“The Three Billy Goats Buenos”
By Susan Middleton Elya, illustrated by Miguel Ordonez.
G.P Putnam’s and Sons, New York, 2020, 32 pages, K-3.
Childhood is the ideal time in life to learn a second language. Children have fresh minds and supple tongues. They enjoy learning new things and using language in different ways.
Picture books written in languages other than English are more difficult to find. Susan Middleton Elya has given us an outstanding bilingual picture book. Elya uses characters from a familiar folktale. The way the three goats trick the troll is clever and funny. The title of this delightful story is “The Three Billy Goats Buenos.”
The Three Billy Goats are brothers. They want to cross a bridge leading to fertile pasture. Unfortunately, an ugly troll guards the bridge. She is always hungry and wants to eat any billy goat trying to cross the bridge. This creates a problem. How are the three billy goats going to get across the bridge? They think up a plan to trick Troll.
The smallest of the Three Billy Goats walks up to the Troll and explains why the Troll should not eat him. Satisfied with the explanation, the Troll lets the smallest brother pass by.
The second Billy Goat then uses the same ploy to fool the Troll. The Troll faces the third Billy Goat. However, this Billy Goat is the oldest and wisest. He asks the Troll an important question that solves everyone’s problems. What is it?
Elya includes a helpful Spanish vocabulary sheet at the beginning of the book. When you read this book with younger children, it is easy to turn back and find different translations. It can be a valuable learning experience to show children how to use parts of a book to understand the text. The story is so humorous that children and adults will enjoy sharing the text.
The “Three Billy Goats Buenos” by Susan Middleton Elya is fun to read, and the illustrations are endearing. I encourage you to go to the library and check out this amusing picture book. You and your family will enjoy it.
