My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero [CeCe’s Book Review]

My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero
Published: May 2019
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Time spent with dad is a treasure and My Papi Has a Motorcycle made this evident in both word and picture. From the excited anticipation of a little girl as her dad’s truck pulls into the yard, to their embrace, and the thrill of cruising through the neighborhood on the back of his bike together; their bond is everything. Daisy and her papi take in the sights and sounds of a community that is filled with heart, pride, and history, and even though things around them are changing, their neighborhood and the people in it will always feel like home.

There were just so many heartwarming lines that highlighted the depth of the love relationship between a father and daughter. Words that made me think about my own father and how hard he still works for his family. Two of my favorite passages were:

1. “My papi, the carpenter, is covered in sawdust and smells like a hard day at work. His hands are rough from building homes every day – his job since he first arrived in this country. But even though he comes home tired he always has time for me.”
2. “When he lifts me onto the smooth back seat his hands don’t feel rough, they don’t feel tired – they feel like all the love he has trouble saying.”

One other thing that stood out for me was the history that was infused into the story through the mural as imagined by Zeke Peña. It was intended to depict the work of the ancestors on the citrus groves in Corona, and also pays respect to the road race that took place in 1913 on what is now Grand Boulevard. Zeke Peña brings each detail to life throughout, with a palette of warm colors that just add to this book’s charm.

This is definitely a book that I will be adding to my K-5 library.

View all my reviews

Shout-Outs

Isabel Quintero | https://laisabelquintero.com/

Zeke Peña | http://zpvisual.com/

Kokila
An Imprint of Penguin Random House LLC
Penguin.com/kids

Borrowed from the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library

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