Bravo, Chico Canta! Bravo!

Chico Canta, the youngest of 12 mouse siblings, saves the day thanks to his ability to “speak” Dog, proving just how important being multilingual can be. The father-daughter team of Mora and Martinez adapt their story from a Mexican folktale, and Carling’s mixed-media paintings create a cozy Latin American environment for Chico’s family, which lives and performs in an old theater. Despite threats from Little Gato-Gato the cat and Chico’s overall distractibility, the Cantas’ performances go off without a hitch. Spanish and Italian words are scattered throughout, giving readers a chance to pick up new words themselves. Ages 4–7. (Apr.)