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Dylan's Birthday Present/Le Cadeau d'anniversaire de Dylan: Bilingual French and English Edition
Little Polyglot Adventures Series (Vol. 1): Dylan's Birthday Present / Le cadeau d'anniversaire de Dylan - Bilingual French & English Edition This is the bilingual French & English edition of this book. It is also available in several other languages, including in bilingual versions. Summary in Dylan is an American boy like many others. One thing makes him special, his parents come from other countries and speak to him in different languages. It's his birthday today and he receives a very unusual present, only to lose it shortly after. Together with his best friend Emma, a sweet bilingual girl born to South African parents, Dylan sets out to find his lost birthday present. During their search, the two friends learn about the value of friendship, of speaking different languages, and of appreciating one's own as well as others' cultural and linguistic background. If you are looking for a children's book that will help your child see the value in speaking other languages, in being multicultural, and that will hopefully get them excited about learning languages, this book is a great choice . Summary in Dylan est un garçon américain comme tant d'autres. Une chose le rend cependant spécial ses parents sont originaires d'autres pays et lui parlent en plusieurs langues. C'est son anniversaire aujourd'hui, et il reçoit un cadeau qui sort vraiment de l'ordinaire, qu'il perdra quelques instants plus tard. Accompagné de sa meilleure amie Emma, une fille mignonne aux parents sudafricains, Dylan part à la recherche de son cadeau d'anniversaire perdu. Au cours de leur recherche, ces deux amis apprennent la valeur de l'amitié, de parler plusieurs langues, et d'apprécier la culture et la langue des autres ainsi que la sienne.
- GenresPicture BooksChildrens
32 pages, Hardcover
Published May 20, 2020
10 people are currently reading
18 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
November 2, 2020
I can see the earnest efforts put in to bring out this storybook!
Well done I would say!
The strong parts of this book are the subtle colored but alluring illustrations, love for animals, community interaction and thoughtful parents.
This book aims to have some basic idea about the different languages.
I like the parts where words in different languages are used here and there alongwith
the references.
I feel the storytelling/narration could have been much better. I look for playful writing and more of active descriptions in such stories.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
Well done I would say!
The strong parts of this book are the subtle colored but alluring illustrations, love for animals, community interaction and thoughtful parents.
This book aims to have some basic idea about the different languages.
I like the parts where words in different languages are used here and there alongwith
the references.
I feel the storytelling/narration could have been much better. I look for playful writing and more of active descriptions in such stories.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
May 30, 2020
This is a book that tries to teach a few words of various languages, but ends up coming off as unrealistic and a bit elitist.
Right at the beginning, a subtle swipe is taken at the monolingual. Things don't get much better as we're launched into a ridiculous story. First, Dylan's birthday present is that he can have any present he can think of. (Say what?!) He chooses a chicken. So his father just goes out and buys him a live chicken. The thing inevitably runs away (because who needs fences or coops when you're trying to spoil your kid?) and Dylan and his friend Emma go on a neighbourhood journey to find the lost chicken. They encounter a stereotypical grumpy old woman who looks like she stepped out of historical fiction, and then a man who doesn't speak English. They find the chicken, and then Dylan's dad says he'll build a coop the next day. Um... ya think?
The illustrations are plagued by size issues and aren't very interesting to look at. They're "cute", but I still didn't like them. And for a book that's aiming to teach kids about different languages, only including six words in a 32-page book seems a little lazy. For a much better book that incorporates bilingualism seamlessly into the story, check out El Chupacabras by Adam Rubin.
Thank you to NetGalley and Linguacious for providing a digital ARC.
Right at the beginning, a subtle swipe is taken at the monolingual. Things don't get much better as we're launched into a ridiculous story. First, Dylan's birthday present is that he can have any present he can think of. (Say what?!) He chooses a chicken. So his father just goes out and buys him a live chicken. The thing inevitably runs away (because who needs fences or coops when you're trying to spoil your kid?) and Dylan and his friend Emma go on a neighbourhood journey to find the lost chicken. They encounter a stereotypical grumpy old woman who looks like she stepped out of historical fiction, and then a man who doesn't speak English. They find the chicken, and then Dylan's dad says he'll build a coop the next day. Um... ya think?
