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Juana and Lucas
"Refreshingly original. . . . Medina's beautiful, vivid prose conjures the Colombian setting with tactile language. . . . The story itself is a giant hug." -- The New York Times Book Review
Fans of Judy Moody and Clarice Bean will love Juana, the spunky young Colombian girl who stars in this playful, abundantly illustrated series. Juana loves many things: drawing, living in Bogotá, Colombia, and especially her dog, Lucas, the best amigo ever. She does not love wearing her itchy school uniform, solving math problems, or learning the English. Why is it so important to learn a language that makes so little sense? Hilarious, energetic, and utterly relatable, Juana will win over los corazones (the hearts) of readers everywhere.
Fans of Judy Moody and Clarice Bean will love Juana, the spunky young Colombian girl who stars in this playful, abundantly illustrated series. Juana loves many things: drawing, living in Bogotá, Colombia, and especially her dog, Lucas, the best amigo ever. She does not love wearing her itchy school uniform, solving math problems, or learning the English. Why is it so important to learn a language that makes so little sense? Hilarious, energetic, and utterly relatable, Juana will win over los corazones (the hearts) of readers everywhere.
96 pages, Paperback
First published September 27, 2016
17 people are currently reading
1472 people want to read
About the author
Juana Medina
24 books68 followersJuana Medina was born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia. She is the illustrator of Smick! by Doreen Cronin and the author-illustrator of One Big Salad. Juana Medina has studied and taught at the Rhode Island School of Design and now teaches at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design at George Washington University. She lives in Washington, D.C.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 434 reviews
October 19, 2016
Windows. Mirrors. Mirrors. Windows. Windowy mirrors. Mirrory windows. Windows. Mirrors. Sliding doors! Mirrors. Windows.
In the world of 21st century children’s literature, diversity should be the name of the game. We want books for our children that reflect the worlds they know and the worlds they have yet to greet. We want them to see themselves in their books (mirrors), see others unlike themselves (windows), and have a way to get from one place to another (sliding doors). To accomplish this, all you have to do is publish a whole bunch of books about kids of different races, religions, abilities, persuasions, you name it. Great strides have been made over the last few years in the general consciousness of the publishing industry (the publishers, the librarians, the teachers, and even the parents) even as teeny tiny, itty bitty, itsy bitsy tiptoes have been made in terms of what actually is getting published. Much of the credit for spearheading efforts to bring to light more and more books for all children can be given to the We Need Diverse Books movement. That said, our children’s rooms are still filled with monumental gaps. Contemporary Jewish characters are rare. Muslim characters rarer still. And don’t even TALK to me about the state of kids in wheelchairs these days. Interestingly enough, the area where diversity has increased the most is in early chapter books. Whether it’s Anna Hibiscus, Lola Levine, Alvin Ho, or any of the other new and interesting characters out there, there is comfort to be found in those books that transition children from easy readers to full-blown novels. Into this world comes Juana Medina and her semi-autobiographical series Juana & Lucas. Short chapters meet universal headaches (with details only available in Bogota, Colombia) ultimately combining to bring us a gal who will strike you as both remarkably familiar and bracingly original.
You might think that Juana has it pretty good, and for the most part you’d be right. She lives in Bogota, Colombia “the city that’s closest to my heart” with her Mami. She has a good furry best friend (her dog, Lucas) and a good not-so-furry best friend (Juli). And hey, it’s the first day of school! Cool, right? Only nothing goes the way Juana planned. The whole unfortunate day is capped off when one of her teachers informs the class that they will be learning “the English” this year. Could anything be more unfair? Yet as Juana searches for sympathy amongst her friends and relatives, she realizes that everyone seems to think that learning English is a good thing. Are they crazy? It isn’t until an opportunity comes up to visit somewhere fantastic, far away, and English speaking that she finally takes what everyone has told her to heart. In a big way.
I love, first and foremost, the fact that the emotional crux of this book is fixated on Juana’s detestation of learning “the English”. Now already I’ve heard some commenters online complain that Juana’s problem isn’t something that English-speaking children will identify with. Bull. Any child that has ever learned to read will know where Juana is coming from. What English speaker would fail to sympathize when she asks, “Why are read and read written the same way but sound different? How can I know when people are talking about eyes or ice when they sound about the same? And what about left hand and left the room? So many words, so little sense”? Some kids reading this book may have experience learning another language too. For them, Juana’s complaints will ring true and clear. That’s a key aspect of her personality. She’s sympathetic, even when she’s whining.
For all that we’ve seen books like Juana’s, Lola Levine, Zapato Power, Pedro, First Grade Hero, and a handful of others, interestingly this increase in Latino early chapter book is relatively recent. For a long time it was Zapato Power or nothing. The change is great, but it’s significant to note that all the books I’ve mentioned here are set in the United States. American books set in South American countries where the kids just live their daily lives and don’t have to deal with civil wars or invasions or coyotes or drug runners are difficult to find. What makes Juana and Lucas so unique is that it’s about a child living her life, having the kinds of problems that Ramona or Ruby Lu or Dyamonde Daniel could relate to. And like Anna Hibiscus or The Great Cake Mystery I love books for younger children that go through daily life in other present day countries. Windows indeed.
