By / Por Spelile Rivas

Illustrated by / Ilustraciones de Valeria Cervantes Spanish translation by / Traduccin al espaol de Amira Plascencia
Piata Books Arte Pblico Press Houston, Texas

Publication of No Time for Monsters is funded by grants from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, the Clayton Fund, and the Exemplar Program, a program of Americans for the Arts in collaboration with the LarsonAllen Public Services Group, with funding from the Ford Foundation. We are grateful for their support. Esta edicin de No hay tiempo para monstruos ha sido subvencionada por la Ciudad de Houston por medio del Houston Arts Alliance, el Fondo Clayton y el Exemplar Program, un programa de Americans for the Arts en colaboracin con LarsonAllen Public Services Group, con fondos de la Fundacin Ford. Les agradecemos su apoyo.
Piata Books estn llenos de sorpresas! Piata Books are full of surprises! Piata Books An Imprint of Arte Pblico Press University of Houston 452 Cullen Performance Hall Houston, Texas 77204-2004 Cover design by / Diseo de la portada por Valeria Cervantes Rivas, Spelile. No Time for Monsters / by Spelile Rivas ; illustrations by Valeria Cervantes ; Spanish translation, Amira Plascencia = No hay tiempo para monstruos / por Spelile Rivas ; ilustraciones de Valeria Cervantes ; traduccin al espaol de Amira Plascencia. p. cm. Summary: Each time Mam asks Roberto to help around the house, he claims to be afraid that a monster will take him away. ISBN 978-1-55885-445-1 (alk. paper) [1. HousekeepingFiction. 2. BehaviorFiction. 3. MonstersFiction. 4. Spanish language materialsBilingual.] I. Cervantes, Valeria, ill. II. Plascencia, Amira. III. Title. IV. Title: No hay tiempo para monstruos. PZ73.R5242No 2010 [E]dc22 2009026472 CIP The paper used in this publication meets the requirements of the American National Standard for Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials Z39.48-1984. Text Copyright 2010 by Spelile Rivas Illustrations Copyright 2010 by Valeria Cervantes Printed in China in October 2009December 2009 by Creative Printing USA Inc. 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

With all my love to Dad and Mom (Manuel and Guadalupe), to my husband Fernando for his support and company, to my little sisters Carolina and Lorena, but specially to my abue for her wise words and for believing in me. VC

To my loving Roberto, to Seora Hollingsworth and to all the dedicated language arts teachers who strive to help children embrace other cultures. SR

Con todo mi amor para Pap y Mam (Manuel y Guadalupe), para mi esposo Fernando por su apoyo y compaa, para mis hermanitas Carolina y Lorena, pero en especial para mi abue por sus sabias palabras y por creer en m. VC

A mi amado Roberto, a la seora Hollingsworth y a todos los dems esmerados maestros que ayudan a los nios a comprender otras culturas. SR

One morning, Mam went into Robertos room with a basket full of laundry. She plopped the basket on the floor and gave him a kiss.

Una maana, Mam entr al cuarto de Roberto con una cesta llena de ropa sucia. Dej caer la cesta al piso y le dio un beso a Roberto.

Roberto, wake up. Its time to clean your room. I dont want to. Roberto pulled the covers over his head and peeked out. Why dont you want to clean your room? Mam asked with her hands on her hips. Roberto pouted. If I clean my room, the Closet Monster might grab me and take me away forever!

Roberto, despierta. Es hora de limpiar tu cuarto. No quiero. Roberto jal el cobertor hasta cubrirse la cabeza y se asom por debajo. Por qu no quieres limpiar tu cuarto? pregunt Mam con las manos en las caderas. Roberto hizo un puchero. Si limpio mi cuarto, el Monstruo del Clset podra atraparme y llevarme . . . para siempre!

There are no monsters in the closet, Mam said. Maybe you could help me, Roberto said. The Closet Monster is afraid of you. Mam sighed as she picked up the basket. Roberto, I have no time for monsters. Clean your room! Okay, Roberto said, but if the Closet Monster gets me, youll be sorry.

No hay monstruos en el clset respondi Mam. Quizs podras ayudarme dijo Roberto. El Monstruo del Clset te tiene miedo. Mam suspir al levantar la cesta. Roberto, no tengo tiempo para monstruos. Limpia tu cuarto! Est bien dijo Roberto, pero si me atrapa el Monstruo del Clset, lo lamentars.

That afternoon, Mam ground cumin in a molcajete and added it to the pot of boiling beans while Roberto played in the kitchen.

Al medioda, Mam moli comino en el molcajete y lo ech a la olla en la que hervan los frijoles mientras que Roberto jugaba en la cocina.