Rafi and Rosi Music!

Review
By School Library Journal

Two anthropomorphic tree frog siblings, Rafi and Rosi, explore their surroundings and learn about the traditions of their culture. This easy reader set in Puerto Rico begins with a glossary of Spanish words, followed by three short stories in which the frogs learn about three musical styles: bomba, plena, and salsa. In the first story, Rosi learns to dance bomba with the help of a mound of fire ants. In Plena Blues, Rafi is grateful to Rosi for helping him realize that pesky, younger siblings aren’t always so bad to have around. In the last story, plenty of musical terms are introduced as Rosi and Rafi learn about the origins of salsa. Lively illustrations done in watercolor and colored pencil adorn the pages. Also included is a hearty introduction into the different musical styles. VERDICT Ideal for early fluent readers. Educators may want to pair with music to help youngsters understand the various styles.