Let's Go See Papá!

by Lawrence Schimel, Elisa Amado (Translator), Lawrence Schimel

The little girl in this story likes Sundays best of all -- it’s the day her father calls. She hasn’t seen him for over a year because he works far away across the ocean in the United States. She writes in her notebook every day, keeping a record of everything that happens to share with him when she finally sees him again. Then one Sunday her father asks if she and her mother would like to join him, and she’s surprised by her mixed feelings. It means leaving her grandmother, her friends … and her dog, Kika, behind. This is a powerful story from a young child’s perspective about what it’s like to have an absent parent and to have to leave your home, country and those you love for a new life.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Latinx, Family, Fiction, Cultural

48 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2010

About the author

I'm a full-time author, anthologist, and translator (Spanish->English) living in Madrid, Spain.

Writing in both Spanish and English, I've published over 90 books in a wide range of genres, including poetry (DESAYUNO EN LA CAMA and FAIRY TALES FOR WRITERS), children's books (LA AVENTURA DE CECILIA Y EL DRAGÓN, COSAS QUE PUEDO HACER YO SOLO, LITTLE PIRATE GOES TO SCHOOL, etc.), short stories (TWO BOYS IN LOVE, HIS TONGUE, THE DRAG QUEEN OF ELFLAND), graphic novels (VACATION IN IBIZA), and many anthologies (STREETS OF BLOOD: VAMPIRE STORIES FROM THE AMERICAN SOUTH, SWITCH HITTERS: LESBIANS WRITE GAY MALE EROTICA AND GAY MEN WRITE LESBIAN EROTICA, KOSHER MEAT, FOUND TRIBE: JEWISH COMING OUT STORIES, CAMELOT FANTASTIC, etc.)

I've twice won a Lambda Literary Award, for FIRST PERSON QUEER and PoMoSEXUALS: CHALLENGING ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT GENDER AND SEXUALITY.

My picture book ¿LEES UN LIBRO CONMIGO? was selected by the International Board of Books for Young People for Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities 2007 and my picture book NO HAY NADA COMO EL ORIGINAL was selected by the International Youth Library in Munich for the White Ravens 2005.

My poem "How to Make a Human" won the Rhysling Award for Best Science Fiction Poem.

I am also the publisher of A Midsummer Night's Press, a small poetry publisher, which has published THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED IN OUR OTHER LIFE by Achy Obejas, THE GOOD-NEIGHBOR POLICY: A DOUBLE CROSS IN DOUBLE DACTLYS by Charles Ardai, BANALITIES by Brane Mozetic, translated by Elizabeti Zargi, and FORTUNE'S LOVER: A BOOK OF TAROT POEMS by Rachel Pollack, as well as the annual series BEST GAY POETRY and BEST LESBIAN POETRY.

Reviews

[Pluma Literaria · Rating 5 out of 5]

¡Vamos a ver a papá! Es el título de una historia entrañable que afloró sentimientos de tristeza en mí, porque me hizo recordar a algunas personas queridas que tuvieron que partir de su terruño buscando una nueva oportunidad en lugares desconocidos. En la medida que avanzaba en la lectura podía sentir que iba calando muy profundo apretujando mi corazón, en momentos llegue a sentir un taco en la garganta que me quitaba la respiración… los ojos se me aguaron, fue inevitable. Cuando una niña expresa desde su inocencia y amor la ausencia de alguien a quien ama hace la diferencia.

La protagonista vive con su madre, su abuelita y Kike su mascota, ellos son muy especiales para ella, pero no puede evitar contar los días, meses y años de ausencia física; para ella los domingos eran su día favorito, podía dormir un poco más porque no tenía que ir a estudiar, pero es el día que más madrugaba, puesto que puede hablar con ese ser maravilloso que llena de luz y alegría su vida. Un día recibe una noticia que le hace mucha ilusión, podría ponerle fin a la nostalgia que la embargaba. Sin embargo, no hay felicidad completa, ahora ya no escribe en su diario a esa persona tan especial, donde plasmaba aquellas cosas que no alcanzaba a compartirle en la llamada telefónica, sino que empieza un nuevo diario para su abuelita…
Con este relato nos acercamos a los sin sabores de la inmigración desde la perspectiva de la distancia y la ausencia de los seres queridos.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

The narrator of this story hasn't seen her papa in one year, eight months and twenty-two days. Her dad has gone to the U.S. to work and send money back to her and her mama and her abuela. Every Sunday her papa calls to talk to them. This week when he calls, he has big news. She and her mama will be moving to the U.S. to be with him. She is, understandably, quite nervous. She will miss her abuela and Kika, their dog. She doesn't know if she will make friends.