The illustrations are plagued by size issues and aren't very interesting to look at. They're "cute", but I still didn't like them. And for a book that's aiming to teach kids about different languages, only including six words in a 32-page book seems a little lazy. For a much better book that incorporates bilingualism seamlessly into the story, check out El Chupacabras by Adam Rubin.
Thank you to NetGalley and Linguacious for providing a digital ARC.
June 27, 2020
This is about a kid Dylan who asks for a chicken for his birthday. The illustrations were beautiful. These kind of illustrations always make me so nostalgic! But as for the story, I didn't find anything special in it. It was okay.
May 18, 2020
I received an electronic copy from Linguacious through NetGalley.
Delightful book that shares the concept of people speaking their own languages as well as speaking several themselves. Dylan's family speaks Ukrainian, Portuguese and English. His friend, Emma, speaks Zulu and English. Readers see several words in different languages with translations provided in footnotes.
Dylan asks for a chicken as his birthday present and he and Emma take it to the park. They lose the chicken, but Dylan is able to locate it as he speaks a different language and can communicate with the person who found it.
The illustrations support the text, and the message of inclusion and diversity is clear.
I also appreciate the link to audio files so readers can hear how the words are pronounced in the various languages.
Delightful book that shares the concept of people speaking their own languages as well as speaking several themselves. Dylan's family speaks Ukrainian, Portuguese and English. His friend, Emma, speaks Zulu and English. Readers see several words in different languages with translations provided in footnotes.
Dylan asks for a chicken as his birthday present and he and Emma take it to the park. They lose the chicken, but Dylan is able to locate it as he speaks a different language and can communicate with the person who found it.
The illustrations support the text, and the message of inclusion and diversity is clear.
I also appreciate the link to audio files so readers can hear how the words are pronounced in the various languages.
July 14, 2020
The illustrations in this book are lovely - soft and inviting but in beautiful colours to keep an element of fun for the young reader that they’re aimed at.
The foreign language words are included gently, as a natural part of the wider narrative, and I was very impressed at the inclusion of easy to find translations at the bottom of the page and a QR code that helps you with pronunciation. Portraying a knowledge of language as a superpower is a fantastic way to open a child’s mind to the wonder of other languages, but also their own native language and reading.
I really enjoyed the dynamic of Dylan crying and his friend Emma being the one to console him. It’s important for me that the books my son reads books that encourage him to explore his feelings and don’t feed unhealthy stereotypes; this book definitely ticks that box.
The foreign language words are included gently, as a natural part of the wider narrative, and I was very impressed at the inclusion of easy to find translations at the bottom of the page and a QR code that helps you with pronunciation. Portraying a knowledge of language as a superpower is a fantastic way to open a child’s mind to the wonder of other languages, but also their own native language and reading.
I really enjoyed the dynamic of Dylan crying and his friend Emma being the one to console him. It’s important for me that the books my son reads books that encourage him to explore his feelings and don’t feed unhealthy stereotypes; this book definitely ticks that box.
June 3, 2020
This book is a great way to introduce readers to the topic of different languages, cultural diversity, and acceptance of differences
**Thankyou Netgalley and publisher for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review**
**Thankyou Netgalley and publisher for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for a honest review**
May 15, 2020
Actual rating - 2.5.
August 15, 2020
Logic and Language Save the Day
It's Dylan's birthday, and his parents tell him he can ask for anything for his special day. He asks for a pet chicken that he can speak all of his languages to: English, Portuguese, and Ukrainian. His father is from Portugal, and his mother is from Ukraine; both parents speak to him in their native languages as well as English. His father brings home the chicken, and Dylan runs off to share it with his friend Emma. When she learns why Dylan wanted a chicken, she asks if she can speak to it in Zulu; her parents are from South Africa. The children talk to the chicken in their languages and feed it, but it wanders away without them noticing. When Dylan realizes that his birthday gift is gone, he gets upset, but Emma launches a logical search. After a few missteps, they find the chicken at the house of a Portuguese man. They can only do so because Dylan recognizes the Portuguese words on the man's t-shirt and can then ask him in Portuguese if he has seen his chicken. The children return to Dylan's home with the chicken in tow and enjoy a birthday celebration.
