María E. Gentle (Children's Literature)
If you have ever taken a child to a big grocery store (mercado) this book will bring it all back with a smile. Mamá must go to the store and Bebé must come along. As mamá tries to do her shopping, Bebé tries to get a hold of different things: a colorful box of something, an interesting jar, some corn, and more, until Mamá hands over her keys in an effort to keep Bebé entertained. Every aspect of grocery shopping is pictured in bold retro illustrations done in watercolor and ink. We see the little old lady who takes an interest in Bebé, we see the tug of war over the grocery list, and ultimately, we see Mamá trying to appease Bebé with a box of circus cookies. As Bebé bites into the assortment of animal cookies, Mamá is able to accomplish her task. The seamless rhyming text incorporates Spanish and English in a most natural, unforced cadence, making this book a pleasure to read over and over. Even for a non-Spanish speaker the Spanish text is so obvious you do not need to know the language to figure out the meaning, but just in case, there is a glossary at the back. This is a perfect book for bilingual story times. The unisex “Bebé” makes it suitable for either sex. The end papers will make you get a box of animal crackers on your next trip to the mercado. Delicioso! 2006, Harcourt, $16.00. Ages 2 to 5.

CCBC (Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choices, 2007)
Wide-awake colors, bold lines, and lots of movement set the stage for Bebé’s visit to the grocery store. Like any self-respecting toddler, Bebé views the outing as a chance to experience the market’s wares with all his senses, especially taste, touch, and sound! Mamá’s hard-pressed to keep up with her little one’s grocery cart activities until she finds the perfect distraction: a box of animal crackers for his midday snack. Rhyming words and a liberal dose of Spanish (with glossary) make this oversized picture book an ideal read-aloud. Young listeners will be captivated by Bebé’s romp right up through his exit from the store: “Smiles from Mamá. ‘Shopping’s done! LTerminé!’ And who’s been her wonderful helper? Bebé!” CCBC Category: Picture Books for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers. 2006, Harcourt, 32 pages, $16.00. Ages 2-5.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, March 15, 2006 (Vol. 74, No. 6))
An energetic young mother, black ponytail jauntily flipping, is accompanied by her equally energetic curly-topped bebT on an outing to the supermercado, "a really big store . . . with groceries galore." BebT, strapped into the shopping cart, predictably longs for a sweet, grabs things off the shelves, drops Mamß's keys and is finally entertained with a box of animal crackers. The rhyming text, with its mix of English in Spanish, captivates, despite an occasional sacrifice of sense for the sake of the rhyme. ("Mamß wears a dress-a vestido bonito. / It blocks BebT's view as she steers the carrito." Salerno's cheerful, energetic swirls of color and line, ample white space and changing perspectives transform an everyday outing into a dramatic adventure that will leave readers smiling along with Mamß and BebT. (glossary of Spanish words with pronunciation key) 2006, Harcourt, 40p, $16.00. Category: Picture book. Ages 2 to 6. © 2006 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.

Dr. Lynn Milet (The Kutztown Book Review, Fall 2006)
This is a story about a young child named Bebe, who goes to the supermarket with his mother. The book is written in English but has Spanish words interspersed. The illustrations were well done and the book is written at an appropriate level for 2-5 year olds. The reviewer read the book to her 2 year old grandson and he loved it. Category: Fiction. 2006, Harcourt, $16.00. Ages 3 to 6.

Jeanne McCaffrey (The Lorgnette-Heart of Texas Reviews (Vol. 19, No. 4))
As more and more children enter the schools speaking Spanish, classroom teachers are always looking for good books that meet the needs of the bilingual student. The value of this book is that it tells a simple, yet nearly universal story of a mother and her baby as they do the grocery shopping. The author cleverly mixes English and Spanish, so children who understand either or both languages will understand the story. “Mamá wears a dress--a vestido bonito. It blocks Bebé’s view as she steers the carrito.” Using rhyming text and large, bright illustrations, children will want to hear and see this book over and over again. A teacher/parent-friendly addition is the glossary page that explains the meaning gives a pronunciation key for the Spanish words. Fiction, Highly Recommended. Grades PreK-2. 2006, Harcourt, 31p., $16.00.