Perros! Perros! Dogs! Dogs!
by Ginger Foglesong Guy

Here’s a story I’d absolutely love even if it didn’t
teach several Spanish words in a natural, almost
imperceptable, developmentally appropriate
way – but it does.

If you’re looking for a plot, you’re not going to
find one, but most young children aren’t too
picky about that. One thing most children DO
love, though, is dogs, and the more the merrier!
And you’ll find dogs in this story – and ms dogs!
And mas and mas!

For the recurring refrain, “Arriba, abajo, up and down,”
I make up a little tune (you could just do it as a
chant) and point up and down, encouraging the
children to sing and point with me. By the end of the
story, they definitely remember “arriba” and “abajo,”
especially if you use these words more throughout
the day.

The story also uses Spanish words (and cute, funny
illustrations) to portray opposites, like clean (limpia)
and dirty (sucia). It’s simple, appealing and fun – a
perfect “Spanish and English” story for this age group.