Menudo Sunday: A Spanglish Counting Book by María Dolores Águila, illustrated by Erika Meza (9780593462256)

Count upwards in Spanish as a family gathers to eat menudo, a Mexican soup, together. The counting grows from 1 small casita to 7 warm tortillas to a theft of treats that leads to a chase by the dogs. Just as the food is being carried to the table, the dogs and children run through and there is a terrible crash. No one is hurt, but the platter is shattered into 15 pieces. After 1 deep breath, it is time to fix the damage and start again, counting upwards as they all work together to get dinner on the table.

So many counting books don’t have a storyline, but this one does. It’s a story of a family that works together even when things get tough to support one another, fix problems and share food. Every page brims with their love for one another. A Spanish glossary is offered at the end along with some tips for hosting your own menudo gathering. The illustrations capture the same warmth as the story itself, using merry bright colors in pinks, yellows, oranges and blues. 

A comforting culinary counting book. Appropriate for ages 2-4.

Reviewed from e-galley provided by Penguin Young Readers.