My Papi Has a Motorcycle

Title: My Papi Has a Motorcycle

Author: Isabel Quintero (author); Zeke Peña (illustrator)
 
Publisher: Kokila
 
Format: Book
 
Publication Date: May 14, 2019
 
Grade Level: PreK through 3rd Grade
 
Category: Pura Belpre
 
Daisy loves to race around her neighborhood with her papi on his motorcycle. As they zoom down the streets, she sees the town and people she knows so well and a community that is changing day by day. But there are some things she knows will never change. 
    I was drawn to My Papi Has a Motorcycle by the cute, vibrant artwork. And the cover depicting a girl and her dad gave me high hopes that this would be a sweet story about a girl and her dad. It was that, but it also had deeper themes of community and living with change.

Plot. The book does not have much of a storyline beyond Daisy and her papi riding around their neighborhood on his motorcycle. Reader's get to experience this little community through Daisy's point of view. But underneath this simple premise lies a deeper question: Can Daisy still hold her home close to her heart in the midst of change? The final line of the book answers that question: "But I know that here in our little house, there are things that will always stay the same."

Characters. The characters are amazingly complex for such a short read. Readers can truly feel just how much Daisy loves her home and her papi, as well as her grief over the ways her community has changed. Her papi is hardworking but still always makes time for her, and even if he doesn't always say he loves her with words, he does through his actions. The relationship between these two characters is the heart of the story. 

Setting. The setting plays a very central role in this book; My Papi Has a Motorcycle is essentially just a peek into the dynamic neighborhood setting. Daisy loves her neighborhood and all the people and things that contribute to it: Abuelito and Abuelita’s yellow house, Mr. Garcia the librarian who they always greet with a nod, and Franky the labradoodle to name a few. Quintero's words paint such a detailed picture of the community it almost feels like a character itself, and Peña's colorful watercolor illustrations emphasize its vibrancy. 
 
References:
Quintero, I. (2019). My Papi Has a Motorcycle (Z. Peña, Illus.). Kokila.


 
 


 

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