c̓əsqənelə Elementary teacher-librarian Janet Smith recommends My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero for Latin American Heritage Month.
I chose My Papi Has a Motorcycle by Isabel Quintero because of the fun and adventurous relationship depicted between a father and daughter. It reminds me of the many things I did with my own dad that sometimes worried my mom!
My Papi Has a Motorcycle provided me with a window into an area of the Americas that wasn’t part of my own experience. For Daisy Ramona, everything she sees on her ride through her neighbourhood with her papi is familiar and confirms what she knows about her life. For me, her experiences were all new, in a language that was unfamiliar to me, and made me wish for shaved ice instead of my regular chocolate dipped cone.
This book celebrates a 1970s neighbourhood made rich with Mexican immigrant families, culture and story. The author, Isabel Quintero, wanted to preserve the stories and memories of the neighbourhood as it began shifting and changing. Through her writing, Quintero aims to share a story that highlights and pays homage to her family’s Latino heritage.
My Papi Has a Motorcycle is available in SD42 libraries. It’s also available as an audiobook on Sora.
- Celebrate with the Latin American Heritage Month Virtual Library (click the images to browse).
