Oh No, Gotta Go!
Susan Middleton Elya
G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers, 2003
Have you ever found yourself in the car in desperate need of a restroom, but with no suitable place in sight? That is the plight of the little girl in this adorably fun picture book. Out for a Sunday drive, the girl suddenly realizes she needs go to the bathroom, prompting her parents to search out a place as she urges them to hurry. They finally arrive at their destination, only to find a huge line in front of the bathroom! What’s a girl to do?
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The best thing about this picture book is that it is written in a combination of English and Spanish, but with such skill that everything rhymes very pleasingly.
‘We pulled up, at last, to the blue restaurante,
the fanciest building of all – elegante!“Papá, stop the carro! ¡Mamá, por favor!
¡Abre la puerto! Please open the door!”‘
The story follows the girl through town, naming buildings, people, and vocabulary words in an easy to understand style that is great for teaching second language skills to little ones. My five year old is super interested in learning words in other languages right now, so I really appreciate books like this that blend it into the story so naturally. It’s also a great opportunity to talk with younger kids about using the restroom before you get in the car, and letting an adult know if you need to go once you are on your way.
I would recommend Oh No, Gotta Go! for ages 3+, but you could probably introduce it to an advanced two year old as well. My two year old listened attentively when I read it to her older sister, I just don’t know what her comprehension level was. It’s a really cute book that does a better job than most similar books I’ve seen at incorporating two languages at once.
Do you like books that blend languages or do you and/or your child find them confusing?
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This sounds great! My six-year-old is really interested in learning Spanish, as she has a lot of native speakers at her school. Unfortunately, I have no Spanish skills, so this would help me support her as well.
Both of my girls love to learn words in other languages. My 5 year old is more interested in French, but I have zero French skills so I try to make up for it with Spanish.
this book is too cute … and relatable ! Can’t wait to read to my nephews and hear them giggle !
It is pretty cute!
I have a feeling this would be an enjoyable read for all three of my litre Nephews!
xx
Probably! I think it’s good for a wide range of ages.
What a cute book! The content is awesome because it uses a relatable situation to teach a second language. I love it!
That’s exactly why I love it too!
This sounds like a fun book, my two boys would get a giggle from it I’m sure!
Hope you get to try it and find out! It’s pretty fun.
I love the idea of integrating two languages into one cute story. What a wonderful way to introduce a second language to your child. I wondered if it was appropriate to include as part of potty training?
I would say yes, it could be a helpful potty training aid.
This book like it will bring up good, real life conversation with my kids and really engage them with reading.
Yep, it makes them ask questions because they don’t know all the words. We love it!
I don’t have a children’s book that combines languages yet. This sounds great!
You’ll have to give it a try, it’s fun!