Not too sure how I feel with this book. It doesn't follow the happy ending tale, and that makes me sorta upset but I understand it's importance in lessons and feeling that unresolved problem because it's out of your hands.

Ages 2-8
Graciela's papi went to California they needed money and the rain took to long to come burning up the crops in the field. Papi promised to call weekly for she misses him. That package was lost and she never received it. Her mom made her a gift that she will love for ever. ( )

is a story about a little girl wishing her dad could come back home to celebrate her seventh birthday. source Pierce college age 3 to 5

A girl, who is waiting for her father to return from working in the United State, receives news he is sending her a gift. Unfortunately after waiting a long time, they realize the gift may have been lost. She was not happy when she realized this on her birthday. That night after dinner her mother gave her a gift, it was a doll she made. The girl loved the doll, and one day sent it to her father. On her way back home dark clouds began to form, and it was about to rain. Her mother once told her if the rain returned, her father would come home. ( )

Stanton, Karen. Papi’s Gift. Rene King Moreno, Illustrator. Boyds Mills Press, 2007.

Annotation: In this story, Graciela is about to turn seven years old. She lives in a Spanish-speaking country south of the Unites States, although we are not told which. Her father has left to work picking fruit in California, and Graciela is eagerly waiting for a gift he has promised to send her. When the package does not arrive, Graciela grows angry and sad that she has neither a gift, nor her father. However, her hope is soon renewed when her mother presents her with a doll she has made with love and great care on her birthday.

Recommendations: This book would best be suited for readers ages 6-8. The text is written in the first-person and should catch the young reader’s attention. It is also rich in detail and deals with the themes of family and loneliness, ideas that would be interesting and appropriate for children of this age. The plot is somewhat unresolved as we are not sure whether Graciela’s father ever returns to her. This may provoke curiosity and wonder in the mind of the reader. Also, care should be used when presenting this story to the class. While children need exposure to many different cultural groups, stereotyping should be avoided. Graciela’s family is depicted as extremely poor, as her father has gone to the United States to look for work. While this may be a real part of life and the immigrant experience for some, it must not be the only representation of Latino-Americans the reader is exposed to. The book would be best read independently and then discussed as a class or family, or as shared reading with a teacher or parent, for potential difficulty with the text and themes. Children of this age are capable of discussing ideas about important issues like culture, family, and poverty.

Art: The artwork consists of beautiful full-page pastel drawings of Graciela and her family. The drawings are soft and detailed and require attention from the viewer’s eye. The warmth of colors and earth tones is appropriate for this story of a simple family in a rural village. Through these illustrations, the reader will feel as though they have been transported to Graciela’s village and privileged to a bird’s eye view of her family and home. The softness of colors and use of South and Central American themes and patterns add an authentic feel.