Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. These opinions are completely my own.

What a wonderful story book for not only bilingual children, but anyone trying to learn Spanish or English as a second language.

The way the stories are written makes it easy to bounce from one language to the other without getting flustered. I know basic Spanish, but with help from the English translation being right there. I was able to find the English word needed in seconds.

The important words with pronunciation before the story starts were also very helpful .

I really appreciated the side by side translations in this book and the word glossary that accompanies each story. This is perfect for children fluent in English/Spanish who are trying to learn the opposite language. It is also a great way to involve multiple generations who might only speak English or Spanish with their bilingual children and/or grandchildren. I also think the stories are fun and relatable which is a refreshing change of pace from the bilingual teaching books that I grew up with. The illustrations are bright and simple (like Peppa Pig and Pete the Cat) which really holds the kiddos attention. The stories are a bit long with full pages of text, so this will be a good fit for children in 2nd grade and up. I would love to have a copy for our outreach collection! 4 stars.

This was a great read for my daughter (learning Spanish as we move to South America) and her father, who is fairly fluent.

this was a really cute book and I loved practising my Spanish while reading it. Cali es un muy divertido amigo. Gracias.

My son and I really enjoyed reading this collection of 15 five-minute short stories each of which has both the English and Spanish translation. If you're learning Spanish like we are this is a great book for a language learning opportunity. The illustrations are cute and colorful, the stories are entertaining, and I loved that the author included a list of key words at the beginning of the stories. This is a great resource for both school and at-home learning.

‘Cali's Fun Bilingual Tales’ by Jorja Colley is a delightful collection of short bilingual stories that offer both entertainment and educational value. With engaging plots, well-crafted characters, and cute illustrations, this book is a wonderful resource for children and adults alike who are interested in learning a new language.

Plot: ★★★★☆
The book features a variety of great plots, with lots of different stories that cater to a wide range of interests. Each tale is engaging and enjoyable, making it suitable for both children and adults. The diversity of stories keeps the reader's interest piqued throughout the book.

Characters: ★★★★☆
The characters in ‘Cali's Fun Bilingual Tales’ are well-developed with plenty of little details to enjoy. These details bring the characters to life, making them relatable and memorable for readers. The character-building enhances the overall storytelling experience.

Illustrations: ★★★★★
The illustrations are cute and perfectly complement the stories. They add a visual charm to the book, helping to bring the tales to life and making them more engaging for young readers. The artwork is vibrant and appealing, adding to the book’s overall enjoyment.

Engagement: ★★★★☆
The stories are quite engaging, with each tale offering something unique and interesting. The variety of plots and characters keeps readers entertained and eager to read more. The bilingual aspect also adds an educational element that enhances engagement.

Readability: ★★★★☆
‘Cali's Fun Bilingual Tales’ has great readability, with the two language options presented together. This format makes it easy for readers to work on learning either language, whether they are starting from scratch or looking to improve their skills. The clear and simple text ensures that the stories are accessible to a wide audience.

Enjoyment: ★★★★☆
Overall, ‘Cali's Fun Bilingual Tales’ is rather enjoyable. The combination of cute stories, well-developed characters, and beautiful illustrations makes it a delightful read. The bilingual aspect adds an extra layer of enjoyment and educational value, making it a great choice for families and educators.

‘Cali's Fun Bilingual Tales’ by Jorja Colley is a highly recommended collection of short stories that offers both entertainment and language learning opportunities. Its engaging plots, well-crafted characters, and appealing illustrations make it a standout choice for children and adults interested in bilingual reading. This book is sure to be a hit with anyone looking to enjoy charming tales while learning a new language.

This is great to use during Hispanic heritage week to read during story time. Some of the kids identify with the characters and acted out the story at home for their parents.

Pros: I was so excited to see a bilingual book--this is fantastic for kids who are learning English or Spanish as an additional language. I think it could also be used in high school classes for students taking Spanish for the first time so they can practice reading in Spanish. The keywords and pronunciations also make this book a great educational tool. I was impressed with how many stories there are in this book and thought the illustrations throughout were bright and fun.

Cons: None that I can think of!

Thank you to NetGalley and Zeitgeist | Z Kids for the opportunity to read this book.

I really enjoyed reading this book to my son. He enjoyed having it read to him. I would recommend this books to elementary teachers as well as parents of young children. I really liked that these stories were in English and Spanish.

I loved how we got to see the side-by-side translations in this book, as well as key words listed at the beginning of each story. This is a great tool for young children learning a new language or bilingual learners.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jorja Colley, and Zeitgeist | Z Kids for the opportunity to read and review this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

A colorful book with 15 5-minute stories in English and Spanish helps readers 6 to 9 years learn bilingual skills. A great resource for home and school!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book for free in exchange for my review! All opinions are my own.

While I will admit that I don't know much Spanish, I thought that this book was still really good, and even I learned some new Spanish words. This would be a great book to teach young children Spanish, especially if you're family is of Spanish descent. I liked the illustrations and I can see children enjoying them too. I see this as a must read book, especially if you want your child to learn a new language at young age!

—


Many Thanks again to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.

