The Three Billy Goats Buenos

By: Susan Middleton Elya

Narrated by: Laura Ortiz

Humor abounds in this masterfully-bilingual twist on "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" that dares to ask the question: why is that troll so grumpy anyway?

Three little cabritos have a clever plan to get past the grumpiest troll in the land. But then one of the billy goats wonders: Why is that gigante so grumpy, anyway?

This thoughtful question sends their plan in a new direction, and the results are better than they ever imagined.

Dashes of humor, empathy, and kindness make this modern twist on a classic tale a charming delight.

Critic reviews

★ “This picture book exposes children to themes such as empathy, kindness, teamwork, and friendship, providing an ideal opportunity for a storytime focused on mindfulness . . . will motivate youngsters to look beyond appearances.” –School Library Journal, starred review

★ "Zany charm imbues Elya’s deft retelling of 'The Three Billy Goats Gruff.' Rhymes silly and clever weave in Spanish vocabulary words . . . the delightful story ends in an unexpected friendship.” –Publisher’s Weekly, starred review

“A time-honored folktale gets a makeover with the addition of snappy Spanish vocabulary. . .The thoughtful goats in this version of the story find opportunities for empathy and even new friendships when they begin to wonder why the troll is so grumpy. . . An enjoyable addition to any folklore collection, this iteration of the classic story packs visual and linguistic punch.” --Kirkus

"As a read-aloud, this bouncy rhyming story, which smoothly incorporates Spanish words and encourages proper pronunciation, provides a great opportunity to discuss kindness. Ordóñez's blocky, bright illustrations, composed of rounded shapes in flat swathes of color, add to the cheerful atmosphere." --Booklist

“Spanish words and phrases dance agilely throughout Elya’s verses, and each couplet ends in a rhyme that will be predictable for kids comfortable in one, either, or both languages . . . Ordóñez’s pencil, collage, and digital compositions are sleek and playful . . . Tailormade for sharing with a storytime audience of English and Spanish speakers. ” –The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books