“Welcome to Villa Verde! This is where we have all our adventures,” is how this inviting, translated picture book from Argentina begins. Short vignettes with detailed illustrations spotlight members of the Villa Verde community, including Coco the crocodile, who adopts a new pet; Luis the turtle, who spends time with his grandmother after school every day; and Gina the duck, who wants one of everything while shopping with her dad. The short stories are illustrated with succinct actions and dialog, varying between a quartet of panels and full-page scenes. The cast of harmonious animal villagers is drawn in a friendly comic style in a muted palette, appreciable on both a large scale and in the small details. For example, a daddy duck carries a sleeping newborn across his chest in a baby wrap, two fish in a pond offer each other a toast with their drinks in stemmed glasses, and an animated frog expresses his drum talents with an extra set of arms. Of course, the compilation includes a story about the most delicious soup!

"A comparison can be made to Richard Scarry's famous Busytown books; there's always something going on in each corner of the picture." --School Library Journal

Welcome to the Village of Villa Verde where there are always little adventures. Join Coco as he falls madly in love with his new pet ladybug, take a trip to the library with Grandma and Luis, and visit the market with Gina and her Dad. You never know what will happen in these five interconnected stories that tap into childhood joys and challenges, all within the safety of a warm, vibrant community of animals.

This collection of stories encourages visual literacy and celebrates the tiny hurdles we face as we grow.