Daniel's Ride - Hardcover

Perry, Michael

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0970177194 ISBN 13: 9780970177193

Publisher: Free Will Pr, 2001

Synopsis

Daniel spends a special day with his older brother, Hector, when Hector takes him for a ride in his lowrider, a lovingly customized 1963 Impala convertible.

About this title

About the Author

As a performer/songwriter for the past ten years, Michael has written many rap (rhyme) lyrics for numerous local artists with Dial Shop Music Publishing (BMI). No longer pleased with the direction of the music industry, Michael has chosen to direct his "street-savvy" writing style to children's books.

Lee's cutting-edge illustrations truly depict the essence of urban life. As an artist, Lee's paintings have been exhibited from San Francisco to New York, and as far east as Japan. His work can also be seen in the upcoming full-length animated movie, Wave Twisters (Thud Rumble Inc.). Lee teaches oil painting at the Academy of Arts College in San Francisco, CA.

Reviews

Gr 2-4-A small Latino boy goes for a ride in big brother Hector's '63 Impala convertible "complete with spider hydraulics and gold wire wheels." Daniel snaps his fingers to the loud boom-boom of the radio, loves the look and even the smell of the car, and when he's spotted his peers as he zooms by, he knows he's "gonna be the coolest kid in school." But-big brother has a bigger plan in mind. He offers the boy a deal: high-school graduation with college plans for Daniel, and then he'll have the car for his very own. Of course, Daniel accepts the condition. If the story sounds didactic, that's because it is. The transition from a kid's wished-for ride to a mini-lesson in determination and effort is abrupt and overstated; the language is often stilted and inconsistent. Daniel switches from a colloquial realistic mingling of Spanish and English to adult-sounding phrases like "a subtle voice," "he has painted an elaborate scene from Mexican history," and the like. The illustrations, in oil paint on board, are done in glowing colors and succeed in establishing the mood of an evening ride through Los Angeles, with scenes like that of a low rider silhouetted against a sunset with palm trees and a group of boys hanging out on a basketball court. There are, however, no really individual, recognizable faces: they portray moods rather than people; they are more paintings than illustrations.

Marian Drabkin, formerly at Richmond Public Library, CA

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 2-4. "Today my big brother, Hector, promised to take me cruisin' in his low rider," says Daniel, the narrator of this vibrant picture book. When Hector arrives, Daniel hops into the '63 Impala convertible, and the two take off through the streets, cruising the beach strip, blasting music, and turning the hydraulic switches so that the car becomes "a funky barrio carnival ride." After a stop to visit cousin Diego, the ride is over, but Hector has another wonderful surprise: he promises to give Daniel the Impala if the boy finishes high school and plans to go to college. With its crackling dialogue and sound effects, the text has an energetic, optimistic momentum that's echoed in the unusual collage paintings. Readers will feel the charged thrill of the ride in the rich, deep, orange-and-green spreads, broad brushstrokes, and kinetic angles. A small introductory glossary defines the Latino words used in the story. A great choice for reading aloud or for urban kids to read alone. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Today my big brother, Hector, promised to take me cruisin in his low rider. Hector drives a convertible 63 Impala, complete with spider hydraulics and gold wire wheels. He only drives it on weekends during the summer, and since today is the first day of summer vacation, he promised I would get the first ride.

Edition details

• Publisher: Free Will Pr
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0970177194
• ISBN 13: 9780970177193
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Ballard Lee
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32