★ 02/26/2024
A note to the reader opens this sparkling children’s debut from Matias, who notes that before kids had cell phones, they used the pay phones once ubiquitous on city sidewalks, where each call cost a quarter. When Ernesto leaves for his inaugural day of school, walking for the first time without his parents, his dream to be a niño grande is fulfilled. But his mother still presses a quarter into his hand every morning: “For emergencies.” While his peers spend their pocket money, Ernesto holds onto his daily quarters, refusing to part with them for the treats at Señor José’s bodega or the tamales from Doña Tania’s truck, all painted in a beguiling, inky mix of energy and intimacy by Zhang (When Rubin Plays). “These quarters are for emergencies,” Ernesto explains, knowing that “each one is special.” But on Saturday, an “emergency” at the barber shop—one quite different from the one readers may have envisioned—offers an opportunity for independent decision-making. The creators convey bustling, life-giving bursts of sight, sound, taste, and smell as they detail Ernesto’s Dominican family, his Queens community, and his own canny balancing of prudence and pleasure. Ages 4–8. Agent (for author and illustrator): Hannah Mann, Writers House. (May)
"Unexpected and delightful. Matias serves up a playful slice-of-life tale that bubbles with heart and gentle humor. A vibrant, bighearted account of a child’s first forays into independence." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"[A] sparkling children’s debut from Matias. The creators convey bustling, life-giving bursts of sight, sound, taste, and smell." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A cozy step back into the past with a visual style reminiscent of Ezra Jack Keats, this book is sure to be a conversation-starter and a hit for story time." — School Library Journal (starred review)
"Set in the not-too-distant past, when kids could call loved ones from pay phones, this vibrant tale that began as a Times Metropolitan Diary entry celebrates Matias's 'first taste of sweet independence.'" — New York Times Book Review
"An amiable view of a kid’s routine in a bustling, friendly city neighborhood. An author’s note reveals this charming tale as [the author's] own childhood experience, when a quarter in a pocket and a pay phone on the corner meant independence for a kid." — ALA Booklist
"Full of independence and responsibility, but not completely immune to temptation, Ernesto may be a child of the ’90s, but the essence of his story is timeless." — BookPage
"Many details are snapshots of decades past, but the themes in the tender narrative are timeless." — The Horn Book
★ 05/24/2024
PreS-Gr 3—Ernesto's mom gives him a quarter each morning as he leaves for school so he can use a pay phone to call if there is an emergency. The quarters gather in his pocket as the week passes by. Each day there is another temptation to spend them—on baseball cards, at the arcade, for a snack. Readers will be amazed at Ernesto's willpower and wonder how long it will last. When he finally does use the quarters to purchase a delicious empanada while he is waiting on his friend Raoul's haircut, he tells his mom, "There was an emergency at the barbershop." Zhang's vibrant gouache and watercolor illustrations capture the lively urban setting of this memory from the author's childhood. Warm, rich colors of terracotta tiles, ocher walls, and red chairs in Ernesto's home are echoed throughout the storefronts and interiors. Elevated trains, food trucks, street vendors, and small shops are all part of the neighborhood he and his friends walk through each day on the way to school, Little League games, and home again. Latinx references add to the diverse setting with the sound of tamboras and marimbas from car speakers, vendors selling tamales and "jugos de frutas," and the presence of neighbors such as Señora Mayra and Doña Tania. VERDICT A cozy step back into the past with a visual style reminiscent of Ezra Jack Keats, this book is sure to be a conversation-starter and a hit for story time.—Suzanne Costner
★ 2024-02-17
A young boy learns the value of a quarter in Matias and Zhang’s beguiling picture book.
It’s Monday and the first day of school. Ready to become a “niño grande,” Ernesto prepares for the walk to school—this time without his parents to accompany him! With his lucky sneakers and favorite Mets cap on, he goes to the door, “feelin’ freshhhh!” But wait! His mom cuts him off, handing him a shiny new quarter for a pay phone in case of an emergency. A kiss goodbye, and Ernesto heads out with his friends. The group stops at Señor José’s bodega, where baseball cards tempt Ernesto. But he refuses to use his quarter. For the entire school week, Ernesto receives an emergency quarter from his mamá each morning and each day refuses sweet temptations such as jugos de frutas and tamales with steadfast determination. “These quarters are for emergencies.” Fittingly, the story ends on an unexpected and delightful note. In his picture-book debut, Matias serves up a playful slice-of-life tale that bubbles with heart and gentle humor. A palpable portrait of community emerges through each named character and local tiendita introduced, guiding readers through Ernesto’s neighborhood. Likewise, Zhang’s gouache, watercolor, and ink artwork is richly dense, with lush colors, angled and wide perspectives, and expressionistic details that conjure a bustling city. Ernesto and his family are Dominican, while the surrounding community demonstrates racial diversity.
A vibrant, bighearted account of a child’s first forays into independence. (author’s note) (Picture book. 4-8)