Early chapter books are interesting because publishers see them as far more series-driven than their writers might. An author can crank out title after title after title to feed the needs of their young readers, always assuming the demand is there, and they can do it easier with books under 100 pages than above. Juana could fit the bill in this regard. Her personality is likable, for starters. She’s not rude like Junie B. Jones or willfully headstrong in the same way as Ramona, but she does screw up. She does complain wildly. There are aspects of her personality you can identify with right from the start. I’d be pleased to see more of her in the future, and young readers will undoubtedly feel the same way. Plus, she has one particular feature that puts her heads and tails above a lot of the competition: She’s in color.
Created in ink and watercolor, Medina illustrates as well as writes her books. This art actually puts the book in a coveted place few titles can brag. You might ask if there’s a middle point between easy books and, say, Magic Tree House titles. I’d say this book was it. Containing a multitude of full-color pictures and spreads, it offers kids the comfort of picture books with the sensibility and sophistication of chapter book literature. And since she’s already got the art in place, why not work in some snazzy typography as well? Medina will often integrate individual words into the art. They swoop and soar around the characters, increasing and decreasing in size, according to their wont. Periodically a character will be pulled out and surrounded by fun little descriptor tidbits about their personage in a tiny font. Other times sentences move to imitate what their words say, like when Juana discusses how Escanilberto can kick the ball, “hard enough to send it across the field.” That sentence moves from his foot to a point just above his opponent’s head, the ball just out of reach. I like to think this radical wordplay plays into the early reader’s enjoyment of the book. It’s a lot more fun to read a chapter book when you have no idea what the words are going to pull on you next.
The writing is good, though the conclusion struck me as a bit rushed. Admittedly the solution to Juana’s problems is tied up pretty quickly. She won’t learn, she won’t learn, she won’t learn. She gets to have a prize? She studies and studies and studies. So rather than have her come to an understanding of English’s use on her own, an outside force (in this case, the promise of seeing Astroman) is the true impetus to her change. Sure, at the very end of the book she suddenly hits on the importance of learning other languages and visiting other places around the globe but it’s a bit after the fact. Not a big problem in the book, of course, but it would have been cool to have Juana come to this realization without outside influences.
As nutty as it sounds, Juana and Lucas is a bit short on the “Lucas” side of that equation. Juana’s the true star of the show here, relegating man’s best friend to the sidelines. Fortunately, I have faith in this series. I have faith that it will return for future sequels and that when those sequels arrive they’ll have a storyline for Lucas to carry on his own. With Juana nearby, of course. After all, she belongs to the pantheon of strong female early chapter characters out there, ready to teach kids about life in contemporary Colombia even as she navigates her own trials and successes. And it’s funny. Did I mention it’s funny? You probably got that from context, but it bears saying. “Juana and Lucas” is the kind of book I’d like to see a lot more of. Let’s hope Ms. Medina is ready to spearhead a small revolution of early chapter book international diversity of her very own.
For ages 6-9
In the world of 21st century children’s literature, diversity should be the name of the game. We want books for our children that reflect the worlds they know and the worlds they have yet to greet. We want them to see themselves in their books (mirrors), see others unlike themselves (windows), and have a way to get from one place to another (sliding doors). To accomplish this, all you have to do is publish a whole bunch of books about kids of different races, religions, abilities, persuasions, you name it. Great strides have been made over the last few years in the general consciousness of the publishing industry (the publishers, the librarians, the teachers, and even the parents) even as teeny tiny, itty bitty, itsy bitsy tiptoes have been made in terms of what actually is getting published. Much of the credit for spearheading efforts to bring to light more and more books for all children can be given to the We Need Diverse Books movement. That said, our children’s rooms are still filled with monumental gaps. Contemporary Jewish characters are rare. Muslim characters rarer still. And don’t even TALK to me about the state of kids in wheelchairs these days. Interestingly enough, the area where diversity has increased the most is in early chapter books. Whether it’s Anna Hibiscus, Lola Levine, Alvin Ho, or any of the other new and interesting characters out there, there is comfort to be found in those books that transition children from easy readers to full-blown novels. Into this world comes Juana Medina and her semi-autobiographical series Juana & Lucas. Short chapters meet universal headaches (with details only available in Bogota, Colombia) ultimately combining to bring us a gal who will strike you as both remarkably familiar and bracingly original.
You might think that Juana has it pretty good, and for the most part you’d be right. She lives in Bogota, Colombia “the city that’s closest to my heart” with her Mami. She has a good furry best friend (her dog, Lucas) and a good not-so-furry best friend (Juli). And hey, it’s the first day of school! Cool, right? Only nothing goes the way Juana planned. The whole unfortunate day is capped off when one of her teachers informs the class that they will be learning “the English” this year. Could anything be more unfair? Yet as Juana searches for sympathy amongst her friends and relatives, she realizes that everyone seems to think that learning English is a good thing. Are they crazy? It isn’t until an opportunity comes up to visit somewhere fantastic, far away, and English speaking that she finally takes what everyone has told her to heart. In a big way.
I love, first and foremost, the fact that the emotional crux of this book is fixated on Juana’s detestation of learning “the English”. Now already I’ve heard some commenters online complain that Juana’s problem isn’t something that English-speaking children will identify with. Bull. Any child that has ever learned to read will know where Juana is coming from. What English speaker would fail to sympathize when she asks, “Why are read and read written the same way but sound different? How can I know when people are talking about eyes or ice when they sound about the same? And what about left hand and left the room? So many words, so little sense”? Some kids reading this book may have experience learning another language too. For them, Juana’s complaints will ring true and clear. That’s a key aspect of her personality. She’s sympathetic, even when she’s whining.
