Review by Booklist Review
Pedro Flores was a Filipino immigrant who brought the yo-yo to America and made it a worldwide phenomenon. In Peñas' informative picture book, he describes how Flores overcame the challenges of living under colonial rule, migrating to a new country in 1915, and starting his own business from scratch. Opportunity knocked on his door when an American family took interest in a yo-yo he made for their son. Soon, everyone's interest was piqued, and Flores spent his time carving yo-yos at night and demonstrating tricks with them during the day. The yo-yo became a sensation, and he expanded his homemade business to several factories. Flores' determination and entrepreneurial spirit ensured that the yo-yo would capture the imagination of children and adults worldwide. The concise text, which nicely encapsulates key moments from Flores' life, is beautifully accompanied by Angel's naturalistic and expressive digital paintings, especially when depicting Flores' impressive yo-yo tricks. Robust back matter elaborates on Flores' life, the colonization of the Philippines, and the further history of the yo-yo.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
This contextualizing origin story of one of the most successful toys of all time doubles as the biography of Filipino entrepreneur Pedro Flores (1896--1964). Born during Spain's rule of the Philippines, Flores immigrated to the United States at 15 after the country was sold to the U.S. Arriving in Honolulu, he labored in pineapple fields, then took work on steamships, before heading to high school years later. Working as a bellhop in Santa Barbara, he "felt no better off than when he left the Philippines," Peñas writes. To entertain the child of a family he stayed with, he carved a wooden yo-yo, a version of a childhood toy he'd played with back home, and taught the boy tricks. Word spread, and Flores soon opened one factory, then more, to manufacture yo-yos. Angel's uneven digital illustrations capture experiences of colonialism and labor alongside the joy of a new toy in this well-researched picture book affirming ingenuity and perseverance. An author's note and more concludes. Ages 4--7. (Apr.)
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Review by Horn Book Review
Born in 1896 under Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines, Pedro Flores immigrated to the United States as a teenager. It wasn't until years later -- after he had worked in Hawaiian pineapple fields, on steamships in the Pacific, and at a hotel in California -- that he produced the first Flores yo-yo. Though Flores did not invent the toy (Penas traces its origins back thousands of years to China), his ingenious reengineering of it led to its rise in popularity (the word yo-yo means "come back" in Tagalog). Penas's straightforward text is well supported by deeply saturated images that illustrate Flores's experience as an immigrant: long hours of physically demanding labor and the dogged pursuit of education. It was with the help of a neighbor that Flores was able to start his business, and he committed to bringing his fellow kabayan into his success, as employees. Readers will delight in learning (or remembering) how to "Rock the Baby," "Loop the Loop," and "Walk the Dog." An author's note provides history about the Philippines, the yo-yo, and Flores's life. Gabi Kim HuescaMay/June 2024 p.160 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
How the toy that taught millions to "walk the dog" and "rock the baby" came to America. In the wake of the American occupation of the Philippines following the Spanish--American War, Pedro Flores (1896-1963) emigrated at 15 to work as a bellhop. He invented a refined version of what was known in his childhood as a yo-yo--a term that means "come back" in Tagalog--and ended up having to open multiple factories to keep pace with the demand. When he later sold the business to Chicago entrepreneur Donald Duncan, he stayed on for years and oversaw promotional demonstrations and competitions that sent the popular toy all over the world and even into space. Though, as the author explains in an afterword, the yo-yo (first called a "bandalore" and originally from China) was known in other countries, it was not all that popular until Flores redesigned it with a slip-string to make it more versatile; he also came up with some of the most spectacular yo-yo tricks himself. One illustration of him dramatically showing them off before an astounded crowd may inspire young yo-yo enthusiasts to make use of the helpful leads to print handbooks and websites found at the tail end. Bright smiles on the faces in Angel's illustrations add even more warmth to Peñas' insightful and stirring account. A glowing addition to the stories of immigrants who have made good in this, their new country. (Picture-book biography. 7-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
