Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. ( )

Somewhere in between a picture book and a graphic novel, with a lot of exposition, and some fun graphic text elements. Introduces Juana and her life growing up in Bogota, Columbia, with her best friends Lucas (perro) and Juli (girl). She is fascinated by Astroman and convinced that no good will come of learning English. Light, sweet, entertaining, slightly bilingual. ( )

Juana is a happy little girl who lives in Bogotá, Colombia. (Lucas is her dog.) Juana does not want to learn English, until her grandfather gives her some external motivation.

Coated pages give this book heft, and there are color illustrations on every or every other page.

Source: Pura Belpre Award Winners: 2017
Age Range: 6-11
Evaluation of Quality: The illustrations are vibrant and interact with the text in interesting ways.
Assessment of potential use:This book would be great for an early Spanish course or for ESOL students. It contains much Spanish and English vocabulary
Assessment of appeal to children: Children who have Latinx heritage or are from South America will recognize aspects of Juana's life but all children can empathize Juana's difficulty to learn a new language

Juana and Lucas is great story about a girl who loves to share bits of her life in Bogota Colombia, her childhood,and things she loves and things she isn't so fond of. This is a great book for kids 8 to 10 3rd thru 5th grade. Its very detailed description and explanatory tone make this a great book to discuss after reading. The illustrations are very delightful and absorbing. I think this is an amazing way to explore other countries. This book is a great idea. ( )