Manana, Iguana by Ann Whitford PaulMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Ann Whitford Paul has been my unwitting teacher since I began this picture book writing journey. It is only fair then to break down one of her books along with others that she’s suggested learning from in “Writing Picture Books A Hands-OnGuide From story Creation to Publication.”
Mañana, Iguana takes a familiar folktale and recasts the characters and the language to appeal to a modern audience. The classic story of the Little Red Hen is revisited to teach words in Spanish while also re-introducing this classic morality tale.
Let’s take a closer look at how Ann Whitford Paul used repetition to teach and entertain both children and their storytellers.
By Ann Whitford Paul
Published: 2004
Holiday House Books
Ages: 4-8
Pages: 32
Words: 600
P1: Title Page
P2: Copyright, Acknowledgements & Glosery
P3
On Monday, lunes, Iguana twitched her tail happily.
“Let’s celebrate spring with a party on Saturday.”
Conejo hopped up and down. “Yes! Let’s”
Tortuga poked out his shell.
“A fiesta? On sabedor? Count me in.”
Culebra shook his rattle. Me too!”
“Good!” Said Iguana. “We must start right away.
Who will help me write the invitations? PT
P4
“Yo no. Not I,” said Conejo
“I write too fast. No one could read my words.”
“Yo no,” said Tortuga. “I write too slow.”
“I can’t hold a pen,” said Culebra. “Maybe I’ll grow arms tonight and can help you tomorrow.”
“We can’t wait until mañana.” Iguana wriggled her tail. “I’ll write the invitations myself.”
And she did.
Paul teaches the Spanish terms for the Days of the Week to both
children and their parents with the use of a familiar story. I took one semester of Spanish in collage. The few Spanish words I know were picked up through exposure to Spanish speakers in my various jobs growing up. As a parent I don’t want to feel lost by a language barrier while trying to entertain my little one.
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| Ann Whitford Paul |
The transitions between English and Spanish are pretty smooth in this story. Even without the glossary in the beginning Paul makes it obvious - these are the days of the week and the names of the animals. At the same time she doesn’t translate the words, they way it’s done in Stenga Nona. Instead Paul continues the story as normal, and allows the readers to figure it out. Instead of making the reader feel stupid and lost for not understanding Spanish, the story makes you feel clever for figuring it out.
However, it’s possible that make exposure to Spanish growing up has made the story easier for me. What do you think?
Culebra breaks up the repetitive nature of the of the dialogue. I can count on Culebra to say something slightly different every time. This is great, because if my daughter likes this story I will be reading it a lot. Paul warns about this in her “how to” book. You want to be repetitive because children like repetition. But if you’re too redundant the parents won’t have fun reading it, and therefore neither will the children. Its neat to see how she addresses the risk of redundancy with humor.P5
On Martes, Iguana asked, “Who will help me deliver the invitations for our fiesta?” PT
P6
“Yo no,” said Conejo. “I move too fast I’d pass our friends.”
“Yo no,” said Tortuga “I move too slow.”
Culebra said “If I grow arms tonight, I’ll help you mañana, Iguana.”
“Mañana will be too late.” Iguana fidgeted her tail. “I’ll deliver the invitations myself.” And she did.
P7
On miércoles, Iguana asked. “Who will hep me stuff the piñata for our fiesta?” PT
P8
“Yo no,” said Conejo. “I stuff too fast. I’d rip ad tear.”
“Yo no,” said Tortuga. “I stuff too slow.”
Guebra said, “Mañana, Iguana, when I grow arms.”
“Too many excuses!” Iguana flounced her tail. “I’ll stuff the piñata myself!”
And she did.
I feel like we all know a Culebra. A person who promises to pay you back but never has the money? A person who borrows things and never remembers to return them. I person how doesn’t like to respond to text messages in a timely manner. You love ‘em, but dang … come on.”
P9
On jueves, Iguana begged, “Please, will someone help me cook the food for our fiesta?” PT
P10
“Yo no,” said Conejo. “I cook too fast. I’d make a mess.”
“Yo no, said Tortuga. “I cook too slow.”
Culebra said, “If I grow arms, I’ll help you mañana, Iguana.”
Iguana slapped her tail on the ground. “I’ll cook the food myself!”
And she did.
P11
On verses, Iguana sighed.
“I don’t suppose anyone will help me hang the streamers for our fiesta.” PT
P12
“Yo no,” said Conejo. “I hang too fast. I’d tear the streamers.”
“Yo no,” said Tortuga. “I hang too slow.”
“Culebra said “I’ll help you hang the streamers.”
Iguana clapped “Hurray!”
P13
“I’ll help you mañana, Iguana, when I grow my arms.” PT
P14
“I knew it!” Iguana smacked her tail on the ground so hard, she puffed up a cloud of dirt. “I’ll decorate myself!”
P15
And she did. PT
P16
And then it was sabado.
Conejo hopped up and down. “We’re ready for our fiesta.”
Tortuga poked out of his shell. “Here come our guests.”
Culebra shook his rattle. “Let’s greet them.”
P17
“NO!”