The book has medium-toned, well-done illustrations; each character has a unique look. I found one of them amusing. While they are looking for the chicken, the children come across a grumpy older female neighbor; it is said that pets and their owners start to look like each other, and in this case, the woman's dog looked as grumpy as she was! By the way, the author includes a link and QR code to a website where you can hear the foreign-language words in this book spoken. I think that's a great resource for a parent who wants to read this to a child or for a child who will read it herself or himself. As a word nerd myself, though not a polyglot, I liked that it was language that helped Dylan and Emma solve their dilemma. We often encourage little boys in America not to cry, and Dylan did so with abandon; that's not a bad lesson, although I did think he turned into tears perhaps a little too quickly. I loved that it was his friend Emma who was logical, kept her cool, and got them started searching. I found myself wondering at Dylan’s choice of a chicken for a gift because of language. Would it make more sense for him to ask for a parrot? Then, at least, the pet could talk back, and Dylan might even teach the parrot different languages. That would have been fun. All in all, I found this to be a delightful story that highlighted the importance of friendship and different cultures and their languages.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com
It's Dylan's birthday, and his parents tell him he can ask for anything for his special day. He asks for a pet chicken that he can speak all of his languages to: English, Portuguese, and Ukrainian. His father is from Portugal, and his mother is from Ukraine; both parents speak to him in their native languages as well as English. His father brings home the chicken, and Dylan runs off to share it with his friend Emma. When she learns why Dylan wanted a chicken, she asks if she can speak to it in Zulu; her parents are from South Africa. The children talk to the chicken in their languages and feed it, but it wanders away without them noticing. When Dylan realizes that his birthday gift is gone, he gets upset, but Emma launches a logical search. After a few missteps, they find the chicken at the house of a Portuguese man. They can only do so because Dylan recognizes the Portuguese words on the man's t-shirt and can then ask him in Portuguese if he has seen his chicken. The children return to Dylan's home with the chicken in tow and enjoy a birthday celebration.
The book has medium-toned, well-done illustrations; each character has a unique look. I found one of them amusing. While they are looking for the chicken, the children come across a grumpy older female neighbor; it is said that pets and their owners start to look like each other, and in this case, the woman's dog looked as grumpy as she was! By the way, the author includes a link and QR code to a website where you can hear the foreign-language words in this book spoken. I think that's a great resource for a parent who wants to read this to a child or for a child who will read it herself or himself. As a word nerd myself, though not a polyglot, I liked that it was language that helped Dylan and Emma solve their dilemma. We often encourage little boys in America not to cry, and Dylan did so with abandon; that's not a bad lesson, although I did think he turned into tears perhaps a little too quickly. I loved that it was his friend Emma who was logical, kept her cool, and got them started searching. I found myself wondering at Dylan’s choice of a chicken for a gift because of language. Would it make more sense for him to ask for a parrot? Then, at least, the pet could talk back, and Dylan might even teach the parrot different languages. That would have been fun. All in all, I found this to be a delightful story that highlighted the importance of friendship and different cultures and their languages.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
My book blog: https://www.readingfanaticreviews.com
May 11, 2021
In this realistic fiction and multilingual children’s book, the main character Dylan gets to choose a special birthday present this year. He chooses a chicken so he can speak to it in all of the languages that he knows. With his friend Emma, the chicken gets lost and the children must figure out where it goes. This story casts a light on strong friendships and how working together can solve any problem. The story is fun and silly for children and the writing is easy to follow which makes for an incredibly enjoyable read. The design of this book is whimsical and cute to draw in readers of younger ages.
The way this story highlights people of different ethnicities, cultures, and languages upholds the anti-bias criteria in a way that I have not yet seen in children’s literature. One of my favorite qualities about this book is that Dylan actively celebrates the different languages that he and his family speak and views them as superpowers. This intentionally shows the value of multilingualism and multiculturalism for audiences, which is something that children and adults alike might struggle with in a society that oftentimes discriminates against other cultures, religions, heritages, and languages. Additionally, I am happy that the main character is a young boy because typically I see young girl characters as the center of a story about celebrating language and culture. The primary language of the text is English with Ukranian, Portuguese, and Zulu words and phrases incorporated. The text uses proper Ukranian and Portuguese words and phrases when the respective parents speak in those languages. The friend of Dylan speaks Zulu and the reader learns that the friend’s parents were born in South Africa. This story thoughtfully incorporates the other languages in the written text and provides translations in English at the bottom of the pages. The characters who speak the other languages make sense to readers and are of the utmost value in the story.
