“Chee-ree, chee’ree, chee-re! The birds tweet their morning songs,” so begins this celebration of a young boy’s parents, whom he calls heroes of the harvest. The rhythmic verse follows them from the early morning chirping birds through when the whistle blows in the fields where they work to when they come home and wrap their adoring son in their arms.
Complemented by sun-drenched illustrations in vibrant fall colors, this bilingual picture book rings with a sonorous ode to a young boy’s parents. This is a celebration of both the harvest season and the strong bonds of a close-knit family.
“[This is] a special children’s book that honors the labors of migrant farmworkers and their family.”—MultiCultural Review
SAMUEL CARABALLO was born in Vieques, a gorgeous, tiny island off the East Coast of Puerto Rico. He spent many of his childhood days playing in the countryside hills and picking mango and guavas, his favorite tropical fruits. He has served as an interpreter for the courts in cases involving Hispanics and has also dedicated many years to teaching Spanish in several public schools in the United States. He is the author of four bilingual picture books for children, Estrellita se despide de su isla / Estrellita Says Good-bye to Her Island (Piñata Books, 2002), Mis abuelos y yo / My Grandparents and I (Piñata Books, 2004), My Big Sister / Mi hermana mayor (Piñata Books, 2012), and Estas Manos: Manitas de mi familia / These Hands: My Family’s Hands (Piñata Books, 2014). He lives in Virginia with his family.
Learn more at samuelmcaraballo.com.
OBED GÓMEZ was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico. As a young boy, he developed an interest in drawing and studied art at the League of Art of San Juan and the Andrés Bueso Academy of Arts. He received a BA in Visual Arts from the University of Sacred Heart in Santurce. Gómez¹s artwork has been displayed in Puerto Rico, England, and the United States. He was nominated for the prestigious Paoli award in 2004. Gómez lives in Orlando, Florida.
ATOS Interest Level: Lower Grades
Category: Picture Book
ATOS English: 1.7
ATOS Spanish: 1.4
Accelerated Reader Quiz #: 102345
