Julio's Magic - Hardcover

Dorros, Arthur

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0060290048 ISBN 13: 9780060290047

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2005

Synopsis

Julio and his friend, master carver Iluminado, find their ideas in the forest, where dragons, lizards, and angels hide in the wood of every twisted branch.

At home, Julio can't wait to make sculptures for the annual wood-carving contest. But Iluminado, whose eyesight is failing him, is too humble to enter. When Julio opens his heart to help his friend, he learns that winning is not nearly as important as giving.

Both the author and illustrator of Julio's Magic have traveled extensively in Mexico. Now they have translated the deep admiration they feel for the Mexican artisans they've met into a truly magical book which reminds us that inspiration, creativity, and friendship can be found everywhere.

About this title

About the Author:

Arthur Dorros is the award-winning author of many books for young people, including City Chicken; Radio Man/Don Radio, a Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs Commended Children's Book; Ten Go Tango; and Abuela. He lives with his family in Seattle, Washington.

From Booklist:

K-Gr. 2. In his rural Mexican village, young Julio can't wait to begin his entry in this year's wood-carving contest. He learned the craft from elderly Iluminado, who never enters the competition, although he is considered the best carver in the area: "My contest is with myself, to make the best carvings I can." As Julio creates his best carvings yet--a wooden jungle of interlocking animals--he notices that Iluminado lacks enough money and food to sustain him. Julio helps his mentor complete a set of beautiful carvings that win the competition's sizable cash prize. Grifalconi's collages of grainy, color-washed photographs are sometimes indistinct and disjointed, but small insets highlight the lovely carvings. Dorros uses rich sensory descriptions and a few Spanish words to bring Julio's world to life, and without too much didacticism, he tells a moving, accessible story about honoring teachers and the magic of creating. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0060290048
• ISBN 13: 9780060290047
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32
• Illustrator: Grifalconi Ann