For all that we’ve seen books like Juana’s, Lola Levine, Zapato Power, Pedro, First Grade Hero, and a handful of others, interestingly this increase in Latino early chapter book is relatively recent. For a long time it was Zapato Power or nothing. The change is great, but it’s significant to note that all the books I’ve mentioned here are set in the United States. American books set in South American countries where the kids just live their daily lives and don’t have to deal with civil wars or invasions or coyotes or drug runners are difficult to find. What makes Juana and Lucas so unique is that it’s about a child living her life, having the kinds of problems that Ramona or Ruby Lu or Dyamonde Daniel could relate to. And like Anna Hibiscus or The Great Cake Mystery I love books for younger children that go through daily life in other present day countries. Windows indeed.
Early chapter books are interesting because publishers see them as far more series-driven than their writers might. An author can crank out title after title after title to feed the needs of their young readers, always assuming the demand is there, and they can do it easier with books under 100 pages than above. Juana could fit the bill in this regard. Her personality is likable, for starters. She’s not rude like Junie B. Jones or willfully headstrong in the same way as Ramona, but she does screw up. She does complain wildly. There are aspects of her personality you can identify with right from the start. I’d be pleased to see more of her in the future, and young readers will undoubtedly feel the same way. Plus, she has one particular feature that puts her heads and tails above a lot of the competition: She’s in color.
Created in ink and watercolor, Medina illustrates as well as writes her books. This art actually puts the book in a coveted place few titles can brag. You might ask if there’s a middle point between easy books and, say, Magic Tree House titles. I’d say this book was it. Containing a multitude of full-color pictures and spreads, it offers kids the comfort of picture books with the sensibility and sophistication of chapter book literature. And since she’s already got the art in place, why not work in some snazzy typography as well? Medina will often integrate individual words into the art. They swoop and soar around the characters, increasing and decreasing in size, according to their wont. Periodically a character will be pulled out and surrounded by fun little descriptor tidbits about their personage in a tiny font. Other times sentences move to imitate what their words say, like when Juana discusses how Escanilberto can kick the ball, “hard enough to send it across the field.” That sentence moves from his foot to a point just above his opponent’s head, the ball just out of reach. I like to think this radical wordplay plays into the early reader’s enjoyment of the book. It’s a lot more fun to read a chapter book when you have no idea what the words are going to pull on you next.
The writing is good, though the conclusion struck me as a bit rushed. Admittedly the solution to Juana’s problems is tied up pretty quickly. She won’t learn, she won’t learn, she won’t learn. She gets to have a prize? She studies and studies and studies. So rather than have her come to an understanding of English’s use on her own, an outside force (in this case, the promise of seeing Astroman) is the true impetus to her change. Sure, at the very end of the book she suddenly hits on the importance of learning other languages and visiting other places around the globe but it’s a bit after the fact. Not a big problem in the book, of course, but it would have been cool to have Juana come to this realization without outside influences.
As nutty as it sounds, Juana and Lucas is a bit short on the “Lucas” side of that equation. Juana’s the true star of the show here, relegating man’s best friend to the sidelines. Fortunately, I have faith in this series. I have faith that it will return for future sequels and that when those sequels arrive they’ll have a storyline for Lucas to carry on his own. With Juana nearby, of course. After all, she belongs to the pantheon of strong female early chapter characters out there, ready to teach kids about life in contemporary Colombia even as she navigates her own trials and successes. And it’s funny. Did I mention it’s funny? You probably got that from context, but it bears saying. “Juana and Lucas” is the kind of book I’d like to see a lot more of. Let’s hope Ms. Medina is ready to spearhead a small revolution of early chapter book international diversity of her very own.
For ages 6-9
August 30, 2016
+Digital copy gently provided by Netgalley in exchange for a honest review+
I wanted to read something fluffy after my last book, so I grab this. A children book. Cute drawings, btw.
Juana lives in Bogota, Colombia, goes to school, has a dog (Lucas), and talks about her dailies activities , plus likes and dislikes as every child.
I'm not really sure, but the story seems directed to bilingual children, there are spanish words in some points (kind of spanglish), and that confused me a bit. Then the ejem big conflict in the book is because she didn't understand why she has to learn The English.
, and the people around her 'enlightened' her, or maybe 'enticed' her would be more apt.
The pdf copy I get has some words not really visible, or maybe a different base color should allow to read it?
And I found an error:
Mrs. Juana, the word in that case is "pensar" and not "pensando".
I wanted to read something fluffy after my last book, so I grab this. A children book. Cute drawings, btw.
Juana lives in Bogota, Colombia, goes to school, has a dog (Lucas), and talks about her dailies activities , plus likes and dislikes as every child.
I'm not really sure, but the story seems directed to bilingual children, there are spanish words in some points (kind of spanglish), and that confused me a bit. Then the ejem big conflict in the book is because she didn't understand why she has to learn The English.
, and the people around her 'enlightened' her, or maybe 'enticed' her would be more apt.
