Francisco’s Kites – Las cometas de Francisco
By Alicia Z. Klepeis, Illustrations by Gary Undercuffler, Translation by Gabriela Baeza Ventura
Publisher: Piñata Books – Arte Público Press, Houston, Texas
This children’s book excellently captures the mood of a young boy who is missing his friends left behind in El Salvador. He is wishing he had a kite, but his mom can’t afford to buy him one. He decides to make one.
This decision takes him on a journey that is fun, exciting, and intriguing not to mention inventive and filled with ingenuity. You have to read the story to see what happens next, but I guarantee that your child will enjoy Francisco’s story.
This tale is a testament to what a child can do when they have that creative gene working. The book is written for children between the ages of 4 to 8, and it’s almost a guarantee that your child will want to build a kite once he or she reads this book. The story is cleverly done to provide entertainment and knowledge at the same time. Your child will learn how to be creative, how to be resourceful, how to be inventive, and get exposure to another language.
The illustrations are created with much thought in mind and it shows. In addition to the main plot, the author has interjected things from the Salvadoran culture so that it enhances the story and makes it more interesting. What a good way for a child to learn about a new culture!
Because the book is bilingual is an added plus. This is another great teaching tool for a parent or teacher.
Source: Book was provided by author for review. It was reviewed by Corina Martinez Chaudhry.
