First Day in Grapes (Pura Belpre Honor Book. Illustrator (Awards)) [Hardcover]

L. King Perez (Author), Robert Casilla (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 2002 | Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up | Series: Pura Belpre Honor Book. Illustrator (Awards)

All year long, Chico’s family moves up and down the state of California to pick fruits and vegetables. Every September, Chico starts at a new school. Often, the other kids pick on him — maybe because he’s always new, or maybe because he speaks Spanish sometimes. But third grade promises to be different. He likes his teacher, and she recognizes his excellent abilities in math — he may even get to go to the math fair! When some fourth-grade bullies tease him, he surprises them with strengths of his own.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3-Chico's family leads a nomadic existence, following California's crops. Places don't have names but rather are associated with whatever fruit or vegetable is being harvested. The story begins as they arrive at a place simply identified as "a camp in grapes." Chico is understandably apprehensive about starting third grade at yet another new school because his previous experiences involved bullying and name calling. He meets an intimidating bus driver and a kind teacher, gets a chance to display his excellent math skills, makes new friends, and has a playground face-off with some notorious bullies. With enough positives to compensate for the challenges, the child finishes his first day of the school year with a sense of pride and accomplishment. Reminiscent of Francisco Jimenez's La Mariposa (Houghton, 1998; o.p.), this story also sheds light on the life of migrant children in a poignant, balanced manner. While some of the hardships are left unexplored, this title will serve as a launching point for discussions about the migrant experience. Although a bit static, the watercolor, colored-pencil, and pastel illustrations bring warmth and color to this portrait of life in rural California.
Rosalyn Pierini, San Luis Obispo City-County Library, CA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 1-3. Growing up in a migrant family, Chico has experienced first school days in artichokes and first days in onions, and "now his first day in third grade would be in grapes." His encounters with bullies and the grumpy school bus driver shake Chico's confidence, but a friendly classmate and an understanding teacher help him adjust. In fact, Ms. Andrews admires his remarkable math talent and invites Chico to compete in the Math Fair. When the bullies return at lunch, Chico stands up to them and challenges them with math questions until they retreat, and the day ends with an upbeat bus ride home. The quick resolution with the school bullies strains credibility, but the rest of the story rings true. Realistic watercolor, pastel, and colored-pencil illustrations are especially adept at portraying Chico's emotions. His story will resonate with migrant students and those who have moved frequently. For others, it's an insightful glimpse of another way of life and a reminder that different kids have different talents. Linda Perkins
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Lee & Low Books (September 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584300450
• ISBN-13: 978-1584300458
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #372,703 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read for young Hispanics., August 21, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: First Day in Grapes (Pura Belpre Honor Book. Illustrator (Awards)) (Hardcover)

I recently read First Day in Grapes to my second grade class. They were engaged by the story of Chico and his experiences in yet another new school. Half of my kids came up to me afterward and told me they "loved" this story. They made a lot of connections with an Hispanic character and many could relate to moving around. I would recommend this book highly to teachers and others who value a story with a meaningful moral.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars First Day in Grapes is First Rate!!!!!, September 10, 2002

By 

Amy Grogan (Liberty Hill, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: First Day in Grapes (Pura Belpre Honor Book. Illustrator (Awards)) (Hardcover)

The main character in this book, Chico, is Hispanic, but his story is universal and engaging. I was delighted when my third-grader, who is a reluctant reader, read this book without stopping. She loved how Chico stood up for himself and solved his problems with Math. The illustrations are wonderful and the story has a terrific moral without preaching.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Less than perfect, sad to say, June 15, 2004

By 

E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: First Day in Grapes (Pura Belpre Honor Book. Illustrator (Awards)) (Hardcover)

Oog. I always have a great deal of difficulty giving poor reviews to books that fill a need. And I especially find it hard to give a tough review to a book that not only tells a tale about a boy of Latin American descent, but also won a coveted Pura Belpre Honor. Nevertheless, I have to admit that I was unimpressed by author L. King Perez's foray into the world of children's picture books. Though a well-meaning tale about standing up for one's self, the story is an overly familiar one and its packaging is nothing to write home about.

Our hero is a boy named Chico. Chico moves with his family up and down California as they pick fruits and vegetables to support themselves. Now it is September when the grapes are ready to be picked and Chico is not particularly fond of the idea of going back to school. He moves around quite a lot and is familiar with bullies and kids that tease him because he is different. In this particular school, however, something changes. His teacher likes him, he does particularly well in math, and he finds a way to deal with the bullies that he meets. As the book flap says, "This story of personal triumph is a testament to the inner strength in all of us". Well...sort of.

The fact of the matter is, there's not a lot here that hasn't been hashed and rehashed in better books. Want to read a story about a child that deals with some prejudices that are less obvious than the ones dealt with in this story? Try finding A.F. Ada's, "My Name is Maria Isabel". Like the idea of a child of migrant workers that finds strength in standing up to people without relying on violence? Look at fellow Pura Belpre winner, "Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez" by Kathleen Krull. These books have a style and wit all of their own, and they're well worth seeking out. "First Day In Grapes"? Not so much.

Here were my problems with the book. First of all (and there's no getting around it) the book's boring. I'm sorry, but there it is. Moments of tension aren't properly built up. Accompanied by illustrator Robert Casilla's interesting but by and large mediocre pictures, the book has a kind of dragging feel. Then there's the method by which Chico defeats his bullies. I have little doubt that there are ways to outsmart such villains. You'll just have to forgive me if I don't think shaming them with math skills is one of them. The ending is a bit patchy, and more than a touch unbelievable. I can hear people claiming that such a thing could happen. And maybe in a better book I would have bought it. But L. King Perez, while having an interesting story on her hands, hasn't sold it to the reader properly.

My final call? Some kids will dig this book, but most won't. Its themes and ideas are so common in children's literature and picture books that I can say with almost absolute certainty that you will have minimal difficulty finding them in other better pieces of kiddie lit. While I agree with almost every Pura Belpre Honor book there is, I cannot wholeheartedly recommend this one. That's all.