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jennybeastie's review
4.0
A great big-kid little-kid tag-along story, gorgeous pictures, thoughtful moments.
dandelionfluff's review
3.0
I thought it was very thoughtful and full of heart, but I have to wonder if kids would understand what the book is about. There's a definitive moment where Carmela thinks about her father getting his papers "fixed" so he can come home, which made me realize we're talking about a lot here: family separation, living in a neighborhood with obvious signs of poverty, going back home to a more rural environment (also, more than likely, affected by poverty). At the end, I found myself a bit like those puffs: up in the air and wandering a bit for what the story had been. Is it more of an experience?
Like [b:Last Stop on Market Street|22521973|Last Stop on Market Street|Matt de la Pena|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1453342770s/22521973.jpg|41969141], this gives kids the chance to recognize their homes in a book, or to talk about the differences they see. Both families are full of love, and I still recommend this book, even if it didn't quite register at first what thread I was meant to follow.
Like [b:Last Stop on Market Street|22521973|Last Stop on Market Street|Matt de la Pena|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1453342770s/22521973.jpg|41969141], this gives kids the chance to recognize their homes in a book, or to talk about the differences they see. Both families are full of love, and I still recommend this book, even if it didn't quite register at first what thread I was meant to follow.
kaylac15's review
5.0
This book was a heartwarming story. I loved Carmela and her wide eyed innocence. She just wanted for her family to be happy. Although her brother seemed mean at first; in the end he did care about his little sister. She just got on his nerves as siblings tend to do. The part that really made me sad was when Carmela imagined her father getting his papers fixed so he could come home. It made me think of all of the families being separated every day due to the very strict immigration laws. Overall this was a great story and I loved the illustrations as well. They're so pretty.
rainbowbookworm's review
4.0
This is a lovely story that made me tear up. I loved the illustrator's use of paper picado.
cjeziorski's review
5.0
I’m giving this five stars because of the illustrations. The papercuts are amazing. Overall, it is a good story that could be used for starting conversations with older students—where is her father? Carmela and her brother have a lot of responsibilities—do you? (Note: I work at an international school so our students are all privileged.) I think the social issues underlying the basic story make this a book for older students.
libraryelf's review
4.0
A book about making wishes. Carmela can make lots of wishes including wishing for her father to come back to them. This is a good book for a library collection.
middle_name_joy's review
3.0
I don't know what it is about Matt de la Pena's picture books, but I am constantly underwhelmed. The stories have good messages, but they know it, you know? They're trying too hard, in my opinion.
That's not to say [b:Carmela Full of Wishes|33110891|Carmela Full of Wishes|Matt de la Pena|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1516128841l/33110891._SX50_.jpg|53775056] isn't a valuable tale. It's just convoluted. If I were reading it aloud to students, I would feel the need to explain along the way--not about Carmela's heritage or the neighborhood or even why her father has to get "his papers fixed." Kids are savvier than we'd often like them to be. They'd get all that. I would need to connect the dots of the plot: how Carmela, her bracelets, her brother, and the wishes all fit together.
(Or maybe not. Kids sometimes understand what adults do not.)
Overall, I liked it, but I was not blown away. However, you could tie in a great writing prompt: What do you think Carmela wished for? Have students (gr. 2-3) write her wish and illustrate what would happen if it came true. Or, for an extended writing (mini-book), have students write what Carmela's brother would wish for on his birthday.
That's not to say [b:Carmela Full of Wishes|33110891|Carmela Full of Wishes|Matt de la Pena|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1516128841l/33110891._SX50_.jpg|53775056] isn't a valuable tale. It's just convoluted. If I were reading it aloud to students, I would feel the need to explain along the way--not about Carmela's heritage or the neighborhood or even why her father has to get "his papers fixed." Kids are savvier than we'd often like them to be. They'd get all that. I would need to connect the dots of the plot: how Carmela, her bracelets, her brother, and the wishes all fit together.
(Or maybe not. Kids sometimes understand what adults do not.)
Overall, I liked it, but I was not blown away. However, you could tie in a great writing prompt: What do you think Carmela wished for? Have students (gr. 2-3) write her wish and illustrate what would happen if it came true. Or, for an extended writing (mini-book), have students write what Carmela's brother would wish for on his birthday.
maidmarianlib's review
5.0
So beautiful. Love the Brother/Sister relationship and the joy and pain it expresses in equal measure.