The way this story highlights people of different ethnicities, cultures, and languages upholds the anti-bias criteria in a way that I have not yet seen in children’s literature. One of my favorite qualities about this book is that Dylan actively celebrates the different languages that he and his family speak and views them as superpowers. This intentionally shows the value of multilingualism and multiculturalism for audiences, which is something that children and adults alike might struggle with in a society that oftentimes discriminates against other cultures, religions, heritages, and languages. Additionally, I am happy that the main character is a young boy because typically I see young girl characters as the center of a story about celebrating language and culture. The primary language of the text is English with Ukranian, Portuguese, and Zulu words and phrases incorporated. The text uses proper Ukranian and Portuguese words and phrases when the respective parents speak in those languages. The friend of Dylan speaks Zulu and the reader learns that the friend’s parents were born in South Africa. This story thoughtfully incorporates the other languages in the written text and provides translations in English at the bottom of the pages. The characters who speak the other languages make sense to readers and are of the utmost value in the story.
May 11, 2021
Imagine you wake up on your birthday with the ability to ask for any present you can imagine. That is exactly what happened to the little boy Dylan. He explains to his parents that he wants a chicken for his birthday. Specifically, a chicken that can speak all the different languages that Dylan speaks; Portuguese, Ukraine, and English. His dream is fulfilled when one day his dad comes home, with a chicken in his arms.
With the chicken in tow, Dylan goes and finds his friend Emma. After Dylan explains the chicken's abilities, she asks if she can speak to it in Zulu, the language her parents speak. After playing with the chicken for a while, Dylan and Emma get distracted. The chicken manages to wander away without the kids noticing.
Dylan and Emma start an adventure to try and find the lost chicken. After a few missed turns they find a man wearing a shirt with Portuguese text. They discover the man doesn’t speak English, but thankfully Dylan speaks Portuguese and is able to ask the man if he's seen the chicken. Which the man has, and with his help the kids find their chicken.
I really enjoyed the solution being that because Dylan speaks multiple languages, they were able to solve their problem. It insinuates that being multilingual isn't just something to be proud of, it’s an incredibly valuable skill. I could see this book encouraging young readers to continue to develop their language skills and keep up with languages spoken within the home.
The story incorporates words from different languages and provides a translated definition at the bottom of the page. Uniquely the book also provides a QR code to a website where you can hear the spoken foreign-language words in this book. This is useful because the story doesn’t include any pronunciation guide.
With the chicken in tow, Dylan goes and finds his friend Emma. After Dylan explains the chicken's abilities, she asks if she can speak to it in Zulu, the language her parents speak. After playing with the chicken for a while, Dylan and Emma get distracted. The chicken manages to wander away without the kids noticing.
Dylan and Emma start an adventure to try and find the lost chicken. After a few missed turns they find a man wearing a shirt with Portuguese text. They discover the man doesn’t speak English, but thankfully Dylan speaks Portuguese and is able to ask the man if he's seen the chicken. Which the man has, and with his help the kids find their chicken.
I really enjoyed the solution being that because Dylan speaks multiple languages, they were able to solve their problem. It insinuates that being multilingual isn't just something to be proud of, it’s an incredibly valuable skill. I could see this book encouraging young readers to continue to develop their language skills and keep up with languages spoken within the home.
The story incorporates words from different languages and provides a translated definition at the bottom of the page. Uniquely the book also provides a QR code to a website where you can hear the spoken foreign-language words in this book. This is useful because the story doesn’t include any pronunciation guide.
June 27, 2020
Dylan (American boy) found a box right outside his bedroom door.
His mom, dad & Isabella (sister) wished him a happy birthday.
The whole family spoke several languages.
Dylan told them he wanted a pet.
He got what he wanted; his dad brought home a chicken.
Dylan named it Kiki.
