About the Book:

“Don’t press the button,” That was the general consensus. I’ve been told that at least a hundred times; the last time by a grizzled veteran of the spaceways in the Vega 3 spaceport cantina.

“It won’t matter if you do, son,” he told me casually. “All you will gain is a few hours at the most. And what good is that going to do? So you can float out there in the emptiness, just waiting for your air supply to run out? It’s better to go fast, in a flash. Trust me.”

I stared at the button on the control console. It was red of course, big and red; but not so big it couldn’t be pressed by a single finger. My palms were sweating as I struggled over the decision.

I had to make the decision soon. I only had a minute and half left. My right index finger hovered over it. Did I press it, or didn’t I?…

An Exciting Dual Language Story

This book is for anyone that is learning Spanish or English, young or old, beginner or expert.

This Spanish/English story is presented in three versions. The first version is an alternating Spanish/English format, where the reader can first read a paragraph in Spanish, and then follow along in English. The second version presents the entire story first in Spanish, and the third version, in English. In this way, the reader can practice their comprehension with the full story.

« Pressing Buttons » is a great short story presented in the original English with excellent Spanish translation on each paragraph offering readers a unique learning aid as well as a superb entertainment.

Short stories serve as great tools to develop or practice the ability to think in a second language! Each paragraph of the story in English corresponds to the Spanish translation of the paragraph adjacent to it. This aids in the learning process, both with verb conjugation and syntax.

A dual language book is an excellent studying tool of great usage for anyone who is truly interested in learning a second language. As opposed to memorizing phrases or forcing yourself to finish up another dry foreign language grammar or verb manual, a dual language story keeps you eager and excited to turn each page!

My Thoughts:

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Pressing Buttons is a short story written in both English and Spanish. The story itself is simple with a relatable dilemma presented to the reader. Additionally, the protagonist/narrator of the story faces many questions that come up when faced with a do or die situation set on a spaceship, thus bringing in a Sci-Fi angle to the story.

While the story is written in a simple way, the interesting part is in the dual language. This short story serves two purposes: one is to entertain the reader; the other is to help a reader learn Spanish or English. The book is presented in three sections, the bilingual part; the story in Spanish and the story in English. This helps the reader choose which section to read.

I did enjoy this format of narration and I believe that the story helps as a learning aid for the languages.