Doña Esmeralda, Who Ate Everything

June 1, 2022
Do�a Esmeralda will slurp up anything with her magic straw, but what happens when she finally bites off more than she can chew? Do�a Esmeralda is a hero to children everywhere. All they have to do is say, "I don't want to eat this," and she sneaks along and sucks up their yucky giniling or zucchini bread. But someone, even a tiny, ancient, magical someone, can only eat gross leftovers for so long before getting curious about what else is out there that children DO want to eat. Once she starts, she cannot stop herself! Chicken nuggets, hamburgers, pizza, samosas, bulgogi, and more--all get sucked up through her straw, until the inevitable happens and...BOOM! Do�a Esmeralda explodes, and without her, the children must learn to eat the food they don't like themselves, but they still keep an eye out for her, just in case. Though the text is lengthy and at times clunky, the premise of the story is fun, and the illustrations are bright and vibrant, full of silly antics. Do�a Esmeralda has light skin and a black bouffant; the children depicted throughout are diverse. In an author's note, de la Cruz explains that she drew inspiration from the Filipino legend of the aswang and sought to honor the Filipino foods she ate growing up; included is her mother's recipe for lumpia. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A cute but wordy offering that will have children peeking under tables in search of the titular character. (Picture book. 5-8)

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June 1, 2022
Preschool-Grade 2 Prolific author de la Cruz explores the Filipino folktales she heard while growing up in Manila in this rendition of Nick Joaquin's story about Lilit Bulilit, a woman who eats until she explodes. In this retelling, Lilit is Do�a Esmeralda, a tiny, swankily dressed woman with an impressive black bouffant who uses a straw to gobble up all the food children leave behind--brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, asparagus. Eventually, she grows tired of the discarded food and sets her sights on all the yummy treats. She goes on an eating binge, during which she swallows pizza, burgers, samosas, and pancit before moving onto more adventurous fare--zoo animals, naughty and good children, and even their parents. Then Do�a Esmeralda feels a rumble in her tummy and a swelling in her belly. BOOM! They all come tumbling out. Gallanosa's colorful illustrations energetically capture tiny Do�a Esmeralda's larger-than-life antics. This silly story will pair perfectly with a telling of "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly." An author's note and recipe for lumpia round out this appetizing offering.

COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

July 1, 2022

K-Gr 2-Inspired by elements of Filipino folktales, this quirky story tells of little Do�a Esmeralda, who greedily uses a straw to devour every morsel of food left over by naughty children who refuse what's on their plates. One day, she decides to suck up food that children seem to adore and finds she cannot stop her overindulgence. Pieces of the story, like Do�a Esmeralda's magical straw and disastrous zoo adventure, seem offbeat without prior knowledge of Filipino folklore or an early perusal of the author's note, but readers will devour the narrator's mesmerizing voice and bubbly illustrations. Through these comical, wildly animated events, filled with bold colors as well as American and Filipino cuisine, Do�a Esmeralda's fate will feed readers' appetites for surprise and silliness. VERDICT This fantastical and memorable character offers an eccentric story with modern tastes meant for a purely entertaining read-aloud experience.-Rachel Mulligan

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 31, 2022
Inspired by a variation on a Filipino myth, de la Cruz’s quirky story centers a ravenous, bouffant-haired sprite who’s the answer to every finicky eater’s problem. A contemporary fairy tale set among “seven thousand/ happy islands named after King Philip of Spain,” the titular protagonist is ancient, “about the size of a toddler,” and possessed of a “voracious appetite.” Having to settle for what she can get, meal-wise, Doña Esmeralda hides under tables, consuming “children’s uneaten plates and diet soda” through dual striped straws. Lurking, slurping, and gulping, she stays small, but her straws grow monstrous to accommodate her appetite—increasing in size and scope as she grows tired of leftovers and investigates children’s favorite foods. Galanosa’s digital illustrations show children of varied abilities and skin tones, and Esmeralda channels a fancy elf in her red dress, black belt, and gold accessories, the cartoonish style alleviating fears that a leftover-craving vampire might trigger. A lumpia recipe rounds out end notes. Ages 4–8.