Radio Man/Don Radio (Trophy Picture Books) [Paperback]

Arthur Dorros (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 2, 1997 | Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up | Series: Trophy Picture Books

Diego and his family are migrant farmers who move from state to state picking fruits and vegetables. Each day brings a new experience--a different place, a different crop, and different people to meet. But no matter where Diego goes, his radio goes with him--it helps him to learn about the places he's going and to keep in touch with the people he meets along the way. Full color.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Toting his omnipresent radio, Diego and his family of migrant farm workers leave a tiny cabin and head for the cabbage fields. Though the music on his radio brings him joy, the boy is sad to bid farewell to his friend David when Diego's family takes to the road looking for more work. The voices of various Spanish- and English-speaking announcers ("Hello. You're tuned to Bird radio, of Phoenix, Arizona"; or " Ahora, anuncios de KMPO ") chart Diego's travels as the family makes temporary stops across the Southwest and eventually heads north to the apple orchards of Washington State. Wherever they go, Diego searches for David. Fittingly, it is through a call-in program on his beloved radio that Diego communicates with his buddy, bringing the story to a heartwarming close. Spot art separates English and Spanish on text pages that alternate with affecting, primitive-like acrylic paintings. While there are a few other books about children of migrant farm workers (for example, Amelia's Road , Children's Forecasts, Aug. 9), the Dorros' work is noteworthy in presenting a protagonist who would be just as interesting in another milieu. A brief glossary translates eight Spanish phrases incorporated into the English text. Ages 6-10.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Ages 6-10. Diego and David are good friends. Their families are migrant farm workers who travel all the time--from crop to crop, season to season. The consistent, connecting thread in their lives is the sound of the radio--in the field to ease the picking and in the truck during long night rides. It's also there when the families part, as Diego's family sets out for Washington to pick apples. Once at the orchards, Diego hears KMPO, farm worker's radio and, longing to find David again, calls the radio "bulletin board" with a message: "Hello, David! This is Diego. Are you here?" The typeface is large and clear, with the English and Spanish texts (both handled well) separated by thumbnail watercolors that effectively coordinate with the full-page art on the facing page. The plentiful, naive-style paintings contribute a solid sense of place and reflect the strong family ties and efforts at community Dorros conveys in his story. The final illustration is a smiling David hearing Diego's message on the radio. Janice Del Negro --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Paperback: 40 pages
• Publisher: Rayo; Bilingual edition (August 2, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0064434826
• ISBN-13: 978-0064434829
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 10 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #990,213 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Arthur Dorros is a real-life papa. He learned Spanish while living in Latin America and helped teach his son, Alex, the language. One of Alex's first words was "agua," and Arthur called him "Agua Man."
Arthur Dorros is the author of many books for children, including JULIO'S Magic, a CLASP Amaricas Award Commended Title, and the popular Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science book Ant Cities. He lives in Seattle, Washington.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book, May 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Radio Man/Don Radio (Trophy Picture Books) (Paperback)

A touching story. Everytime I tell this story (I am a storyteller) when I visit schools, I get comments from the teachers and the students. A little fourth grader came up to me her eyes shinning with pride and a big smile and said: "I am one of them, I pick cucumbers and tomatoes in Ohio." Teachers, and even a principal, have come to me with tears in their eyes and said: "That was me, thank you for the story." It is a great book to share with students, to give a voice to the migrants who do so much for us, who pick the crops all over the United States so we can then enjoy them!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Diego woke up to the sounds of a deep voice on the radio.", September 23, 2006

By 

Luan Gaines "luansos" (Dana Point, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Radio Man/Don Radio (Trophy Picture Books) (Paperback)

In a family of migrant farm workers, Diego's life is different than that of other children, as his parents, brothers and sisters travel all over the southwestern states picking crops. Known by his friends as "Radio Man", Diego is never without the radio, the voice of the announcer trumpeting the states they pass through, the weather and the news. Diego's radio his constant companion, it is a reminder of where they have been and where they are going, repeating the familiar names of towns along the way, from Texas to Arizona to California, even to Washington, where the apple season is ripe for the picking.

In Texas, Diego becomes friends with David, but the boys know they may not meet again for a long time. While he sees cousins in other worker camps, Diego is disappointed when he fails to find David among the familiar faces. One day, when the radio announcer urges listeners to call in with messages, Diego has a brilliant idea: he calls the station and sends a message to David, "Are you there?" Happily, David is listening to the radio that day and answers his friend's call.

Written in English and Spanish, the story accentuates the very different world of migrant farm workers, where friendships are often difficult to maintain as families move from place to place earning a living. But thanks to his radio, Diego is able to locate David again, thrilled that his message is heard by the very person for which it was intended. Although the bilingual format isn't as user-friendly in the English as the Spanish, the story is poignant and instructive, a rare peek behind the many faces of our society, revealing the everyday concerns of a young boy searching for his friend. Luan Gaines/2006.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Radio Man/Don Radio, August 8, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Radio Man/Don Radio (Trophy Picture Books) (Paperback)

I really enjoyed this well-written story about migrant workers going from place to place to pick crops. Instead of being isolated, the young man in the story listens to the Spanish-speaking stations wherever he goes and the radio gives him a sense of connection to his friends. It reminds me of the power of the radio stations across Mexico, especially San Miguel de Allende, where a tourist lost all his money by dropping his wallet and within minutes someone found it and took it to the radio station. He cried when he got his money back--all of it.