Emma (South African, bilingual, Dylan’s BFF) met Kiki.
The 2 of them had a favorite game. Looking up at the clouds.
Suddenly Kiki ran off.
Will the 2 of them find Kiki?
I do not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing free books from publishers & authors. Therefore, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one.
An awesome book cover, great hand-drawn black & white or colored pictures & proper font & writing style. A very professionally written children’s (elementary; MS age) cultural-educational storybook. It was quite easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters, settings, etc. to keep track of. This could also make another great children’s cultural-educational movie, a classroom presentation, an animated cartoon, or better yet a mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is an extremely easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free author(s); Linguacious publisher; FreeBooksy; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
His mom, dad & Isabella (sister) wished him a happy birthday.
The whole family spoke several languages.
Dylan told them he wanted a pet.
He got what he wanted; his dad brought home a chicken.
Dylan named it Kiki.
Emma (South African, bilingual, Dylan’s BFF) met Kiki.
The 2 of them had a favorite game. Looking up at the clouds.
Suddenly Kiki ran off.
Will the 2 of them find Kiki?
I do not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing free books from publishers & authors. Therefore, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one.
An awesome book cover, great hand-drawn black & white or colored pictures & proper font & writing style. A very professionally written children’s (elementary; MS age) cultural-educational storybook. It was quite easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters, settings, etc. to keep track of. This could also make another great children’s cultural-educational movie, a classroom presentation, an animated cartoon, or better yet a mini TV series. There is no doubt in my mind this is an extremely easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free author(s); Linguacious publisher; FreeBooksy; Amazon Digital Services LLC.; book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
September 8, 2020
Dylan's Birthday Present is a Children's Book written by the author Victor D. O. Santos and illustrated by Eszter Miklos. This is the story of a little American boy Dylan. His parents belong to different countries and talk to little Dylan in different languages.
On his birthday, Dylan asked for a chicken from his parents so that he can talk to it in different languages he know. His dad gave him chicken as a birthday present as promised. Excited Dylan went to show his polygot chicken to his friend Emma. Read the story yourself to know what happens next.
This is a well written story with clear and smooth narration. Language of the book is lucid so kids can understand it easily. Illustrations are colorful and will capture children's interest immediately. This book has motivated me to learn a new language as we never know when it may prove to be useful.
On his birthday, Dylan asked for a chicken from his parents so that he can talk to it in different languages he know. His dad gave him chicken as a birthday present as promised. Excited Dylan went to show his polygot chicken to his friend Emma. Read the story yourself to know what happens next.
This is a well written story with clear and smooth narration. Language of the book is lucid so kids can understand it easily. Illustrations are colorful and will capture children's interest immediately. This book has motivated me to learn a new language as we never know when it may prove to be useful.
September 23, 2020
I requested and received an e-ARC of this book from NetGalley and Linguacious in exchange for my honest review.
This book was cute! Dylan speaks many languages at home and for his birthday wants to get a chicken. I like that this book provides a link for children and parents to hear how the foreign words are pronounced. I also like that this book is introducing kids to other languages and cool words like polyglot.
This book was cute! Dylan speaks many languages at home and for his birthday wants to get a chicken. I like that this book provides a link for children and parents to hear how the foreign words are pronounced. I also like that this book is introducing kids to other languages and cool words like polyglot.
May 11, 2021
In this realistic fiction and multilingual children’s book, the main character Dylan gets to choose a special birthday present this year. He chooses a chicken so he can speak to it in all of the languages that he knows. With his friend Emma, the chicken gets lost and the children must figure out where it goes. This story casts a light on strong friendships and how working together can solve any problem. The story is fun and silly for children and the writing is easy to follow which makes for an incredibly enjoyable read. The design of this book is whimsical and cute to draw in readers of younger ages.
