and the child and dog drift off contentedly. This one would be a perfect read aloud for a bedtime story, provided readers do so with enthusiasm and vary their pace. There is even a glossary of the Spanish terms used in the story.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would not have thought I would read a book with Spanish words in it to a group of 2-year olds, but they fit so naturally into the flow of the story that there is no interruption or confusion. The rhythm makes it easy to read aloud, and the kids enjoyed seeing what the dog was doing on each page. This book is very similar to Jazz Baby, which I also like. However, I think this is a little shorter and simpler, so it was a slightly better choice for a audience of very young children.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This family's routine for putting the baby to bed includes turning on music, then dancing and singing and jumping, but then, as baby starts to get tired, looking and cuddling and sleeping. I'm not sure how wise getting the baby all excited just before bed is, but whatever works, right?

The illustrations are very cute, the family loves each other so much and are happy - even the dog gets involved. All the key words are said in both English and Spanish, a darling primer or fun bedtime story for the bilingual baby.

For this and more of my reviews, visit http://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations are amazing. Such color and movement. The text is placed well that goes around some of the illustrations. There are Spanish words throughout the book, but they are easy to guess what that word is when there's an English word following that phrase (of what the Spanish word means) which I think is cleverly done. There's also a glossary at the end of the story for clarification on those Spanish words.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can't wait to try this in baby storytime! There is just a bit of Spanish in here, but not so much that this güera feels too intimidated. At the beginning of the story, the illustrations start out bright, with the music popping and leaping, and as the story and the baby start to wind down, the illustrations deepen and become richer in tone. So beautiful.

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book! CLEL had it as a nomination for the theme "Sing" and I couldn't agree more. This book brought a smile to my face as a family dances through a nighttime routine. Only thing I wish.....have a pronunciation guide for the bilingual words. When I do books like this, I want to honor a language and make sure I am pronouncing correctly.

[Olivia Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a sweet little bedtime book. It starts out exciting and ends soothing. Perfect for reading to your child right before bedtime. Although, I would recommend brushing up on your Spanish pronunciation since there are Spanish words scattered throughout! It will make the read much easier and more enjoyable!

[Vernon Area Public Library KIDS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bilingual: English with some Spanish words

Bouncing text accompany a mother and father as they prepare their baby for bed. The story begins with lively dancing and singing then transitions to drooping eyes and a calm ending.

Reviewed by: Miss Kelsey, Youth and School Services, Vernon Area Public Library

[Terresa Wellborn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Colorful, action/movement book for a lapsit or baby storytime, encouraging the reader/audience to dance, sing, jump, look, and sleep. Includes simple English/Spanish glossary at the back. Includes bilingual elements but is not fully bilingual (only a few words are translated in the text).

Themes: Spanish culture, dance, family, bedtime
Ages: baby-preK
Pub year: 2019

[Abby Johnson]

This bouncy, rhyming book is a great addition to your baby storytimes. Mami and Papi dance with baby to a salsa beat, incorporating Spanish words into the chorus. This would be a great readaloud paired with dancing motions for baby storytime. Hand to fans of Baby Danced the Polka or Fiesta Babies.

[Celeste · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, rhythmic read-a-loud for babies and toddlers that incorporates some Spanish words. The target audience is clearly English speaking, but Spanish speaking and Latinx families may find some reflection of themselves in this book.

[John Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, colorful rhyming book for toddlers and their families. I can imagine it being read along with parents, or other family members acting out the images. Not only a good bedtime/nap book, but it introduces several Spanish words that are easy for a child to learn and build upon.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wonderful pictures show a diverse family enjoying their baby's bedtime routine of dancing and lullabies. A few Spanish words are thrown in for fun, but it's very obvious what they mean. A nice addition to a story time about bedtime, music, dancing, or families.

[Aolund · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful baby bedtime book with words in both Spanish and English celebrates the fun of dancing, singing, looking, and finally falling asleep. Joyous illustrations.

Themes: Dancing, Bedtime, Lullaby
Age range: 0-2

[Kelsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Age: Infant-Toddler
Bilingual: English with some Spanish words

Bouncing text accompany a mother and father as they prepare their baby for bed. The story begins with lively dancing and singing then transitions to drooping eyes and a calm ending.

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spanish language, movement, baby, diverse characters, bedtime

Storytime idea: Have kids repeat the Spanish words while doing the movement on each page. Maybe play a bit of salsa music in the background. Go over the words and movements all at once in the end.

[Lynnette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really nice rhythm and rhyme. Cute little story that's perfect for reading around to babies and toddlers. Soft and delightful illustrations. Not very many words on each page. My 22-month-old really likes it.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun choice for lapsit/baby storytimes

[Annese · Rating 5 out of 5]

So fun! I cannot wait to try this for storytime.