This book has beautiful, realistic illustrations. The book portrays her excitement about being reunited with her beloved papa and her fear about the unknown changes about to occur as well as her sadness over leaving her abuela and dog. The love between the family members is apparent and could lead to great discussions about why her dad came here, why people immigrate, how it would feel to move to a new country, etc.

My only wish was that this was a bilingual book. The author's bio says he writes books in English and Spanish. (And I suppose it is possible that there is a Spanish version? Maybe I'll do some searching) With the subject matter, it seems a very appropriate book to be written in both English and Spanish. (And since we're trying to raise our children to be bilingual/biliterate, I love finding good quality books written in both languages.)

[Maria Y. Calderilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such an amazing story! I loved the concept of this book and how it is told by the eyes of the little girl.

[Miles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un libro bonito, desgarrador, nostálgico, agridulce hablando de la distancia y la ausencia. Con un final abierto que no se si me ha gustado tanto.

[Irina Ostapa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a little sad but totally realistic and I love that. This would be a wonderful book to read aloud and talk about current issues on immigration. Or this would also be a book to do in lit. circles.

[Kaitlyn Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book relates to many students nowadays, having an absent parent and having to change your lifestyle in order to adapt to a completely new one. Divorce or even separation is what a lot of students are having to go through, so this book may not be something you would want to read in the class because there could be a lot of conversation or hurt feelings.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little girl misses her father who has been working for over a year in the United States while she and her mom live with her abuela and wait for him to come home or send for them.

This is a lovely story, of family, of missing a parent, or how life goes on while waiting for change to come when you know it's coming. The little girl in the story, who lives in an unnamed country, waits for Sunday to talk briefly with her papa on the phone. She keeps a journal for him, telling him what's happening in their life each day while he's gone. He's in America, and this Sunday, after almost two years, he's telling her she and her mom are going to fly there to live with him. She has, of course, mixed feelings...she'll be leaving her best friend, her grandmother, and her dog, but she misses her father so badly that she's still happy to go. The book ends as the mother and daughter are flying away on an airplane over the ocean.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is never easy to be separated from a parent, and the young girl in this story can't wait for the weekly Sunday phone calls with her father who is living in the United States to earn money. She passes the time recording all the events he has missed and then sending her writings to him so he won't miss too much family time. On this Sunday, though, Papa has news that could be both good and bad. He has enough money for the family to be reunited. The only trouble is that she must leave behind her dog and grandmother. The story is told in a straightforward fashion with humor and pathos blended. The illustrations are particularly effective in showing the emotions in the eyes and faces of the story's characters. As she flies away, she begins a series of letters to her grandmother.

[Kelsey Rippe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let’s Go See Papa! is about a girl who hasn’t seen her papa in over a year because he went to work in the United States. She writes in a notebook every day so that her papa can read about everything she has been doing. One Sunday, papa calls and asks if she and her mother would like to come and join him in the United States. She is happy, but must leave behind her grandmother, best friend, and Kika behind. This book would be a great book to use in the classroom to help students who have transitioned and moved from one school to the next. The book also addresses long distance relationships between family members.

[Shelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Touching story of a young girl that has been separated from her father for 1 year 8 months and twenty two days. How does she know exactly how long? Because she has written him everyday in her notebook. Filling him in on what he is missing at home while he is away in America working to support their family. One of those books that can lead to fabulous conversations with your child. How would you feel if you were in this girls position? What would you think about leaving your family, friends and pets to start a new life very far away?

[Donalyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little girl misses her father, who moved to the United States to find work. When the opportunity comes for her family to be reunited, she must leave the life she loves to join her father in America. A nice book for children who face financial difficulties and family separations.

[Lois · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story about families who for economic reasons must live in different countries for a time. It sensitively conveys the longing the girl feels for her papa and the difficulty she later faces in leaving her beloved grandmother and dog when it is time to join the father in the U. S.

[Edward Sullivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A young girl looks forward to visiting her father who has been gone for a year working in the United States. Good story about families that must endure painful separations due to economic reasons.

[Mary Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Leaving Mexico to live with papa in the US is bittersweet.

[Ame · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ugh, I wasn't planning to tear up while reading this, but I did. Stupid Kika...

[Bill · Rating 1 out of 5]

This story of immigration has a very old feel to it now; a number of other books address this situation in a more engaging way.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great story to begin a discussion about immigration with little ones.

[Noam · Rating 3 out of 5]

El texto de la historia no fue fantástico, pero sí me gutsaron mucho las ilustraciones.