The way this story highlights people of different ethnicities, cultures, and languages upholds the anti-bias criteria in a way that I have not yet seen in children’s literature. One of my favorite qualities about this book is that Dylan actively celebrates the different languages that he and his family speak and views them as superpowers. This intentionally shows the value of multilingualism and multiculturalism for audiences, which is something that children and adults alike might struggle with in a society that oftentimes discriminates against other cultures, religions, heritages, and languages. Additionally, I am happy that the main character is a young boy because typically I see young girl characters as the center of a story about celebrating language and culture. The primary language of the text is English with Ukranian, Portuguese, and Zulu words and phrases incorporated. The text uses proper Ukranian and Portuguese words and phrases when the respective parents speak in those languages. The friend of Dylan speaks Zulu and the reader learns that the friend’s parents were born in South Africa. This story thoughtfully incorporates the other languages in the written text and provides translations in English at the bottom of the pages. The characters who speak the other languages make sense to readers and are of the utmost value in the story.
The way this story highlights people of different ethnicities, cultures, and languages upholds the anti-bias criteria in a way that I have not yet seen in children’s literature. One of my favorite qualities about this book is that Dylan actively celebrates the different languages that he and his family speak and views them as superpowers. This intentionally shows the value of multilingualism and multiculturalism for audiences, which is something that children and adults alike might struggle with in a society that oftentimes discriminates against other cultures, religions, heritages, and languages. Additionally, I am happy that the main character is a young boy because typically I see young girl characters as the center of a story about celebrating language and culture. The primary language of the text is English with Ukranian, Portuguese, and Zulu words and phrases incorporated. The text uses proper Ukranian and Portuguese words and phrases when the respective parents speak in those languages. The friend of Dylan speaks Zulu and the reader learns that the friend’s parents were born in South Africa. This story thoughtfully incorporates the other languages in the written text and provides translations in English at the bottom of the pages. The characters who speak the other languages make sense to readers and are of the utmost value in the story.
September 4, 2020
Dylan gets a pet chicken, Kiki, for his birthday, who he wants to teach many languages like his family have taught him. When Kiki arrives, he goes to show his bilingual friend Emma, but Kiki goes missing, so they set out to find his new pet chicken, and their polyglot superpowers may come in handy.
I think it’s a lovely idea to encourage children to learn other languages through this book, especially in a country where languages are so underrated in the education system. A QR code at the beginning also provides access to audio clips of the foreign words to aid pronunciation. One thing that was a bit tricky was the colour of the these words against the illustrated background. Although it was great for making them stand out from the rest of the text, it actually made them trickier to read.
Story-wise, it did sometimes feel as if it were there to solely educate, but by the end I did start to like the characters too. Overall, it’s a decent read, especially for introducing kids to the idea of learning languages, with one of my favourite aspects being how language abilities are made appealing by calling them ‘polyglot superpowers.’
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
I think it’s a lovely idea to encourage children to learn other languages through this book, especially in a country where languages are so underrated in the education system. A QR code at the beginning also provides access to audio clips of the foreign words to aid pronunciation. One thing that was a bit tricky was the colour of the these words against the illustrated background. Although it was great for making them stand out from the rest of the text, it actually made them trickier to read.
Story-wise, it did sometimes feel as if it were there to solely educate, but by the end I did start to like the characters too. Overall, it’s a decent read, especially for introducing kids to the idea of learning languages, with one of my favourite aspects being how language abilities are made appealing by calling them ‘polyglot superpowers.’
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 6, 2020
A quest to find a lost birthday present takes Victor’s young protagonist on an insightful journey in this endearing debut installment in the series.
It’s little Dylan’s birthday, and he is excited to show his birthday present to his best friend Emma. But when the present goes missing, the friends embark on a journey to find it and learn new things along the way.
Victor’s story celebrates the learning of different languages as characters from different cultures and races make their entry. Other subjects explored include appreciation of the value of being a polyglot, respecting different cultures and racial backgrounds, and importance of friendship and family ties.
Dylan’s friendship with Emma adds zest to the story, and the vibrant drawings portray the friends’ upsetting and uplifting moments with gentleness.
With foreign language words (English translations to which appear at the bottom of each page) and a delightful mystery woven into the main storyline, this intriguing book adds up to thorough fun.
Young readers will likely plead to read it again and again.
It’s little Dylan’s birthday, and he is excited to show his birthday present to his best friend Emma. But when the present goes missing, the friends embark on a journey to find it and learn new things along the way.
