A golpe de calcetín

September 4, 2000
Gr 3-5-First published in 1982 (Editorial Novaro) and again in 1986 (SEP/Libros del Rincon), this story, in the version by FCE, incorporates some revisions. Paco Poyo is a 12-year-old living in Mexico City. To help his family make ends meet, he sells newspapers on the street and helps out in a shoe repair shop. Just when things are looking bleak for his family, Paco finds himself unwillingly enmeshed in a bank caper. An innocent victim, he is used by the robbers to pass along information. When Paco realizes what's going on, he tips off the police and earns a reward. The action moves along swiftly, gliding through well-described scenes of street life in 1930s Mexico City. The mood is comic, and the story is told in the first person by the young newspaper boy, giving it a picaresque feeling. B&w line drawings complement the text, showing the main characters in some of the more crucial moments. This would be a great book for reluctant readers in upper elementary to middle school. Recommended for all collections. M.O.B.