ON RAM¢N'S FARM

Easy-to-read vignettes revisit the style and theme of Rosa's magical encounters with animals in Geeslin's In Rosa's Mexico (1996, not reviewed). Here, Ramón does his chores while whimsically interacting with five different farm animals and making up a rhyme about each one's quirky antics. Two sheep weep when he shears their wool, a burro takes two steps backward for every forward motion, a pig is too full in the belly to engage in bull-fighting. Ramón tries to arrive at simple solutions for each eccentricity, à la his Puerto Rican counterpart, Juan Bobo. A few of these tales have folktale leanings, and each is introduced with an elementary Spanish glossary, after which the Spanish words are skillfully used in context. Earth-toned folk-art illustrations are friendly and funny, a warm match for Ramón, who turns the routine of everyday tasks into his own personal fiesta. (Picture book. 3- 7)