In his debut as an author, Velasquez, illustrator of The Sound That Jazz Makes (2000) tells an entertaining first-person story (presumably autobiographical) of an unnamed Puerto Rican boy in the ’50s who spends every summer with his grandmother in Spanish Harlem. The boy draws in his sketchbook as Grandma Carmen tells stories of her childhood in Puerto Rico and plays her much-loved records, especially her favorite song that she always listens to with one hand raised and her other hand over her heart. When the narrator and his grandma attend a concert by the most famous band in Puerto Rico, the band dedicates this special song to Grandma Carmen, and the audience members also listen with one hand raised and the other over their hearts. We learn along with the young narrator that “En Mi Viejo San Juan” is special to those of Puerto Rican heritage, capturing their longing for their homeland. The story ends with the grown narrator, now an artist in his own studio (painting this work’s cover), remembering his grandma and playing her favorite song on his modern sound system—with his hand over his heart. Several Spanish sentences and phrases are worked into the text (with English translations), and the words to Grandma’s song are also included in both Spanish and English. Velasquez is a talented painter whose illustrations capture the love between generations and the excitement of attending a live concert and meeting professional musicians. Thoughtful details add to the flavor of the period; tiny phonograph album covers fill the endpapers, historical artifacts to today’s readers. Although we can’t hear Grandma’s song, this heart-felt story has a melody of its own. (author’s note) (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: May 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-8027-8760-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Walker
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2001
Award-winning author Bunting's (Night of the Gargoyles, p. 1122, etc.; The In-Between Days) persuasive moral tale about a young Mexican boy in contemporary California who lies in order to help his family. Francisco accompanies his grandfather to get work as a day laborer because grandfather, or "Abuelo," doesn't speak English. When a man comes along asking for a gardener, Francisco eagerly tells him that Abuelo is an excellent gardener. But as it turns out, neither Abuelo nor Francisco knows much about plants, and instead of pulling out the weeds, they pull out all the healthy new plants instead. The man who hired them is angry, and Abuelo is confused, until he learns the extent of his grandson's involvement in the mistake. Francisco is ashamed of what he has done and admires Abuelo's dignity under the circumstances: Abuelo insists on doing the job right and will not accept the man's offer of payment until it has been done. Himler's gentle watercolor illustrations capture the hot, dry landscape and the cowed, yet hopeful, postures of immigrants seeking to make their way in a new land. A fine, moving story that manages to convey an important moral message without sounding preachy or didactic. (Fiction/Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 19, 1994
ISBN: 0-395-67321-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1994
A charming exploration of children’s special relationship with nature.
The story of a young Black boy who “fell in love with a field.”
The book opens with a peaceful scene of Emile sitting in a field overrun with wildflowers of various colors. This is his favorite haunt, where he and his little black dog spend countless hours undisturbed, daydreaming and communing with blossoms and insects. Emile—who often whispers lovingly to the field and regards it as a sentient companion—reflects on all the things the field will never get to experience. Although the field knows the four seasons and “how many stars / there were / and just how far,” it will never get to see the sea and skyscrapers. When winter comes and snow covers the field, Emile worries, wondering where the field goes when it disappears. And when some noisy children invade the field to sled and build snowpals, Emile hates that he has to share his beloved sanctuary, until his dad teaches him that love is not about possession but appreciation. Although some readers may pause at the unconventional punctuation, Young’s gentle, sparely worded narrative endearingly captures the animistic, magical thinking of children and the joy of tranquil childhood hours spent in nature. The impressionistic, atmospheric artwork—rendered in watercolor and ink—underscores the dreamy, spontaneous nature of Emile’s outdoor adventures and features open compositions that create a sense of expansiveness. All characters present Black except one White background character.
A charming exploration of children’s special relationship with nature. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: March 15, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-984850-42-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Make Me a World
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2022
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