The pdf copy I get has some words not really visible, or maybe a different base color should allow to read it?
And I found an error:
Mrs. Juana, the word in that case is "pensar" and not "pensando".
October 9, 2017
Juana and Lucas is a sweet, lighthearted, and generously illustrated transitional chapter book with a Colombian heroine, set in contemporary Colombia.
I love the fact that the English text is sprinkled with Spanish words, which are not translated anywhere in the book and thus the readers who do not know any Spanish have to figure out what the Spanish words mean based on the context. While Juana is struggling to learn English, the English-speaking readers are learning some Spanish!
Also, Juana Medina's colorful illustrations and the book's design are great:
However, the story itself is rather uneventful. Also, even though the title of the book suggests that the story is about Juana and her dog, Lucas, Lucas is only one of the supporting characters, while Juana is the sole star of the book.
I love the fact that the English text is sprinkled with Spanish words, which are not translated anywhere in the book and thus the readers who do not know any Spanish have to figure out what the Spanish words mean based on the context. While Juana is struggling to learn English, the English-speaking readers are learning some Spanish!
Also, Juana Medina's colorful illustrations and the book's design are great:
However, the story itself is rather uneventful. Also, even though the title of the book suggests that the story is about Juana and her dog, Lucas, Lucas is only one of the supporting characters, while Juana is the sole star of the book.
November 28, 2016
One of the many things I like about this book—the format that uses introductions, the illustrations, the voice!—is the way Juana is learning English while the reader, reading a book in English, is subtly learning the Spanish words weaved in. Clever and effective.
September 14, 2016
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.
Yay! A character, who is a kid, who loves Brussels sprouts! That is really a first in a long time since I saw a kid whose favourite food is this. Normally in books with kids it is all about how they hate it, how they are disgusted by it.
So when I saw this little girl loved Brussels sprouts… well what could possibly go wrong then. And then came the part where she said she loved reading books. A girl who loves books and Brussels sprouts? Wow. That is truly a first I have seen this combination in a book.
I loved how she introduced us to her city, and also told us various fun things about the city. Like the language (Spanish), about the weather and more.
The introduction about her dog Lucas was done really fun (with a drawing of her dog and then all kinds of lines pointing at him, telling us what kind of skills he has, what kind of dog he is). And she did the same for her best friend and several other characters that were important to the story. It is a shame that my tablet broke up the pages, but I am sure in a paper-format this kind of thing looks really nice.
The book is about Juana having to learn English, and how much trouble she is having with it. She also doesn’t get why she should learn English, which gave me a chuckle, though I could understand her. So she pops by various characters to see what their view is on English and why she should learn it. Finally she finds one reason, and what that reason is? Well, you will have to read this book to find out. I do have to say that I loved that reason. It is a fun one, and it motivated Juana enormously.
There was one thing I didn’t entirely like. The Spanish words that were thrown in at random intervals. While I do know some words in Spanish, I don’t know a lot. Some words were just simple and I could easily figure out what they meant, but some of them meant I had to grab my Spanish dictionary (yes, I have one, because a few years back I tried to learn Spanish, and I still want to go back to learning it again).
Also in my copy (pdf) the letters at times turned half invisible which made it really hard to read.
I really loved the illustrations in this one.
All in all? I would recommend this series, and I will be sure to buy the book when it comes out in paperback. Of course I will also keep an eye on the rest of the series (when it comes out) as well.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
Yay! A character, who is a kid, who loves Brussels sprouts! That is really a first in a long time since I saw a kid whose favourite food is this. Normally in books with kids it is all about how they hate it, how they are disgusted by it.
So when I saw this little girl loved Brussels sprouts… well what could possibly go wrong then. And then came the part where she said she loved reading books. A girl who loves books and Brussels sprouts? Wow. That is truly a first I have seen this combination in a book.
I loved how she introduced us to her city, and also told us various fun things about the city. Like the language (Spanish), about the weather and more.
The introduction about her dog Lucas was done really fun (with a drawing of her dog and then all kinds of lines pointing at him, telling us what kind of skills he has, what kind of dog he is). And she did the same for her best friend and several other characters that were important to the story. It is a shame that my tablet broke up the pages, but I am sure in a paper-format this kind of thing looks really nice.
The book is about Juana having to learn English, and how much trouble she is having with it. She also doesn’t get why she should learn English, which gave me a chuckle, though I could understand her. So she pops by various characters to see what their view is on English and why she should learn it. Finally she finds one reason, and what that reason is? Well, you will have to read this book to find out. I do have to say that I loved that reason. It is a fun one, and it motivated Juana enormously.
There was one thing I didn’t entirely like. The Spanish words that were thrown in at random intervals. While I do know some words in Spanish, I don’t know a lot. Some words were just simple and I could easily figure out what they meant, but some of them meant I had to grab my Spanish dictionary (yes, I have one, because a few years back I tried to learn Spanish, and I still want to go back to learning it again).
Also in my copy (pdf) the letters at times turned half invisible which made it really hard to read.
I really loved the illustrations in this one.
All in all? I would recommend this series, and I will be sure to buy the book when it comes out in paperback. Of course I will also keep an eye on the rest of the series (when it comes out) as well.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
July 1, 2020
I read this with my 5 year old and we both loved it. Can't wait to pick up the sequel.
July 26, 2022
So charming! I would have devoured these books as a kid!
