SCHOLASTIC INC.
Design and typography by Chelsea C. Donaldson. The artist used Adobe Photoshop to create the digital illustrations for this book. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher. For information regarding permission, write to HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007. Text copyright © 2021 by Lucky Díaz. Illustrations copyright © 2021 by Micah Player. All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Inc., 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012, by arrangement with HarperCollins Children’s Books, a division of HarperCollins Publishers. Printed in the U.S.A. ISBN 978-1-338-85594-4 • SCHOLASTIC and associated logos are trademarks and/ or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.
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Scholastic Inc., 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012
Remember to use short vowel sounds when pronouncing Spanish. “Ah” instead of “Aye”, “Eh” instead of “Eee”, and so on.
l ¡Hola, querido! (OH-lah keh-REE-doh) Hello, dear! l Lo siento (loh SYEN-toh) I’m sorry l miel (myel) honey l ¡Oye, niños! (OH-yeh NEE-nyohs) Hey, kids! l paleta (pah-LEH-tah) ice pop l paletero (pah-leh-TEH-roh) ice pop vendor l piña (PEE-nyah) pineapple l sandía (sahn-DEE-ah) watermelon l Yo te prometo (yoh teh proh-MEH-toh) I promise you
l ¿A dónde se ha ido? Where has it gone? l arroz con leche (ah-RROHS kohn LEH-cheh) rice pudding l bailando (bye-LAHN-doh) dancing l canela (kah-NEH-lah) cinnamon l cereza (seh-REH-sah) cherry l ¡Claro! Para ti, ¡el mejor! Of course! For you, the best! l dinero (dee-NEH-roh) money l elote (eh-LOH-teh) Mexican street food; corn on the cob with spices, sauces, and cheese l fresa (FREH-sah) strawberry
To Alisha. The dreamiest of dreamers.—L.D.
For my mom, lover of words and hider of the good ice cream. Sorry for all the times I found it.—M.P.
I n the hottest month, on the hottest day, in the city of Dreamers, California—LA,
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I grab my dinero and make my way to find my friend Paletero José!
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Pushing his cart full of cool treats, bailando, he dances to mariachi beats.
He has dozens of flavors. Mmm—I can already taste.
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Will he have my favorite? There’s not a second to waste!
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There’s Tío Ernesto! He asks, “Tamale today?”
¡No, gracias, Tío! Where’s Paletero José?
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Can you hear his call?
Paletas for one! Paletas for all!
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Un aroma is calling, caught in the breeze. It’s a BBQ smell coming from Ms. Lee’s!
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“Hola, querido. Would you like a sample today?”
¡No, gracias, señorita! Where’s Paletero José?
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Can you hear his call? Paletas for one! Paletas for all!
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The only way to beat this heat is with an icy-cold paleta treat.
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There’s my friend from the bike shop.
Lo siento, Frank. There’s no time to stop!
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Can you hear his call? Paletas for one! Paletas for all!
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Will he have all the flavors, the colors I love? Horchata, canela, the kind I dream of.
¿Chocolate, elote, sandía, o fresa, arroz con leche, miel, o cereza?
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Can you hear his call? Paletas for one! Paletas for all!
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Here he is! Paletero José!
Finally, I’ll get cool on this very hot day!
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He has all my favorites! Can it be true? ¡Chocolate, vainilla, y melón, too!
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But today I’d like piña. Do you have that sabor? He smiles a big smile— “¡Claro! Para ti, ¡el mejor!” I reach into my pocket to pay for my paleta . . .
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¡Mi dinero! My money! ¡Está perdido! It’s missing. It’s lost! ¿A dónde se ha ido?
What will I do? What can I say? How can I buy my paleta today?
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And just at that moment, who do I see? My neighborhood friends, Tío, Frank, and Ms. Lee.
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“We called out your name when we saw your coins drop, but you must have not heard us, because you didn’t stop.”
Muchas gracias, amigos. What would I have done? I guess I dropped my money when I was on the run. 25
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“Kindness for all!” shouts Paletero José. “I have a surprise that will brighten your day. “Oye, amigos— paletas on me. Because of your kindness, the paletas are free!
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“Whether it’s stormy or whether it’s sunny, whether or not you have any money,
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“I’ll always help out an amigo in need.
Yo te prometo—
an amigo indeed!”
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In the hottest month, on the hottest day, we have fun in the sun with Paletero José.
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We can hear his call! Paletas for one! Paletas for all!
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The smell of street tacos, the vivid rainbow colors of vendor umbrellas, and the sounds of children choosing their favorite flavor from the paletero cart on a Saturday afternoon. These are some of the sights and sounds of Eighth Street in Los Angeles. My neighborhood, my home, and my inspiration for Paletero Man —the book and song. Spanning the neighborhoods from Koreatown to Boyle Heights, Eighth Street has endless numbers of taquerias, K-town BBQs, colorful murals, and vendor-lined streets. This historic stretch is also the birthplace of the immigrant street food vending culture in Los Angeles. Snack trips to the elotero cart (Mexican street corn), visits to our friend selling tamales out of her cooler on the corner, and, of course, weekend paletas in the park really shape our lives and fill our stomachs. As a Mexican American and an Angeleno, I’ve taken great pride and joy in writing and sharing this picture book with you. And as a Chicanx parent, being able to celebrate our vibrant culture and read this book with my daughter is really the most special experience of all. I hope you taste and imagine the fun of choosing your own refreshing paleta when reading Paletero Man . Buen provecho,
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