| Descripción y Comentario
Book DescriptionAs Beto looks at the eight candles on his birthday cake, he knows that his wish is always the same. Beto wishes that he could be with his father every chance he gets. It has been three years since he and Mamá left El Salvador. Lurking in his mind are the memories of the losses they suffered before leaving: the bombing of a factory, the burning of the family home, the loss of all their possessions, but most of all, he thinks of the father that he has left behind. In the United States, Mamá has found a job in a sewing factory making jeans, and they are trying to bring Papá to the United States with the help of an immigration lawyer. But this is only the beginning, and for Beto, it seems that his father cannot come fast enough. One day in school, Beto is given the opportunity to write his father a letter. When he is invited to read his letter on RADIO Voz del Inmigrante, his heartfelt homage to home spurs a surprising chain of events that even the imaginative Beto could not have expected.
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Comentarios del público
 Book Buds- A good story grows on a kid
Eight-year-old Beto is an immigrant Everyboy, tempest toss'd onto our shores after civil war and a fire rob his Salvadoran parents of jobs and a home. But his papa doesn't get a visa, and must remain behind while Beto's mama works in a sweatshop and Beto dreams of a reunion. Hard work and hope keep this family going until Beto gets his wish, and therein lies a message that transcends the story no matter how many times and in how many ways it's told. Lainez avoids politically correct sandtraps to make clear that Beto's suffering isn't a Latino thing, and therefore his hard-earned triumph is one we can all share.
review written by Anne Boles Levy
Fecha: 2005-03-19
Special to the San Antonio Express-News
Three cheers for Rene Colato Laínez's skillfully written "Waiting for Papa/Esperando a Papa!" The El Salvadoran author's real-life story mirrors the experiences of immigrant children, and these pages reveal hardships as well as hope, separation and the resilience of love.
Beto was only 5 when he and his mother fled El Salvador during the war that destroyed their home. Vowing to join them as soon as he could, Beto's father says goodbye at the airport. That day, Beto recalls that his "heart broke in two pieces. One piece went to the United States and the other stayed with Papa." The rest of the story recounts Beto's efforts to bring his father to the United States. Latino characters add authenticity throughout the book, as Ms. Parrales, a teacher, and Mr. Gonzalez from the Voice of the Immigrant radio program join forces to help Beto. The illustrations are genuine and graphically trace the story line. This book is truly a must for all English as a Second Language classrooms.
review written by Yvonne Murray
Fecha: 2005-03-19
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