Pedrito's Day [Hardcover]

Luis Garay (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1997 | Age Level: 5 and up

Shining shoes to earn money toward a bicycle, young Pedrito dreams about all of the wonderful possibilities a bicycle will permit him, until a reckless mistake forces him to prove he is starting to grow up.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Garay, who so gracefully illustrated A Handful of Seeds by Monica Hughes, makes an eloquent debut as writer. Pedrito's father has gone North to work and writes home monthly, asking of his son, "Is he big enough yet?" When the reply is yes, he will add to his son's earnings so that Pedrito can buy what he wants most, a bike. One day, as Pedrito diligently shines shoes at the market, Tia Paula at the fruit stand asks him to get change. He is sidetracked when older boys invite him to join their soccer game: "They all knew they should be working, but the ball swept back and forth, drawing them in as if it were weaving a spell." He loses the money, but, unprompted, replaces it with most of his bicycle savings, an action that prompts his mother to pronounce, "Now he is big enough." Both text and art create a strong sense of the Latin American marketplace where Pedrito and his mother work, in which bright clothes and merchandise stand out against gray streets and shabby brown buildings. Garay's unusual mix of paint and fine cross-hatching combines strongly defined forms with a delicate, gravelly texture. The gravity and stability of the painstaking art heightens the wisdom of this sober but warm story. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 4. Somewhere in Latin America (the text does not identify the country), Pedrito lives with his mother and grandmother. His father has "gone north to work" but regularly sends money home. The boy longs for the day when he will be old enough to have some of this money set aside for a bicycle. One day, while his mother sells tortillas and tamales in the market and he shines shoes, he is asked to fetch change for an aunt. He stops to play soccer; when the game is over, he is dismayed to find that the money is missing. He considers telling a lie, but tells the truth and replaces the lost money with his own earnings. When the next letter arrives from his father, his mother tells him that some of the money will go toward a bicycle. This simple story of transgression and redemption is told in a straightforward and clear manner, but it is not very exciting and the language is stilted. Garay tries to convey Pedrito's feelings, but since the characters lack substance and texture, this is difficult. Some sense of place and culture is provided through the brightly colorful illustrations, but even they are somehow flat and lifeless. In the most dramatic scene, while Pedrito is deciding what to do, his face shows little emotion. Because of its generic quality, this book might reinforce stereotypes rather than expose children to aspects of life in another country.?Linda Greengrass, Bank Street College Library, New York City
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Orchard Books (NY) (March 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0531095223
• ISBN-13: 978-0531095225
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,190,779 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent lesson in reponsibility, August 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Pedrito's Day (Hardcover)

I use this book in my classroom for multicultural studies because it provides an excellent lesson in responsibility. The story is not in depth, but the message is clear.