Today is a big day for Paloma! She and her father are going up in a hot air balloon with their friend Gilbert. He is a real balloon pilot. Their ride starts out quite peacefully. They rise from the field surrounded by hundreds of other colorful balloons. Suddenly they find themselves in the middle of a dust devil. What will happen? They are swept out to the west side of the city where they land in a field. They find themselves transported back in time and meet some unexpected people. Who are these mysterious people who dress and speak so differently? What kind of special help do they have for Paloma, her father, and Gilbert? This book contains the exciting story of Paloma and her family as well as an author's note, a diagram of balloon parts, and a brief history of hot air ballooning.
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About the Author
Marcy Heller was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in Maryland and in California. As a child, she always wanted to become a writer. She has a B.F.A. in Painting from the San Francisco Art Institute, and an M.F.A. in Painting from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her career has been in publishing from the age of twenty-two. She was a scholarly book designer at the University of North Carolina Press, and Assistant Production Manager and Design at Stanford University Press. She learned pop-up book design and production and now focuses on designing children s books. Somewhere along the way, she returned to her original love of writing and began to write children s books. She has published Just You and Me, Grandpa with Reader s Digest Books for Children in 1994, Loco Dog and the Dust Devil in the Railyard in 2008, and now in 2010, Paloma and the Dust Devil at the Balloon Festival. Heller has lived in Santa Fe for twenty-four years and is the mother of two children. The landscapes and stories of New Mexico have captivated her for all of these years and continue to do so.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Magic in New Mexico reveals family bonds across time & space,
This review is from: Paloma and the Dust Devil at the Balloon Festival (Hardcover)
Young Paloma has waited a long time for an adventure in a hot air balloon. After all, she lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the balloon capitol of the world where every October hundreds of balloonists from around the world gather for the International Balloon Festival.
One year her father's friend Gilbert who lives in a nearby pueblo (a Native American reservation) promises them his first ride in a balloon that he is piloting for a local bank. Excitement mounts as they watch wave after wave of giant balloons get filled with hot air, stand up, and lift into the sky. Finally, their turn comes and Paloma's father lifts her into the basket. They rise high above the trees, pass over the Rio Grande, the suburbs of Albuquerque far below, and head into the western desert. Suddenly the balloon is sucked into a dust devil, not unusual in New Mexico. This dust devil is larger and more violent than most, so Gilbert shouts to Hector, Paloma's father, to help him open the flap that allows the balloon to descend. As Paloma peeks over the side of the basket to see the ground rising rapidly toward them, they land with a jolt and are dragged across a field until her father tethers them to a tree. Quickly a small woman wearing a long skirt and a strange hat rushes to their aid. Concerned about Paloma, she leads them to her traditional New Mexico adobe house, announcing that her name is Aleta. Paloma's father whispers to her that his "abuelita's" (grandmother's) name was Aleta. Soon Aleta's husband Severino arrives and Paloma's father gasps and asks what their family name is. "Gonzales," says Severino. Paloma cries out, "Papa, that's our name too!" Who are these people they encounter? Where and when do they come from? Why do they have the same family names as Paloma's ancestors? How do Paloma, her father, and friend return to the Balloon Festival? Paloma and the Dust Devil at the Balloon Festival captures the magic of childhood, the mystical qualities of New Mexico, and the endurance of family bonds. The final event in the story weaves together the magic, mysticism, traditions, and strong familial culture that pump the heart of The Land of Enchantment. "Paloma and the Dust Devil at the Balloon Festival," however, echoes every child's imagination, regardless of culture. Mark Giles
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enchanting!,
This review is from: Paloma and the Dust Devil at the Balloon Festival (Hardcover)
I love, love, love this book! At first you think it's a charming story about hot air balloons and father-daughter bonding, but it's so much more. It's an enchanting tale, with beautiful illustrations, and it made me just a little bit teary and sentimental by the end of it. I highly recommend this wonderful book for all lovers of New Mexico, hot air balloons and the treasured power of family.
5.0 out of 5 stars
I am a twelve-year old boy. I met the author on a camping trip.,
This review is from: Paloma and the Dust Devil at the Balloon Festival (Hardcover)
I am submitting this review for a 12 year old boy I met on a recent camping trip in the remote mountains of Colorado. He and I became friends and I gave him a free copy in exchange for writing anything he wanted about the book. One of the great things about being a children's book author is the opportunity to interact with children. They will always surprise and enchant me!
"I really liked the art." Blake Miller Mansfield, Texas
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