Review by Booklist Review
William's family lives in an apartment near his aunts' and his grandparents' homes. One day, he watches his mother and Tía Ana, her sister, put together packages of food, medicine, and clothing to send "back home" to relatives in Cuba. When William gets restless, Mama gives him an assignment: find a pair of shoes that will fit Leo, a cousin he has never met. When he learns that Leo has freckles and loves baseball and drawing, just like him, William wants to help. Not one of his nearby relatives has shoes that will fit Leo, much to William's distress. But upon reflection, he realizes that his shoes would be perfect! He suddenly feels happy to help a cousin he's never met. As Gal notes in the back matter, sending needed items to relatives in "the old country" is a familiar tradition in many immigrant families. Created with pencil, ink, and watercolor, the illustrations feature deep, rich colors that reflect the beauty of nature and the sometimes intense emotions of the relatives within this physically divided but still close-knit family. Spanish words within the text appear, along with definitions and pronunciation guides, in an appended section. This moving picture book marks Deedy's debut as a writer.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this jubilant, dialogue-driven story with a "Cinderella"-like arc, a child seeks to help family by searching for a much-needed item. Every month, William watches as Mami and Tía Ana bring home goods to mail from the U.S. to relatives in Cuba. Eager to help, William is tasked to find "zapatos, shoes, for your cousin Leo. He has outgrown his, and there is no money left to buy more." Given a tracing of Leo's foot, William visits the apartments of his relatives to see if their feet match the outline of Leo's, and learns that Leo has freckles, likes to draw, and loves baseball--just like William. The bold strokes, scribbles, and textures of Gal's exuberant pencil, ink, and watercolor illustrations amplify Deedy's energetic prose as William, family member by family member, devotedly works toward a moment of personal generosity. Creators' notes and a glossary of Spanish words conclude. Ages 4--8. (Mar.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A Cuban American boy helps prepare aid for his faraway family. Each month, Mami and Tía Ana gather much-needed items and send them to relatives living in Cuba. William's usually on the sidelines during the packing extravaganza, but one day, Mami gives him an important job: to check whether anyone in the family has extra zapatos (shoes) for his cousin Leo. Armed with the outline of Leo's footprint on a piece of paper, William starts his mission, learning more about Leo with each stop. First, he heads over to Tía Rosa and Tía Olga's downstairs apartment, but Tía Olga's shoes are too big for Leo, and Tía Rosa's high heels aren't suitable, either. William goes to his abuelos' apartment next. Alas, Abuela has only extra pantuflas (slippers), and Abuelo wears special shoes due to his bout with polio at a young age, so no luck there. Where will William find shoes for Cousin Leo, who loves baseball, has freckles, and enjoys drawing, just like William? In her picture-book debut, Deedy draws upon childhood memories to weave a touching testament to family bonds grounded in immigrant experiences. Though more perceptive readers may wonder why it takes William so long to finally hit upon a somewhat obvious solution, his eventual decision closes this tale on a lovely note. Gal's effervescent illustrations boast solid pencil and ink linework and gorgeous blends of watercolors, to rich results. A tender look at family, near and far. (glossary, author's note, artist's note)(Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
