Canned and Crushed - Hardcover

Belford, Bibi

3.97

71 ratings by Goodreads

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1632204355 ISBN 13: 9781632204356

Publisher: Sky Pony, 2015

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When Sandro Zapote finds out his little sister needs heart surgery, he is determined to help his parents raise the money they’ll need to help her get better. Sandro’s dad is in the states illegally and must work two jobs to support the family. For one, he picks up roadkill for the department of streets and sanitation and gets paid by the carcass. For the other, he collects scrap metal to recycle for cash. Sandro helps his dad with some of the scrap metal heavy lifting, and one headboard, a weight bench, some gutters, and a few car parts later, Sandro has a brilliant idea: can collecting. Save the environment. Save his family. Maybe even save some spending money for the fabulous, fast new bike he’s been coveting.

Well-meaning and with funny inner monologue, Sandro is the kind of person you can’t help but cheer for. He’s a boy who loves drawing, soccer, and his little sister. And whether he’s fishing a fuzzy, dust-coated turtle out from under his sister’s bed or organizing a school-wide can drive all by himself, Sandro is a smart, self-aware hero, who makes just a few mistakes along the way.

Canned and Crushed, by first-time author Bibi Belford, gives Sandro a funny, relatable, readable voice, while being fresh and original. It’s a story that will open its readers’ eyes, dealing with issues of illegal immigration, unemployment, racism and religious persecution, bullying, and more carefully and with a light and often humorous touch. This is a cross between The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and it’s a book no kid will want to miss.

Sky Pony Press, with our Good Books, Racehorse and Arcade imprints, is proud to publish a broad range of books for young readers picture books for small children, chapter books, books for middle grade readers, and novels for young adults. Our list includes bestsellers for children who love to play Minecraft; stories told with LEGO bricks; books that teach lessons about tolerance, patience, and the environment, and much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.

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From the Author:

I wrote Canned and Crushed for some of my favorite students who claimed they couldn't find any books they liked to read. While the book was being edited their current classroom teacher read them the chapters, printed on plain paper, but she didn't tell them who wrote the book. One day she told them that the author was coming to visit to read the final chapter and answer questions. When I walked in the room, they invited me to stay and meet the special author. Were they ever surprised to find out I was the special author! They presented me with ideas for the cover and title. And they continue to tell me they love the book when I visit and ask me questions about what Sandro, the main character, is doing today and if his sister is still okay, as if the characters in the book are real people. I love that. I want to write books that show kids how important they are and that just one kid can make the world a better place. My next book deals with the friendship of two boys in 1919 in Chicago. It's historical fiction and will be released next spring. A group of fifth graders read and reacted to the book while I was editing it. They gave it a thumbs up, and I hope you will too!

About the Author:

Bibi Belford graduated with a B.A. in English from Westmont College and has worked as a playground supervisor for children of migrant workers and was a student teacher in a bilingual classroom before completing her masters in Bilingual Literacy at Northern Illinois University. She currently works as a reading consultant for an elementary school in Illinois. She is the mother of four grown children and lives in Chicago, Illinois.

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