(Reviewed with The Flower Shop /  La florería by Lourdes Heuer) Two bilingual board books set in a bustling frutería and florería, respectively, highlight a variety of fruits and plants in both English and Spanish. Inside Mr. Manzano’s fruit shop, there are “loquats and figs / nísperos e higos, star fruit and dragon fruit / carambolas y pitayas” and more. Among the things Mrs. Rosario sells are “roses and rosemary, rosas y romeros, hibiscuses and hydrangeas, hibiscos y hortensias …” Young readers are invited to choose their favorite fruit and flower at each small volume’s close. Buoyant illustrations seeded with playful details show shoppers embodying a wide range of diverse identities.

Grab a basket and take a delightful stroll through a fruit shop in this first of a bilingual board book series that introduces the youngest of readers to the community around them.

Welcome to Mr. Manzano's fruit shop.
Bienvenido a la frutería del Señor Manzano.

In Mr. Manzano's fruit shop, there are so many delicious kinds of fruit for sale-- from peaches and plums to grapefruits and guavas! Learn their names in both English and Spanish, then pick your favorite for a sweet picnic in the park. Will you choose a tart star fruit/carambola? Or a juicy watermelon/sandía? They are all so yummy! In this bilingual series from Lourdes Heuer and Zara González Hoang, readers are invited to make a stop at a different teeny tienda in each bright board book and celebrate with the vibrant, diverse community that frequents it.