Fonchito y la luna

Gr 1—3—Fonchito is a little boy with a big crush. The object of his affection, a beauty named Nereida, tells him that she will only let him kiss her if he brings her the Moon. The whimsical, full-spread illustrations are rendered in a subdued palette of slate blues, sea-glass greens, and glowing amber. The story takes place in Lima, Peru, where Fonchito notes that it is especially difficult to see the Moon because the sky is often cloudy. With love, however, all things are possible. When out on his terrace, he makes an amazing discovery. The next day he asks Nereida when he can come to her house to show her the Moon, and she invites him over on the night her father goes to the club and her mother has friends over to play bridge. When Fonchito takes Nereida out on her terrace and presents her with a big bucket of water with the Moon's reflection, she is thrilled beyond words, and she presents her face for him to kiss. The last illustration is especially playful because the handle to the bucket forms a smile and little hearts pop out of the water. The endpapers feature childlike drawings of stars hanging from strings shining down on a line of potted geraniums. This ethereal picture book is an excellent way to introduce young readers to the lyricism of Vargas Llosa.—Rebecca Hickman, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL