Review of Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and
Counting Book
Retold by Yuyi Morales
Note: This blog fulfills a course requirement at TWU
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Just
a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book. Retold
by Yuyi Morales, San Francisco, California: Chronicle Books. 2003. ISBN: 0811837580
PLOT SUMMARY
The two central characters in this book are Grandma
Beetle who plays the role of the trickster and Señor Calavera, the skeleton representing
death. Grandma Beetle is doing her daily chores when she hears a knock on
the door. She answers and there stands Señor Calavera who tells her that it was
time to go with him. “Just a minute Señor Calavera. I will go with you right
away” she responds, “I just have one (uno) more house to sweep.” Señor Calavera
realized that he had extra time and decided to sit and wait. After she was
done, Señor Calavera rose to leave, but again, Grandma Beetle said “Just a
minute Señor Calavera … I have two (dos) pots of tea to boil.” Again, Señor
Calavera decided to wait a little longer. She continues to put him off through
three (tres) pounds of corn she needed to make into tortillas. Grandma Beetle
always begins the conversation with “Just a minute…” as she continues to find
things that she needs to do to delay her departure … “four (cuatro) fruits to
slice, five (cinco) cheeses to melt, six (seis) pots of food to cook, seven (siete)
piñatas to fill, eight (ocho) platters of food to set on the table”, nine (nueve)
grandchildren came to visit, and 10 (diez) guests to Grandma Beetle’s birthday
counting Señor Calavera. However, when she turned to invite Señor Calavera, he
was gone and left her a note saying he had a great time and he could not wait
to come to her birthday party next year.
CRITICAL
ANALYSIS
The book is beautifully illustrated with brightly
colored illustrations situated at different angles on each page. Morales does
an excellent job of including elements of Hispanic culture in her illustrations
with piñatas on display, hot peppers on the wall, and preparing corn tortillas.
The illustrations show a party is being prepared, which is definitely a Mexican
party. The idea of a trickster (Grandma Beetle) is the motif. The book is also
a counting book and teaches the numbers one through ten in both Spanish and
English. This would be a great book to read to a child to teach them how to
count to ten in both languages and to teach the child about Spanish culture.
The illustrations are bright and there is so much to look at on each page. The
book is perfect for preschoolers through the second grade.
REVIEW
EXCERPTS
Awarded the 2004 Pura Belpré Medal for Best
Illustration
2003 Americas Award for Children’s and Young Adult
Literature
2004 Golden Kite Honor Book
2004 Tomas Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book
Award
2004 Latino Literary Award for Best Children’s Book
Booklist – “The splendid paintings and spirited
storytelling--along with useful math and multicultural elements--augur a long,
full life for this original folktale.”
Kirkus Reviews – “Winking and nodding as she goes, a
Latino grandmother will charm readers as she charms Death Himself in this
original counting-cum-trickster tale. Morales' illustrations enhance the
appeal of this winning story even further.”
CONNECTIONS
- This book is a great tool to teach young children how to count to ten in Spanish and English, as well as teaching about Hispanic culture.
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