Victor’s story celebrates the learning of different languages as characters from different cultures and races make their entry. Other subjects explored include appreciation of the value of being a polyglot, respecting different cultures and racial backgrounds, and importance of friendship and family ties.
Dylan’s friendship with Emma adds zest to the story, and the vibrant drawings portray the friends’ upsetting and uplifting moments with gentleness.
With foreign language words (English translations to which appear at the bottom of each page) and a delightful mystery woven into the main storyline, this intriguing book adds up to thorough fun.
Young readers will likely plead to read it again and again.
May 13, 2020
It's Dylan's birthday and he can have any present he wants. What does he choose? A pet, so he can speak many languages to it. Dylan is a polyglot – someone who can speak more than one language. As Dylan and his new pet have their first adventure, readers learn the meaning of several words from different countries, including Portugal, Russia, and South Africa. The word is highlighted in blue while the meaning is given at the bottom of the page. There is a link to a website where readers can listen to the pronunciation of the words.
Dylan's Birthday Present is a charming story with adorable illustrations that complement the text nicely. Reading this book is a good way to introduce children to the concept of people speaking different languages and to help them appreciate cultural differences.
Dylan's Birthday Present is a charming story with adorable illustrations that complement the text nicely. Reading this book is a good way to introduce children to the concept of people speaking different languages and to help them appreciate cultural differences.
May 24, 2020
This was the very first book I've ever read that has a QR code to help you with pronunciation! The beautiful illustrations had my attention from the cover - gorgeous drawings!! I'm an animal lover - so when Dylan asked for a CHICKEN for his birthday and his dad said YES - I was fully invested. It's not just a story about a kid getting a chicken for his birthday - it's educational - I even learned something new from this book - I now know what a polyglot is, and how to pronounce a tiny handful of words in other languages! What a gem for young readers!! In exchange for a honest review, I received a digital copy of Dylan's Birthday Present - and I loved it!!! I realized that this is the first in a new series and can't wait to see where we go next!
July 29, 2020
I read this book last night and I thought that it was lovely.
I really liked the story and it was lovely how the different languages were utilised in the book – and it is a great way to get younger children to pick up and learn a few of these words.
It was a good story, well developed and well written and the images were great.
It is 3.5 stars from me for this one, rounded up to 4 stars for Goodreads and Amazon!
I really liked the story and it was lovely how the different languages were utilised in the book – and it is a great way to get younger children to pick up and learn a few of these words.
It was a good story, well developed and well written and the images were great.
It is 3.5 stars from me for this one, rounded up to 4 stars for Goodreads and Amazon!
May 22, 2020
*thank you Netgally and the author for the gifted copy*
This was a cute story. It is fantastic that they showed different languages as well. I did find the non-English words were very difficult to read in the font color. I found I had to squint.
The relationship between Dylan and Emma was really great, she was extremely supportive.
This was a cute story. It is fantastic that they showed different languages as well. I did find the non-English words were very difficult to read in the font color. I found I had to squint.
The relationship between Dylan and Emma was really great, she was extremely supportive.
May 29, 2020
I had an absolutely wonderful time reading this one! But Chickenese? haha that was stretching it a bit too far.
Nonetheless, I loved the message of the book too - the celebration of our differences and the celebration of staying together not despite, but because of these differences. Lovely book, lovely story!
Nonetheless, I loved the message of the book too - the celebration of our differences and the celebration of staying together not despite, but because of these differences. Lovely book, lovely story!
June 1, 2020
This is a book that teaches some words in different languages. Dylan gets a chicken for his birthday and he takes it around and then loses it and tries to find it along with his friend Emma. Dylan speaks Ukrainian, Portuguese and English. His friend, Emma, speaks Zulu and English. Illustrations are okay.
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the eARC
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the eARC
June 13, 2020
This is a unique story. It's not usual for a little boy to ask for that kind of present on his birthday but it has a really good message for everyone who reads it. It talks about language diversity and how can people really connect despite what we call the language barrier. It is interesting but not so impactful for me.
October 11, 2020
Dylan asks for a pet chicken for his birthday. His goal is to make his chicken a polygot, just like him. This story is well written, and cute. I really enjoyed learning the other languages used in the book. The best part was that these languages are unique- Ukrainian, Zulu, and Portuguese.
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