Shelf Awareness--Not a Bean

PB Review: Not a Bean

Not a Bean by Claudia Guadalupe Martinez, illus. by Laura González (Charlesbridge, 32p., ages 3-7, 9781580898157)

On "the yerba de la flecha," a shrub found near the arroyos of northern Mexico, grows a seedpod. Within this seedpod are smaller pods, and each one of these smaller pods is "Not a Bean." In this playful-yet-informative bilingual counting book, Claudia Guadalupe Martínez and Laura González set the record straight about a perennial favorite, the Mexican jumping bean.

Early one morning, "una oruga" bores its way into one of the small pods. Inside, the caterpillar finds food and water. When the seedpod dries and hardens, it breaks open and falls to the desert sand. "Dos saguaros" decorate the warming landscape as the caterpillar maneuvers the Not a Bean into a shady spot among the rocks. Nearby, "tres cascabeles" rattle their tails; the Not a Bean jumps into a crevice, where it stays safe from "cuatro coyotes" and "cinco cuervos." Rain from "seis nubes" takes the Not a Bean downriver, where "siete amigos explore." The friends draw "ocho óvalos" in the dirt and play a game with the Not a Bean plus eight other jumpers, making "nueve saltarines” in all. That night, under "diez estrellas" that twinkle in the sky, the Not a Bean grows quiet. The caterpillar inside spins a cocoon and, many days later, "a majestic polilla" emerges, then "soars into the sky."

Martínez's fascinating story presents the life cycle of the jumping bean moth, while González's digital illustrations support and illuminate the text. Back matter describes the science in greater detail, and includes both environmental context and an explanation of the jumping bean's appeal to children. Additionally, Not a Bean's well-placed Spanish words and phrases serve as an introduction to readers who do not speak Spanish and a welcome invitation to those who do. --Lynn Becker, blogger and host of Book Talk, a monthly online discussion of children's books for SCBWI.

Discover: The life cycle of the jumping bean moth is detailed in this picture book that also includes an introduction to Spanish numbers and vocabulary.