Estela's Swap

Description:

A Mexican American girl learns to value the act of giving when she attends her first swap meet.

Brief description:

Alexis O'Neill is the author of the highly acclaimed Loud Emily (Simon & Schuster), and The Recess Queen (Scholastic), a Junior Library Guild selection. She also works as an instructor at the UCLA Extension Writer's^TM Program and as a writing consultant for several other institutions. The idea for this story came from O'Neill's many visits to swap meets after she and her husband moved to Simi Valley, California, where they live. For more information about Alexis O'Neill, visit alexisoneill.com.

Review Quotes:

"This is a warm, nicely paced story about sharing and bartering that's filled with sensory descriptions of the vibrant open market. The textured acrylics capture the hum and bustle of the stalls, but the colorful scenery doesn't overwhelm the story. Sanchez paints the characters in sharp focus, so that they pop out against the blurred, evocative background scenes. A good starting point for classroom discussion across the curriculum." -- Booklist

"O'Neill subtly weaves details of trades and bargaining into the fabric of her story to give readers a tangible taste of swaps or flea markets. Sanchez uses richly colored, bright acrylics to render the energy and bustle of a Swap Meet in his full-bleed illustrations The text is skillfully incorporated into the illustrations and the focus on each spread remains firmly on the plucky heroine. All in all, a wonderful bargain." -- School Library Journal

"This is a well-crafted tale featuring a Mexican-American father and children will be wonderful for reading aloud to individuals or to groups." -- Kirkus Reviews