Fonchito and The Moon

Mario Vargas Llosa, Marta Chicote Juiz (Illustrator)

$20.95

Publication Date: October 18th, 2022

Publisher:

Kales Press

ISBN:

9798985955804

Pages:

Charter Books

On hand, as of Apr 27 1:07am

(Children - Elementary)

On Our Shelves Now

Description

“Dreamy illustrations and moody palettes play with the contrast of light and shadow in this sweet tale about first loves and childhood imagination.”

Don't miss your first Mario Vargas Llosa: Fonchito and the Moon.

Fonchito falls in love for the very first time and discovers that there is nothing one cannot do for a loved one, even if what they wish for is the moon!

Fonchito is a little boy with his heart set on winning the affection of his classmate Nereida. She is beautiful, and all he hopes for is her permission to kiss her on the cheek. But she is shy and agrees under only one condition: that Fonchito bring the moon to her. Bring her the moon? What is Fonchito to do? And in that moment his love inspires him to find a way to do the impossible.

This first children’s book by Mario Vargas Llosa, one of the world’s greatest writers, is an enchanting story about the magic in discovering how high you can reach for those you love, even if they ask for the moon.

About the Author

MARIO VARGAS LLOSA was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2010 in recognition of his contribution as one of the most important voices in contemporary literature. Born in Arequipa, Peru, he received his doctorate in philosophy and letters in Madrid; after many years abroad, he made Spain’s capital city his home and still resides there today. His novels include The Time of the Hero, The Feast of the Goat, and Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter. Fonchito and the Moon is his first children’s book.

MARTA CHICOTE JUIZ has been passionate about drawing ever since she was little, when she would spend hours with paper and pencil, drawing and drawing, creating her own space, world, and characters, giving life to the imaginary. She graduated with a degree in fine arts from the Complutense University of Madrid, specializing in design, and later studied in Leeds, England. Her illustrations have been published in numerous books throughout the world.

Praise for Fonchito and The Moon

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"—on the Spanish language edition. Gr 1—3
— Rebecca Hickman, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL - School Library Journal

Heavenly bodies are all well and good, but this tale of permission asked and granted is worth more than the moon.
— Kirkus Review

A very sweet story. It’s very romantic. It’s lovely.
— Christiane Amanpour - CNN

An inspirational story for children, focusing on finding a way to achieve the impossible and the merits of not giving up, the illustrations … are bright and colorful and brilliantly bring the story to life.
— SA Examiner