Paco and the Giant Chile Plant/Paco y la Plant de Chile Gigante

Polette, Keith. Paco and the Giant Chile Plant/Paco y la Plant de Chile Gigante. Illustrated by Elizabeth O. Dulemba.
McHenry, IL: Raven Tree Press, 2008.
32 pp. $16.95 (hardcover)

Keith Polette, a child literacy specialist and professor of English education, adapts the fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk in Paco and the Giant Chile Plant/Paco y la Plant de Chile Gigante. The dual-text story, nicely illustrated in the vivid colors of the American Southwest, follows Paco, who is sent off by his poor mother to sell the family cow. A mysterious old man with twinkling eyes convinces Paco to make the trade for a bag of golden chiles. When planted, the chiles grow into an enormous plant so tall the top is hidden in the clouds. Intrigued, Paco climbs higher and higher until he discovers the home of the terrible giant, who yells at Paco that he wants to squash him into a tortilla and eat him up. Polette then twists the tale in an unexpected and completely unforeseen direction, wrapping it all up later in the happy ending we have come to expect from contemporary retellings of early fairy tales. Polette’s version is engaging and the action and expressive illustrations should keep children interested whether reading with an adult or on their own.

The surprise twist is not the most notable aspect of Paco and the Giant Chile Plant. Anyone familiar with the popular Dora the Explorer series will recognize the technique of teaching Spanish to English speakers by inserting Spanish words in place of their English equivalents in various spots throughout the story. For example, one line reads, “He waited. Nothing happened,” followed by, “He waited longer. Nada happened.” “Nada” is in red, as are all the Spanish words, which are then listed in the back with English translations. While the picture book audience is generally ages 4-8, older children (and even adults) learning Spanish might find this fun, easy read useful.

Peggy Price
Curator, Special Collections
University of Southern Mississippi

Entry Filed under: Book Reviews
Posted on: August 10th, 2010