Overview
Teresa was so excited when her grandpa gave her a fantastic littlecarrito for her birthday. Everyone admired it when she rode down the sidewalk and it won Best Car at the playground hands down. Over time, though, she stops taking care of it and it practically falls apart. But when it helps her escape from a neighborhood dog, she is reminded of how much she loves it. And her grandpa is just the person to help her fix it up. After all, he’s old, too, but he’s still fun to play with.A funny, touching story with zippy illustrations, this is a painless way to show kids that it’s important to take care of the things (and people) you love.
Teresa enjoys parading the new lowrider car from Grandpa and making it dance, and when it becomes old and damaged Grandpa helps her fix it.
Synopsis
Teresa was so excited when her grandpa gave her a fantastic littlecarrito for her birthday. Everyone admired it when she rode down the sidewalk and it won Best Car at the playground hands down. Over time, though, she stops taking care of it and it practically falls apart. But when it helps her escape from a neighborhood dog, she is reminded of how much she loves it. And her grandpa is just the person to help her fix it up. After all, he s old, too, but he s still fun to play with.
A funny, touching story with zippy illustrations, this is a painless way to show kids that it s important to take care of the things (and people) you love.
Publishers Weekly
This vivacious introduction to ranfla (lowrider) culture takes readers on a ride to the barrio. Teresa, who is old enough to be "embarrassed by her trike," gets a fabulous birthday present from her beloved Abuelito Benny: a bright green, flame-detailed, pedal-powered lowrider. She quickly masters the ways of lowrider hotshots, making her car "dance" (bounce up and down), and when her neighbor Jose Luis, the owner of a full-size, flaming pink ranfla, expresses admiration for her carrito, she coolly responds, "I like your bomb tambien!" Soto's (Chato's Kitchen) pithy text uses a mix of Spanish and English to great effect, and a short introductory glossary helps translate terms. Drawing on the visual elements and glowing palettes of Latin-American muralists, Paparone (I Like Cats) creates a series of vignettes that pulse with energy and exude the comforting security of a tightly knit community. As for Teresa herself, she's a spunky heroine who zooms through the streets with a cool confidence that is at once comic and admirable. The book isn't quite as surefooted, however, when it comes to the larger message: Teresa fails to take proper care of her ranfla and it deteriorates until "her grandfather didn't even recognize the beautiful car he had given her." But Abuelito Benny helps Teresa restore the carrito and ultimately, the book has so much verve that readers will likely overlook this small quibble. Ages 4-up. (Apr.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.