Felicia always feels very small when she and her mom walk by the huge homes and beautiful gardens to the house where her mother works as a cleaning lady. “I need you to behave,” her mother says, reminding her of all the things she should and shouldn’t do.
But Felicia gets bored, and in spite of her mother’s warnings, begins to explore. She finds a bedroom full of toys. How she wished that her house looked like this! From a window she sees an inviting swing set in the back yard, and soon she’s breaking all of her mother’s rules.
When Mrs. Fitzpatrick comes outside, Felicia can’t help but wonder if the woman knows she was roaming through the house. To her surprise, the red-headed woman offers her lemonade and cookies instead of a scolding. Soon the two realize that—even though they live in different worlds—they have something in common. This bilingual picture book will lend itself to conversations about hopes and dreams and the differences among people.
“A young Latina girl has an unexpected encounter while accompanying her mother to work in this bilingual picture book touching on the immigrant experience. With a deft and subtle touch, author Barbieri, the daughter of Salvadoran and Nicaraguan parents, captures a small but resonant moment. With illustrations that suggest a sunny memory, Felicia’s story shows the ways that she’s part of a continuing cycle, rather than an outsider, and does it without belaboring the point.”—Kirkus Reviews, (starred review)
“A story likely to leave readers thinking about class and privilege, a Latina girl named Felicia accompanies her Mamá to a gated mansion, where she works as a housecleaner. Barbieri draws clear parallels between the struggles and aspirations of immigrants past and present, while Fields’s illustrations practically glow with the promise of the ‘charmed life’ Felicia desires.”—Publishers Weekly
“A bilingual, slice-of-life tale about a Latina girl that subtly explores class and immigration. Race and language barriers aren’t addressed, but the sentiment behind the message is a positive one. The sun-tinged illustrations give the text an added level of charm, and the characters’ expressions often offer another layer to the storytelling. A gentle title that will hopefully spur conversation about privilege, immigration, and families.”—School Library Journal
“This is an inspiring book, teaching children that they can achieve their dreams like many others before them.”—Catholic Library World
GLADYS E. BARBIERI is a first-grade teacher in Los Angeles, California. The daughter of a Salvadoran mother and a Nicaraguan father, she received a B.A. in Communications from the University of San Francisco and an M.A. in Elementary Education from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. She is the author of Rubber Shoes: A Lesson in Gratitude / Los zapatos de goma: Una lección de gratitude, Pink Fire Trucks / Los camiones de bomberos de color rosado and Monster Slayer / Exterminadora de monstruos.
LISA FIELDS is the illustrator of The Triple Banana Split Boy / El niño goloso (Piñata Books, 2009) and Grandma’s Chocolate / El chocolate de Abuelita (Piñata Books, 2010). She received a BFA in illustration from the Ringling School of Art and Design and attended the Illustration Academy. A member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, she lives in White Plains, New York.
ATOS Interest Level: Lower Grades
Category: Picture Book
ATOS English: 3.6
ATOS Spanish: 3.3
Accelerated Reader Quiz #: 182024
