A Day's Work

by Eve Bunting, Ronald Himler

Overview

Francisco, a young Mexican-American boy, helps his grandfather find work as a gardener, even though the old man cannot speak English and knows nothing about gardening. "Bunting perfectly captures the intergenerational love and respect shared by these two characters and the man's strong sense of honesty and integrity. Himler's softly colored illustrations reflect the feelings of the characters and setting." -- School Library Journal 1994 fiction

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780780785021
Publisher:	Perfection Learning Corporation
Publication date:	09/01/1998
Sales rank:	1,028,535
Product dimensions:	9.70(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Eve Bunting was the beloved, award-winning author of more than two hundred and fifty books for young people, including the Caldecott Medal-winning Smoky Night, illustrated by David Diaz, The Wall, Fly Away Home, and Train to Somewhere.

Ronald Himler is the award-winning illustrator of more than 75 books for children. He lives in the desert outside of Tuscon, Arizona. ronhimler.com
 

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Bunting perfectly captures the intergenerational love and respect shared by these two characters and the man's strong sense of honesty and integrity. Himler's softly colored illustrations reflect the feelings of the characters and setting." School Library Journal

"Bunting perfectly captures the intergenerational love and respect shared by these two characters and the man's strong sense of honesty and integrity. Himler's softly colored illustrations reflect the feelings of the characters and setting." SLJ Best Books of the Year

Editorial Reviews

A boy lies to secure work for his grandfather, newly arrived from Mexico; Himler's "expressive, gestural watercolors... strongly invoke both the harsh and tender landscapes of [the story]," said PW. Ages 5-8. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

K-Gr 3-A charming story about an elderly man who has just come from Mexico to live with his daughter and grandson Francisco in California. The boy convinces a man to hire him and his Abuelo by saying that ``...my grandfather is a fine gardener, though he doesn't know English yet,'' in spite of the fact that he has always lived in the city and worked as a carpenter. After their new employer drives off in his van, the two set to work-but they pull up all of the plants and leave the weeds. ``We do not lie for work,'' Abuelo tells Francisco when he learns what they have done, and they return the next day to rectify their mistake for no extra pay. Bunting perfectly captures the intergenerational love and respect shared by these two characters and the man's strong sense of honesty and integrity. Himler's softly colored illustrations reflect the feelings of the characters and the setting.-Jessie Meudell, California Polytechnic University at Pomona

School Library Journal

The author and illustrator of "The Wall" (1990) and "Fly Away Home" (1991) here tell a touching immigration story about the reversal of roles between child and adult. A small Mexican American boy, Francisco acts as interpreter for his "abuelo", newly arrived in California and looking for work as a day laborer. The boy speaks English for his grandfather and pushes hard, even tells lies, to get him a job as a gardener. "Abuelo"'s a carpenter, not a gardener, and he and Francisco pull out the flowers instead of the weeds. The employer is furious, but then "abuelo" takes charge and insists on working the next day without pay to put things right. Himler's watercolor and gouache paintings have warmth and urgency; they're sensitive without being maudlin. The characters of the all-male cast are wonderfully individualized: the lively boy in his Lakers cap is eager to make things happen; the grandfather is bewildered but with an inner certainty; the employer is angry but is no monster. In the tense competition among the laborers in the hiring yard, we feel the desperation of people without work. The family drama captures that universal immigrant experience in which the child must help the adult interpret the new world, while the wise adult still has much to teach the child about enduring values.

Hazel Rochman

"Bunting perfectly captures the intergenerational love and respect shared by these two characters and the man's strong sense of honesty and integrity. Himler's softly colored illustrations reflect the feelings of the characters and setting." — School Library Journal

From the Publisher