From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 1–It is January 5 and 4-year-old Federico is worried that the Magi, the Three Wise Men, won't fill his shoes with gifts because he has been naughty. He stays awake to watch for them, and the sight of the colorful Magi sailing through the sky laden with gifts, including his yearned-for toy horse, reassures him enough to lull him to sleep. This story takes place in an unnamed country in the southern hemisphere, where the kids frolic in summer clothing and lush, exotic plants are in bloom. Vidal's meticulous watercolor-and-gouache paintings bring Federico's world alive and make his nighttime garden a truly magical place, beneath a sparkling, star-spangled sky. Federico is so sweet that children won't believe for a moment that his shoes will remain empty. An author's note explains Epiphany Day as it is celebrated in Latin American countries.
–E. M. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
PreS-Gr. 2. On the night of January fifth, Federico and his sisters go to sleep hoping for gifts from the Magi, who "ride though the night sky bringing
regalos to good girls and boys." While his sisters and parents are sleeping, wakeful Federico goes out and watches the stars until he sees the Magi approaching on their flying camels. The appended glossary helpfully translates
regalos (gifts) and eight other Spanish words, though the meanings are usually evident from the context and illustrations. Decoratively patterned, the gouache-and-watercolor paintings employ naive forms and glowing colors to create magical scenes expressing a child's delight in a world that is full of wonders: the dark, quiet garden; the constellations; and the Magi themselves. According to the jacket flap, the story is based on Vidal's childhood experiences in Argentina, and the artwork does have the look of a lovingly re-created time and place. With its quiet narrative and beautiful illustrations, this celebrates the end of the Christmas season in a distinctly Latin American way, yet its story is accessible to every child.
Carolyn PhelanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