Read
September 27, 2016Navigating through life, even if you tend to be an optimist, is much better when shared with a friend. If this friend should happen to be a dog, you could not ask for a better companion and confidant. A dog's affection never wavers plus they probably understand every single thing you say. They are the best secret keepers. They dispense advice with a look, a nudge or a tail wag.
If you happen to be beginning another year of school, a dog can get you through any difficulties you encounter. Juana & Lucas (Candlewick Press, September 27, 2016) written and illustrated by Juana Medina provides readers with an up-close and personal view on growing up in Bogota, Colombia through the eyes of a lovable, lively little girl. She gives new meaning to the word energetic.
My full recommendation: http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...
If you happen to be beginning another year of school, a dog can get you through any difficulties you encounter. Juana & Lucas (Candlewick Press, September 27, 2016) written and illustrated by Juana Medina provides readers with an up-close and personal view on growing up in Bogota, Colombia through the eyes of a lovable, lively little girl. She gives new meaning to the word energetic.
My full recommendation: http://librariansquest.blogspot.com/2...
June 4, 2019
Young readers will love getting to know Juana in this delightful semi-autobiographical chapter book. She's a young girl living in Bogotá, Columbia with her two favorite people: her Mami and her dog Lucas. Juana also likes lots of things: drawing, superhero Astroman, brussels sprouts,and reading books (sometimes under the covers with a flashlight). She also like living near her abuelos and playing her friends, especially Juli. Juana isn't crazy about math, dance class, or her school uniform, but she does like lunch when she can play fútbol with her friends. Juana thinks her life is just about perfect, that is until English comes along - on the first already-not-going-well day of school. Thank goodness, there's Lucas to come home to after such a horrible day.
English, Juana discovers, has lots of THs, big Ws, and long Ls and she finds them all so hard to pronounce. Besides, why does she have to learn English anyway? Her mother tells Juana that "learning English can change [her] life...in a good way." And everyone else she asks seems to agree with that - neighbors Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon, shopkeeper brothers Fernando and Hernando Herrera, even Tía Cris. But it's when her abuelo tells her she needs to learn English for the family's trip to Spaceland where Astroman lives in the United States that Juana finally finds a good reason to study English harder.
I thought the kids in my reading group were a little too young for this book, but I read it to them anyway. I thought it was just such a great kid-friendly book, that I couldn't resist. And my kids loved it! One could relate to Juana's struggle to learn English, and Juana reminded a few of them of their older sisters, but all agreed it was a great story. I thought it was also an ideal read aloud.
Told in first person narration by Juana, you can feel the energy behind her words, and she gives a very easy to follow vision of her life, that includes detailed asides that draw the readers into her world along with the main story. These are all accompanied by lively cartoon-like ink and watercolor illustrations and sprinkled with Spanish words throughout. Each time we came to a Spanish word, we practiced it until it was memorized, which proved to be a lot of fun. We also talked about how Juana's is similar to their lives and how it is different, which was also an interesting conversation. And though we learned that her father had passed away, we also saw that Juana has a loving, supportive family and lots of friends.
With her pigtails, her dislike of her uniform, her friendliness, and her abundant enthusiasm, Juana is a wonderfully appealing character, and we were pretty excited to continue her adventures with a second Juana & Lucas story.
You can download some handy Spanish/English flash cards to use along with Juana & Lucas thanks to Candlewick Press
English, Juana discovers, has lots of THs, big Ws, and long Ls and she finds them all so hard to pronounce. Besides, why does she have to learn English anyway? Her mother tells Juana that "learning English can change [her] life...in a good way." And everyone else she asks seems to agree with that - neighbors Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon, shopkeeper brothers Fernando and Hernando Herrera, even Tía Cris. But it's when her abuelo tells her she needs to learn English for the family's trip to Spaceland where Astroman lives in the United States that Juana finally finds a good reason to study English harder.
I thought the kids in my reading group were a little too young for this book, but I read it to them anyway. I thought it was just such a great kid-friendly book, that I couldn't resist. And my kids loved it! One could relate to Juana's struggle to learn English, and Juana reminded a few of them of their older sisters, but all agreed it was a great story. I thought it was also an ideal read aloud.
Told in first person narration by Juana, you can feel the energy behind her words, and she gives a very easy to follow vision of her life, that includes detailed asides that draw the readers into her world along with the main story. These are all accompanied by lively cartoon-like ink and watercolor illustrations and sprinkled with Spanish words throughout. Each time we came to a Spanish word, we practiced it until it was memorized, which proved to be a lot of fun. We also talked about how Juana's is similar to their lives and how it is different, which was also an interesting conversation. And though we learned that her father had passed away, we also saw that Juana has a loving, supportive family and lots of friends.
With her pigtails, her dislike of her uniform, her friendliness, and her abundant enthusiasm, Juana is a wonderfully appealing character, and we were pretty excited to continue her adventures with a second Juana & Lucas story.
