Francisco's kites

Alicia Klepeis, 1971-

Book - 2015

Francisco misses his village in El Salvador, and especially flying a kite with his friends, but Mamá can't afford to buy a kite, so he gathers discarded materials around his apartment building and makes his own, which catches the eye of a store owner and leads to a wonderful project.

Saved in:

Children's Room Show me where

j468.6/Klepis
1 / 1 copies available
Location Call Number   Status
Children's Room j468.6/Klepis Checked In
Subjects
Published
Houston, Texas : Pinata Books/Arte Público Press 2015.
Language
Spanish
English
Main Author
Alicia Klepeis, 1971- (author)
Other Authors
Gary Undercuffler (illustrator), Gabriela Baeza Ventura (translator)
Physical Description
1 volume (unpaged) : color illustrations ; 23 x 29 cm
ISBN
9781558858046
Contents unavailable.
Review by School Library Journal Review

Gr 2-4-Salvadoran immigrant Francisco misses his hometown where he used to fly kites with all his friends. After moving to Chicago, neither he nor his mom can afford to buy a kite. Francisco scours his neighborhood for usable junk, and before long he collects enough material to make a kite. A gentleman from church is so impressed by Francsico's resourcefulness that he commissions 20 more recycled masterpieces at four dollars apiece. His new enterprise gives Francisco the confidence to start a kite-flying club at school and make new friends. Undercuffler's colorful and distinct illustrations will entice children to try designing and building their own kites. This bilingual story's emphasis isn't on the hardships new immigrants face but rather on a young boy using his love of kites as a coping device in an unfamiliar environment. VERDICT Pairing this engaging title with nonfiction selections, such as Norman Schmidt's Best Ever Paper Kites (Sterling, 2003), will enhance classroom and/or parent/child experiences.-Mary Margaret Mercado, Pima County Public Library, Tucson, AZ © Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review

Francisco misses flying kites in his native El Salvador, so he builds one from found materials in his new Chicago neighborhood. The owner of a recycled goods store notices the kite and offers to pay Francisco to make twenty more. In both English and Spanish, the quiet text tells a gentle story. The illustrations are stiff but convey Francisco's pride in his creations. (c) Copyright 2015. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

A resourceful boy in a new town discovers a talent for giving old scraps flight in this immigrant's story. Francisco misses his home in El Salvador and can't get out of his funk as he waits out a summer in his new home in Chicago. Remembering the joy of flying kites with his friends back home, he collects discarded materials around the neighborhood, eventually making his own kite, though not without hesitation. The first thrilling flight leads to more ambitious designs, and before long, Francisco wins both friends and a bit of fame. He's even offered a chance to build kites for money, allowing him to take his mother out to a Salvadoran restaurant. The sturdy (if sometimes stiff) text doesn't skimp on chronicling Francisco's ongoing doubts as well as his triumphs. The line-and-watercolor illustrations capture his moods elegantly, from his bored sulking at the story's start to his determined builder's face to his absolute pleasure smelling a hot plate of pupusas or watching his dragon kite take to the sky. The kites themselves, with their patchwork patterns, are gloriously rendered with depth and variety. All text in the book displayed in English is followed by its Spanish equivalent on the same page, separated by narrow, unobtrusive illustrations. Francisco's transformation from pensive newcomer to entrepreneurial kite master is inspiring and well-detailed in this successful slice of life. (Picture book. 6-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.