Pablo's Christmas

by Hugo C. Martin, Lee Chapman (Illustrator)

On a small, dusty farm in Mexico, in the Valle de Guadalupe, a young boy named Pablo lived with his mother, father, and two little sisters, Isabella and Teresa…


Christmas means family: everyone gathered together in joyful celebration. But what if one beloved member is missing? That’s the situation so movingly explored in this exceptional—and stunningly illustrated—holiday tale, set in the Mexican countryside.


Because Mama is going to have a new baby, Pablo’s father has gone off to America to earn extra money. That makes Pablo the man of the house—chasing coyotes away from the hens, comforting his worried mother and sisters, and trying to make presents for everyone.


Now Christmas is near—when Papa has promised to return. Will he be home for the holidays? Children will hang on to every word eagerly and sympathetically…right until the satisfying, and happy, ending.

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books, Childrens, Holiday, Cultural

24 pages, Hardcover

First published October 28, 2006

Reviews

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pablo's mother is expecting another baby and so his father goes to the US to find work to earn more money to support their family. Before he leaves, he tells Pablo to help care for his mother and sisters. Pablo tells them stories, just as his father had done. He protects the chickens from coyotes. He makes small gifts for his sisters and helps prepare for their humble Christmas without their father.

This shows a humble, loving family full of love for one another, trying to do their best in difficult situations. Pablo is portrayed as a courageous and kind boy...but still very human.

[Melinda Garman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This fiction children’s book takes place on a small farm in Mexico, in the Valle de Guadalupe. The main character is a young boy named Pablo. This book is geared to 3rd through 6th grade. The text is written in English, but is entrenched with the Mexican culture. Pablo leads a hard life on his family’s farm, but in the evening enjoys listening to Mexican folktales. When his mother becomes pregnant his father must go to America to find work for extra money and Pablo must become the man of the family. While his sister is worried that their father will fall in love with America and will not come back, Pablo must deal with the coyotes that snuck into the henhouse and ate some of the family’s hens. In the end Pablo must muster up enough courage to make life as joyful as possible for his mother and sisters and try to fill his father’s shoes. The reason I choose this book is because I feel like there are a lot of Hispanic students that can relate to this story. There are many Hispanic families that came to America for job opportunities, and due to their parents working a lot of hours they might have to take on a lot of grown-up responsibilities. For that reason, I feel that Pablo is a very relatable character.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a story about a family who lives on a farm in Mexico. The father must leave to find work in another country so that he can provide for is family, but he tells them that he will return on Christmas. The son, Pablo, sees it as his responsibility to take care of his mother and sisters. He takes on his father’s role as a wood carver and he also looks out for the dangerous coyotes that are around. On Christmas, Pablo surprises his family with a tree and suggests that they spend the night decorating it. That night, the father also surprises his family by returning and bringing home presents. This is a realistic representation of this culture because there are a lot of families in Mexico that are separated because of the need for work. It hold the attention of readers because of the suspenses that are present in the story: the father returning and the danger of coyotes being around. This text gives children the opportunity to see through the perspectives of families that have members in different countries.

[Maleigha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great to use for the topic of diversity. May also teach students that everyones lifestyles are different. It can also teach determination and hard-work, just as Pablo shows int he story in order to provide his family with a decent Christmas.