You can download some handy Spanish/English flash cards to use along with Juana & Lucas thanks to Candlewick Press
October 30, 2017
Oh my goodness, this is just adorable! I read it for my Children's Lit class, and honestly it's not something I would have picked up on my own because it's just a little too young for jr high students (which is a shame, because it reminds me of "Barrio Boy" and "Names/Nombres", both of which we teach during the memoir unit, which could use some updating!). Anyway, it's about an adorable, pigtailed Columbian 4th grade girl who has to learn English. And she hates it, because let's be honest, English is a ridiculous language. There's a great line in Barrio Boy about the "awful idiocies" of the English language (that I often reference when teaching grammar) and Medina just nails so many of those. The illustrations are also adorable, and the general enthusiasm and likability of this character just leaps off the page. I also love that Medina includes so much Spanish vocabulary throughout the novel, and doesn't bother to translate any of it. If you're paying attention to context or the illustrations, it's all pretty clear, so it doesn't need to be translated. And in the end, yes, Juana learns English, but she also realizes that she wants to travel, which means she will need to learn more languages too. I like that the message is about learning and having a global perspective, rather than just, "isn't life so much better now that you can talk American?!"
Also, the dog is adorable, but to be honest I'm not 100% sure why he's part of the title. I thought it might be a girl and her dog on grand adventures, but he's not super important to the story. Weird.
Also, the dog is adorable, but to be honest I'm not 100% sure why he's part of the title. I thought it might be a girl and her dog on grand adventures, but he's not super important to the story. Weird.
November 23, 2020
This is not what I was expecting, but it was really cute!
Juana lives in Bogota, Colombia, and she had to start learning “The English”, in school. At first she resists, but after talking to friends, neighbors, and finally her abuelos, she decides to study hard. Mostly because her a abuelo promises her a trip to Spaceland in FL, where she will need to speak English.
It’s an odd little book, because it’s shaped like a picture book, but has a lot of text. There are Spanish words sprinkled throughout, but no glossary. Many are similar enough to their English translations (parques, planetas, etc.), but others require context clues and the illustrations (feeling triste, a long viaje, etc.) to decipher.
The ending is sweet, and should encourage kids to learn about other parts of the world AND the importance of learning other languages. And hopefully they see how similar their life is to Juana’s.
Only negative: for a book called Juana and Lucas, there’s not enough Lucas!!!
Juana lives in Bogota, Colombia, and she had to start learning “The English”, in school. At first she resists, but after talking to friends, neighbors, and finally her abuelos, she decides to study hard. Mostly because her a abuelo promises her a trip to Spaceland in FL, where she will need to speak English.
It’s an odd little book, because it’s shaped like a picture book, but has a lot of text. There are Spanish words sprinkled throughout, but no glossary. Many are similar enough to their English translations (parques, planetas, etc.), but others require context clues and the illustrations (feeling triste, a long viaje, etc.) to decipher.
The ending is sweet, and should encourage kids to learn about other parts of the world AND the importance of learning other languages. And hopefully they see how similar their life is to Juana’s.
Only negative: for a book called Juana and Lucas, there’s not enough Lucas!!!
February 8, 2017
It’s Inauguration Day here in Washington, DC. I have the day off of work because I live a couple of streets away from Arlington National Cemetery and my office is on Pennsylvania Avenue. It’s still a Friday, but the library is closed and I don’t want to turn on the TV. I do want to do something constructive – something that will make a difference and build up my spirits. So, I’m reviewing a book by a local author – by a Spanish-speaking immigrant, even. I want to share with you a book that is adorable, smart, different, and immensely readable. Let’s talk about Juana Medina’s Juana & Lucas.
Juana is a rambunctious girl who lives in Bogotá, Colombia with her mother and her dog Lucas. Juana loves many things – her abuelos (grandparents), art, her best friend at school, her city (and of course her Mami and Lucas!)… but she does not love learning English. It’s difficult, it’s boring, and she wonders what the point is. When her grandfather tells her that the family will visit Florida, everything changes. Juana MUST learn English!
Juana & Lucas is an illustrated chapter book with a lot of heart. Juana has the same sort of thoughts and worries and dreams as any kid – she’s relatable, and she’s smart and fun. While Juana is hilariously lamenting how boring English is, she drops many little tidbits about life in Colombia, and the reader learns a bit of Spanish too – all Spanish words are italicized and understandable in the context of the story. Juana’s happy, functioning family (in a unique environment) is also important, as oftentimes parents in children’s lit are absent, dead, or worse.
Author Juana Medina both wrote and illustrated the text, and her art is a colorful mix of black lines and watercolor. The effect is cheery and vibrant, and the simplicity of the figures and outlines is likely to inspire her grade-school readers to imitate and carry on telling Juana’s future adventures. My favorite page spreads were the ones where Juana identifies every item by name.
In all, Juana & Lucas is a vibrant, fun early picture book for any kid or kid-at-heart.
Recommended for: early readers, reluctant readers, fans of comics and art, and… anyone, really!
Juana is a rambunctious girl who lives in Bogotá, Colombia with her mother and her dog Lucas. Juana loves many things – her abuelos (grandparents), art, her best friend at school, her city (and of course her Mami and Lucas!)… but she does not love learning English. It’s difficult, it’s boring, and she wonders what the point is. When her grandfather tells her that the family will visit Florida, everything changes. Juana MUST learn English!
Juana & Lucas is an illustrated chapter book with a lot of heart. Juana has the same sort of thoughts and worries and dreams as any kid – she’s relatable, and she’s smart and fun. While Juana is hilariously lamenting how boring English is, she drops many little tidbits about life in Colombia, and the reader learns a bit of Spanish too – all Spanish words are italicized and understandable in the context of the story. Juana’s happy, functioning family (in a unique environment) is also important, as oftentimes parents in children’s lit are absent, dead, or worse.