********


If you are interested in seeing more of my reviews and other content feel free to connect with me here <3:

https://linktr.ee/bookreviewsbyjules (links to my Instagram, Goodreads, TikTok, Storygraph, My blog and Substack newsletter, etc)

If you are a publisher or author who has questions about my reviews (as well as questions about my stats, reach or engagement), please free to email me. I am also open to requests for book reviews from authors or publishers. Thank you again for taking time to read my review, and I hope you have a wonderful day!

I love these little bilingual books for language practice. This one is geared towards kids, but adults wanting to practice their rusty Spanish will probably enjoy it too. The stories are short and divided into small parts, so you don't have to translate much Spanish before getting to see the translation. The stories are cute, too. Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this.

What a fun book!! I loved the short bilingual tales. I loved the vocabulary words before each chapter. I liked how there were pictures going with each story. Each short story had a good lesson or a good message. I can see reading this along side my ELD teacher or have my students help with the reading (English or Spanish). This is a definite must have for my classroom!

Thank you Net Galley for providing this ARC.

I loved this book ! My 8 year old brother and me found the stories to be cute and funny. They would make great bedtime stories especially because they are short. This is a great book for any bilingual child to use as a tool to improve their Spanish or English. It even helped me practice my Spanish literacy.

My favorite story from this book was “Un Regalo para Mia”. It was heartwarming to see a sibling relationship that my brother and I could relate to. Not only are the stories entertaining but they also include some type of lesson for the kids to learn. I will definitely be picking up some physical copies of this book on its release day!

I love these short stories that offer translations in Spanish and English. This is a fantastic, entertaining book for those trying to practice their new language skills. I’ve been learning Spanish and found this to be a fun way to test out my new skills. I read the Spanish side and then check my translation on the English side. I’m sharing it with my kids too!

Writing for children is difficult, and writing a bilingual book for children is extra challenging, but this book of short stories was a delight. I loved the vocabulary tables at the start of each story, because even though I speak read and write Spanish, there were a couple of new words for me. I also thought the side-by side format helped me check my understanding if needed while not interfering with the flow of the story I enjoyed that each sweet story had a positive message and the simple illustrations enhanced the telling. My favorite, An Outing with the Grandparents, edged out a mischievous bunny because who doesn't love antiques.... But I don't want to give anything away.

Pjs, cuddling, and story-time before bed is a favorite at our house! The last couple weeks the kids had so much fun reading some new material I was given advanced copies of. It’s cute how now they ask what new books I have to read. As soon as I’m finished they will tell me what they loved about the book. My great little reviewers! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️📚📖 @netgalley #netgalley

Mandela Cloudy Days by Kuljinder Kaur Brar ( comes out Oct 21)
Her dad is a truck driver and she has to learn how handle her “stormy cloud emotion” days. A great book about emotions.

From Plant to Plate by Darryl Gadzepo (comes out May 20)

Odd Animal Out by Ben Hoare (comes out May 20)

Mel and Mac by Elena Joannides (comes out Nov 13)

100 First Words for Little Utahans by Christopher Robbin’s (comes out June 17)

The Most Perfect Persimmon by Hannah Chung (comes out Aug 12)

Call Me Roberto by Nathalie Alonso (comes out Aug 26)

Addition and Subtraction Kindergarten Math Workbook (comes out May 20)

Callis Fun Bilingual Tales by Jorji Colley (comes out June 17)

The Strangest Fish by Katherine Arden (comes out September 2)

Santa’s New Start by Aditi Wardhan Singh (comes out April 21)

The Blue Canoe by Sheryl McFarlane (comes out July 8)

In Time by Marina Ruiz (comes out July 8)

The Wind in the Willows (comes out July 31)

Stella and Marigold by Annie Barrows (comes out Sept 30)

Emily Snook by Laura Bower (comes out Sept 16)

Trunk Goes Thunk by Heather C Morris (comes out Sept 9)

Swinging into History by Karen L Swanson (comes out Aug 5)

Sonya and the Super Duper Disaster by Rachel Funez (comes out July 22)

Squirrel Needs a Break by Kristen Remenar (comes out May 6)

Pickle Words by April Pulley Sayre (comes out July 15)

She Sells Seashells by Heidi Stemple (comes out July 15)

Squawk of Spanish by Gabrielle Aldeman (comes out Aug 12)

Just Us by Mary Beth Griffin (comes out Aug 26)

Trabsportation by DK (comes out May 20)

The Bedtime Book of Magical Creatures by Stephen Krensky (comes out May 27)

This was such a fun experience for my 7 year old daughter and I! She read the English version and I read the Spanish version.

I took a few years in Spanish so I knew most of the words, but I did learn some new ones as well! My daughter was entranced by her mama reading Spanish and had lots of fun.

The pictures are wonderfully made and the stories themselves each teach a lesson every time.

This book is a must to introduce either English or Spanish into your children’s household!

As someone who learnt Spanish in school but has since forgotten most of it, this was a fun way to test myself and see how much I could remember. I really liked the format of this book where you have the Spanish on one side of the page and the English on the other so you can read in the target language but quickly and easily check words you haven't seen before. The stories are obviously designed for a younger audience so didn't appeal to me however this isn't the books fault. I liked that the illustrations weren't too big so didn't distract from the story.

Overall I think this would be a great book for any bilingual children but also for those wanting to learn English or Spanish.