Federico and the Wolf is a picture book by Rebecca J. Gomez, written in English with Spanish words peppered in. 

This is a Little Red Riding Hood variation written in perfect Spanglish. The rhymes and use of Spanish words in the English text flow so beautifully that it is very satisfying to read. (I am VERY picky about rhyming books, especially bilingual ones.)

The brilliant color illustrations by @elisachavarri take you on a journey through the market as Rico buys ingredients for his salsa.

Federico (also known as Rico - what a fun connection to Rico Martinez!) is a young Mexican-American boy who sets off to visit his Abuelo to make pico de gallo together.

Along the way, he runs into a sneaky wolf who, as you might imagine, makes it to Abuelo's shop first and dresses up in his clothes.

You will love the surprise ending to this story, and the recipe for pico de gallo (chopped salsa) at the end.

Rebecca Gomez is an American author married to a Mexican, so with our shared last name and family connections, I feel a sort of bond with her. I was excited to get her book in the Scholastic Book Clubs order.

My daughter pulled her bookshelf apart looking for the book today, after reading it last night together. I had hidden it away to write this review, but promised her that she could have it on her shelf again after I was done. This is sure to be a family favorite! 

Get your copy on Amazon!