Marta! Big & Small

Arena and Dominguez nimbly combine an exploration of relativity with an introduction to Spanish vocabulary as una niña named Marta encounters various animals while exploring a junglelike setting. Though the text is minimal, Arena uses repetition and context clues to make each concept readily clear: “To a horse, Marta is lenta. Slow, very slow. To a turtle, Marta is rápida. Fast, very fast.” Dominguez’s loose, energetic illustrations underscore the meanings of each term and, during a run-in with a hungry snake, help demonstrate that Marta is—among other things—“ingeniosa. Clever, very clever.” Ages 4–7. Author’s agent: Jill Corcoran, Jill Corcoran Literary. Illustrator’s agent: Linda Pratt, Wernick & Pratt. (Aug.)