Author Juana Medina both wrote and illustrated the text, and her art is a colorful mix of black lines and watercolor. The effect is cheery and vibrant, and the simplicity of the figures and outlines is likely to inspire her grade-school readers to imitate and carry on telling Juana’s future adventures. My favorite page spreads were the ones where Juana identifies every item by name.
In all, Juana & Lucas is a vibrant, fun early picture book for any kid or kid-at-heart.
Recommended for: early readers, reluctant readers, fans of comics and art, and… anyone, really!
September 2, 2019
This book was super cute. I adore the paintings and Juana's pigtails. The setting was in Colombia, which is new to me. I am used to most of the Latin American stories I've read showing the poorer side of citizens and focusing on immigration issues and awful conditions. This one was refreshing because readers get to see a nice character who loves her city and whose abuelo is a neurosurgeon. I think that's important for children so they don't get the impression that everyone South of the U.S. is living in awful conditions. The author also sprinkles in some Spanish words when they are cognates or it will be obvious what they mean from context, so readers will learn some new words.
Juana is a great character. She is very real and not overly great at everything and not a perfect kid or a terrible kid. I enjoyed hearing her tale!
"Ladies and gentlemen! Are you ready for a ton of fun?"
When a grown-up says something is going to be a ton of fun, it means there will be NO FUN AT ALL. Not even a single bit of fun. Nada de fun.
Juana is a great character. She is very real and not overly great at everything and not a perfect kid or a terrible kid. I enjoyed hearing her tale!
December 4, 2025
Juana, a young Colombian girl, and her dog companion, Lucas, go on many adventures in the city of Bogotá. Juana struggles with learning English and finds it pointless, she doesn’t understand why she needs to learn this language. She points out many difficulties about learning English that many SEL students might be familiar with, such as how difference words sound the same, like “eyes” or “ice”. Initially, she’s defensive and shuts down learning the language, until her abuelos plan a trip to an amusement park in the United States. This promise incites Juana to care more about her English studies. Medina’s use of Spanglish within the text, as well as her illustrations that visualize words in action, curate an amazing story that many SEL students can relate to. Teachers can use this aspect of relatability to excite SEL students when reading this story and encourage their English studies while including aspects of Latinx culture.
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June 13, 2018Text to World connection
In Juana and Lucas, Juana is a little girl from Colombia. In school, Juana learns that she has to begin to learn English and she is not too happy about it! I made a text to world connection between Juana's story and the fact that so many nations outside of the United States require their students to learn English or another language outside of their own. I truly wish that the United States would put more of an emphasis on other places and languages, because I feel like we are really behind in speaking only one language. My little sister's elementary school in Millard begins teaching Spanish in Kindergarten and I think that if possible, every school in the United States should have a program like that. Being multilingual has a huge amount of positives and benefits, and I think that a lot of other countries have figured that out, whereas we're still a very monolingual-teaching nation.
In Juana and Lucas, Juana is a little girl from Colombia. In school, Juana learns that she has to begin to learn English and she is not too happy about it! I made a text to world connection between Juana's story and the fact that so many nations outside of the United States require their students to learn English or another language outside of their own. I truly wish that the United States would put more of an emphasis on other places and languages, because I feel like we are really behind in speaking only one language. My little sister's elementary school in Millard begins teaching Spanish in Kindergarten and I think that if possible, every school in the United States should have a program like that. Being multilingual has a huge amount of positives and benefits, and I think that a lot of other countries have figured that out, whereas we're still a very monolingual-teaching nation.
May 20, 2021
In this first book of a series, readers meet Juana, a spunky girl living in Bogota, Colombia, who introduces readers to all the important things in her life: her family, her best friend, her school friends, and her beloved dog Lucas. Juana's favorite class is recess, her favorite meal is dessert, and is becoming bilingual...although learning English is definitely not her favorite thing. She is funny, honest, and likeable. This peak inside Juana's life will leave readers excited to read more of the Juana & Lucas books.
December 6, 2025
Juana is from Colombia and loves to spend time with her family and dog. She also enjoys drawing and coloring! However, she does not enjoy practicing her English. This story takes you along on Juana and her family's new journey and all the hardships that come with it. I like this story because it is very realistic fiction, which makes it that much easier for students to relate to and understand. I would definetly have this book in my classroom for the children and as a read-aloud. It is part of a series for children in grades Kindergarten-4th.
June 23, 2020
Our famLea read this as part of Local Family Passport's summer reading and travel program. What a blast this book was! Juana is the most delightful character. I love reading books about kids from other races, countries, and experiences where those kids are just living their lives so my children can see that no matter where we live or what you look like, you are still human. We can learn so much from each other. We can connect with each other. Isn't that what makes life beautiful!?
June 17, 2024
Don't ask my rhyme, I'm not poet, don't ask my reason, I don't have one. But I've read this gosh darn book like 18 times.
It came in a kiwi crate like 7 years ago and I was like "huh, nice."
My opinion remains the same.
Huh, nice.
I will never get rid of this book, don't ask why. It makes me smile. So leave me be.
It came in a kiwi crate like 7 years ago and I was like "huh, nice."
