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Diana Paola Navarro is a Colombian author, columnist, and mother of twins. Her writing is inspired by real conversations with her children and focuses on helping families talk about emotions through stories. She is the author of Danny Can Read / Danny sabe leer, a bilingual (English–Spanish) picture book that explores sibling dynamics, comparison, and emotional growth. Diana combines storytelling with a passion for literacy and social-emotional learning, and she actively promotes reading initiatives for children and educators in underserved communities.
Reviewed by Doreen Chombu for Readers' Favorite
Danny Can Read by Diana Paola Navarro Gomez follows two dinosaur siblings, Danny and Lily, who are also best friends. They love spending time together, and with their pet parrot, Poli, they enjoy going picnicking and dancing. Danny and Lily have always worked as a team, but when something magical happens to Danny and he starts discovering words and reading, Lily feels left out because she cannot read. Danny reads to the other dinosaurs, and he earns praise from all of them. His name and reading ability spread far in their enchanted land, and Lily starts to feel jealous. One day, Lily finds Danny struggling, so she hops in to help. While working together, the two siblings learn they have different strengths that, when combined, can create magic.
Danny Can Read is an inspiring story that celebrates our unique talents and differences. It is a dual-language book that presents the story in both English and Spanish. I love this because it promotes cultural appreciation and will help readers who are learning either of the languages. Diana Paola Navarro Gomez’s narrative is inviting and easy to follow. Her use of simple language and relatable characters makes the story engaging. The book covers lessons on developing skills, envy, believing in yourself, and teamwork. Many children will learn about these issues through Danny and Lily’s journey and find answers to the struggles they face in reading, drawing, writing, mathematics, or even sports activities they feel they are bad at. This book will remind them that everyone is unique and has their own strengths and weaknesses. Carmen Blanco's vibrant illustrations have warm color tones that make them visually appealing. It also teaches children about different dinosaurs and encourages them to find adventures in books. This is a wonderful book, and I enjoyed it. It is also a great choice for parents looking for children’s storybooks that promote different talents and individuality.
