Para Empezar (For Starters) is an exciting new first year Spanish program, which consists of two companion volumes. The main text, Interacciones (Interactions), contains all the material and activities to be done in class. It is filled with very lively but very focused activities, with basic grammar concepts and with colourful cultural information. The companion text, Exploraciones (Explorations), can also be used in class, if time permits, or be assigned to students to complete for homework. Exploraciones expands on the material presented in Interacciones and contains detailed grammar explanations and grammar practice along with reading, writing, and listening exercises. Para Empezar has a greatly reduced grammar syllabus from most other introductory Spanish texts, to the benefit of both student and instructor. With Para Empezar, instructors can easily complete the text in one year and students can truly master the most important basic grammar structures, giving them a stronger foundation for upper level courses. Para Empezar provides students with unique cultural coverage as well, as the text tells the story of a trip through Mexico. Additional cultural material includes Faceta cultural (Cultural Facet) sections to provide general cultural information, Otros mundos (Other Worlds) sections, which look at specific countries in the Hispanic world, and a brand new video which is tied to the text.