Iguana whipped her tail around in angry circles. “I wrote the invitations, and I delivered them. I stuffed the piñata. I cooked the food. I hung the streamers. Now I, and I alone, will greet my guests at my fiesta.” PT
P18
And she did.
P19
Conejo hurried to hide behind a cactus.
Tortuga shrunk into his shell.
Culebra slithered under a rock. PT
Iguana gets upset! She expresses her frustration. She begs her friends get off their tails and help her, but they do not. So she does not allow them to take credit for any of the work she has done.
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| Ill copyrght to Paul Galdone |
The Little Red Hen went on trucking with apparent indifferent, even proud, determination. In the end she didn’t have to share her reward with those who wouldn’t help her with her work. She feasted while they watched from the window.
Does Iguana's personality change the story for you?
Does her reaction to them trying to take credit for her party change anything the story for a reader familiar with the hen?
It certainly teaches her friends a lesson, as we will see.
P20
Ill.
The next couple of spreads are impressive in the seamless layout of words and illustrations.
P21
They watched for a long time while the guests laughed and broke the piñata. PT
P22
Ill
P23
“What a fine fiesta!” The guests said as they left. PT
P24
Iguana yawned. “Im too tired to clean up. Ill do it mañana.” She stretched out and soon slept.
As mentioned earlier her book “Writing Picture Books” Paul talks about the importance of repetition for young listeners, as well as breaking up that reputation for adult readers.
Here is another perfect example were she already used the repetition of “I’ll do it mañana” more than three times. Each time the phrase was spoken a different way by Culebra. This time is different because it’s Iguana saying it.
The phrase is also fresh because it has come up after a lot of action has happened. That brings the story full circle back to the beginning.
Bring your story full circle is another key piece of advise I’ve learned from short stories, and picture book writing - the story must end where it began but with all the characters changed in some way (for better or for worse)! Paul does that here.
Bonus: we should know what “mañana” means by now.
P25
Conejo hopped out from behind the cactus. “Iguana’s really worn out,” he said.
Tortuga poked out of his shell. “She should be. She did everything.”
Culebra slithered out from under the rock. And we did nothing!”
They were silent for a long time. PT
P26
Suddenly Conejos said. “I have an idea.” He told it to his friends. “That’s great!” Said Tortuga. Culebra said, “Lets start now!”
P27
Ill: and they did. PT
P28
Conejo pulled down streamers, put away leftovers and packed up trash.
Tortuga scrubbed, and scrubbed one giant platter.
P29
And culebra squiggled and squirmed, sweeping the ground spotless. PT
P30
They worked until Domingo, and Iguana woke up. She rubbed her eyes and looked around. She looked at Conejo, and Tortuga, and Gulebra. Iguana smiled.
“Gracias!” She said “Thank you!” PT
P31
Then she twitched her tail happily. “You must be hungry for your hard work. Who will help me et the leftovers?”
“Yo si!” Cried Conejo, Tortuga, and Culebra. PT
P32
And they all did.
END
Ok, now we are full back at the the beginning story complete as everything has been undone and put back to normal - literally and as far as story structure. The characters have all changed for the better.
Iguana got her party and is more popular than ever. Conejo, Tortuga, and Culebras now know that Iguana isn’t a push over whom they can take advantage of, but also that sometimes she needs help.
This is a great lesson I want my daughter to learn.
For me, I always loved the Little Red Hen story. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I reading the old story to my daughter that I realized how much of it I had eternalized. I am the Little Red Hen. I am the one who does the extra work to make an environment more fun, relaxing, and comfortable for those around me. I often do this all by myself in full view of people who could help me but won’t, who call me a busy body and wonder why I can’t just chill. Well if I don’t do it who will? I want to be comfortable too.
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| Image owned by Disney |
But I, like the hen, only ask for help once, and if I’m not given up I think privately that I’ll reap my rewards later.
In real life though I don’t. I put forth the work and others are comforted knowing that I will do it, and have always done it, and will continue to do it. I am the Little Red Hen, but my bread often goes to my chicks, because I’m too busy cleaning up a mess to enjoy it.
I am the Little Red Hen, as was my mother, and my mother before her.
But my daughter maybe she will be Iguana! Iguana who tells them they are upsetting her, and Iguana who says NO! Iguana who gets respect, and is in the end given some help. How many lessons can one book teach!?
Bedtime Breakdown
My daughter loved the illustrations. Not sure she picked up on much of the story because she was obsessed with the cactuses. I suppose it is the first book we’ve read with cacti in the background instead of trees.
After several readings she suddenly knows the word “fiesta” and likes it when I read Tortuga’s lines “soooo slowly”
As for me I found reading the Spanish out loud was a bit of a challenge, but not one that made it impossible to enjoy the story. I’m sure it gets easier with practice and by the end of it you’ve learned the days of the week as well as the names of three animals.
If you enjoyed the story and Spanish language practice as much as I did please support the creators by purchasing this book from your favorite book seller!
To learn more about Ann Whitford Paul click here.
And to find more information of her book “How to Write a Picture” please click here
As always, thanks for joining me in nerding out over children’s literature. My name is Porsche.
I’ll see you on the next page!