My opinion remains the same.
Huh, nice.
I will never get rid of this book, don't ask why. It makes me smile. So leave me be.
October 8, 2021
This book is phenomenal! Juana tells about her life and how/why she is learning English. She tells about her dog, people in her life, her school and city, and her love for Astroman and space. The story is mostly in English with words in Spanish throughout, but in a way that English speaking students can determine their meaning. Juana & Lucas is relatable and has enough humor to keep kids (and myself) engaged. This book would be great to teach students the value and importance of learning another language, how difficult it can be, and that patience and perseverance are needed to do so.
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December 1, 2022so cute!!! though I would’ve wished for more Lucas as the book is titled Juana and Lucas!
March 5, 2024
Baby’s first chapter book!
January 31, 2017
Good as a read aloud for kindergarten and 1st grade.
September 21, 2017
Perfect for my kiddos learning Spanish! They'll absolute sympathize with what Juana is going through.
July 20, 2022
This sweet story is about stubborn girl that doesn't want to learn English until she realizes how much it will open her world to do so. The Spanish words are included so that the context clues should help kids that don't speak Spanish follow along.
March 11, 2018
This is a nice picture book about a little girl who has to learn how to speak English. It teaches kids that even though learning another language may not always be fun but if it is the main language, it is worth learning so that you can travel and meet a lot of different people.
July 23, 2017
Juana and Lucas is a contemporary realistic fiction work written by Juana Medina for young readers ages 5-8. I was excited to add this to my library collection because we don’t have a lot of early chapter books that depict characters from South America. This book also received the Pura Belpre Award.
The protagonist in this story is a Juana, a young girl that is not a fan of school and learning English. She loves her family, her dog, and her favorite class at school is recess, so she can play futbol. The story deals with the struggles she goes through with understanding why she should learn English. Eventually, she is influenced by her Grandfather and finds out she can go to Spaceland in the U.S. if she learns English, so she becomes motivated.
Juana Medina is an author and an illustrator, so this book is filled with lots of beautiful pictures. It isn’t set up like a traditional chapter book. It infuses the words with the illustrations. I think that makes it interesting for children. The author also includes many Spanish words through out the text. The words are easy enough to figure out through the context of the story. I think this would appeal to bilingual students. The main character is also relatable to those students who are learning English as another language.
I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 because I would have liked to see a little more plot development. Overall I enjoyed the book and I liked Juana as a character. I look forward to seeing how the series will develop.
The protagonist in this story is a Juana, a young girl that is not a fan of school and learning English. She loves her family, her dog, and her favorite class at school is recess, so she can play futbol. The story deals with the struggles she goes through with understanding why she should learn English. Eventually, she is influenced by her Grandfather and finds out she can go to Spaceland in the U.S. if she learns English, so she becomes motivated.
Juana Medina is an author and an illustrator, so this book is filled with lots of beautiful pictures. It isn’t set up like a traditional chapter book. It infuses the words with the illustrations. I think that makes it interesting for children. The author also includes many Spanish words through out the text. The words are easy enough to figure out through the context of the story. I think this would appeal to bilingual students. The main character is also relatable to those students who are learning English as another language.
I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 because I would have liked to see a little more plot development. Overall I enjoyed the book and I liked Juana as a character. I look forward to seeing how the series will develop.
March 17, 2017
This book was truly a delight to read. "Juana and Lucas" follows the story of Juana Medina (the author) and her "furry amigo" Lucas (her dog). Juana is beginning to learn English in school but, she's having problems. Her story persists with Juana and Lucas as they go through her daily life; playing soccer (Futbol), going to school, playing with family and learning how important learning English can be.
Each page, is filled with a parts of Juana's experiences and that resonated with me personally, and she has a way with words that allow readers to truly empathize with what she's saying. The author uses various forms of typography to help illustrate her feelings for example, increasing the font when she feels REALLY strongly about something. Juana is very much like other kids I know: she has fun, loves her family, gets bored and gets irritated and she expresses this in a certain way in the story. In several pages she uses "Idea webs", centering certain people like her Mami and Abuelo telling us, the readers, how she feels about them. This was very interesting,as I had never seen something like this done in a book before and it really helped me feel how important they were in her life. I also loved how the author mixed Spanish words into the text when Juana spoke it made her words feel natural and made Juana's character very genuine. Overall Juana and Lucas was a fantastic book that very much earns its high praise, very enjoyable read!
Each page, is filled with a parts of Juana's experiences and that resonated with me personally, and she has a way with words that allow readers to truly empathize with what she's saying. The author uses various forms of typography to help illustrate her feelings for example, increasing the font when she feels REALLY strongly about something. Juana is very much like other kids I know: she has fun, loves her family, gets bored and gets irritated and she expresses this in a certain way in the story. In several pages she uses "Idea webs", centering certain people like her Mami and Abuelo telling us, the readers, how she feels about them. This was very interesting,as I had never seen something like this done in a book before and it really helped me feel how important they were in her life. I also loved how the author mixed Spanish words into the text when Juana spoke it made her words feel natural and made Juana's character very genuine. Overall Juana and Lucas was a fantastic book that very much earns its high praise, very enjoyable read!
February 29, 2020
Read for my MFA work—will now collect all of them for any future early readers who might enter my life :)
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