Cover Image: Papá's Magical Water-Jug Clock

Papá's Magical Water-Jug Clock

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Member Reviews

I loved this story of a boy helping his father with his job gardening. Of course there is a mishap: the boy literally interprets his father's words about being done with work when the water jug is empty, which happens much quicker than usual, thanks to sharing with thirsty animals and using water to cool off. Papa realizes his mistake and explains that he was just trying to make work fun, and all is well as the two continue working together. A fun story with a great father-son relationship. Highly recommended.

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This was an interesting read. Papa and son go to work on a Saturday. They have many yards that they have to tend and Papa tells the son that they can tell time by the water jug. When the water jug is empty, they get to go home. However, son did a little bit more with water than drink it. He splashes his back, he waters the pets, and when the water jug is empty it’s only 10:30 am papa has to admit that it’s not a magical water jug. It was just a way to make the day a fun adventure for Papa and son. This book is quite lovely and very smart. It shows a life of hard work, and that that work has to get done. I love this book and I love the illustrations that also prove you don’t have to color in the lines to make a great art.

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I got This ARC through Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have reviewed several children's books over the past and this one is my new favourite!

The illustrations were cute and funny.
There was something to be discovered in every picture which I thought was great!!

A few of the Spanish words were spread through out the book.
It tested my 5 and 7 year old nephews slight knowledge learning new words in other languages.

The story was fun and my nephews caught on to what the child was trying to accomplish from the very beginning!

We highly recommend this book at bedtime and we absolutely look forward to picking up a physical copy!

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I found this to be a fun story. It blends in some Spanish words but isn't too tough for a native English speaker. The drawings are cute and keep you interested in the page. It would be super easy to keep a child entertained with your own "find a __ game" during reading time with this book. I love the lessons that Jesus learns from his father during the day he works with him. Beautiful story for any child's bookshelf.

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This book tells the story of a little boy who goes to work with his father, a landscaper. His father puts him in charge of the water jug and tells him it is a magical jug, that when it is empty it tells us it is time to go home. Jesus loves the idea but also decides that he needs to use water for more than just to drink. He splashes water on his face and serves drinks to animals and before he knows it, it is 11 o'clock and the water has already run out. He is sad to learn that the water jug is not actually magical, but is glad to know that his father was trying to make the day of labour more fun for him, they decide to have fun in other ways. The story also reminds readers of the importance of not wasting water.

I like that the characters are Hispanic and that their language and culture are mentioned throughout. This is perfect for teachers wanting to find texts that represent their diverse student populations. The text is fairly simple and easy to read. The illustrations are a slightly unusual style and look a bit messy, but I think that was part of the aesthetic as it seems to be told both in writing and through pictures as if it is coming from a child. There are also a few speech bubbles and comic-style details that will make it appealing for younger readers. I would definitely recommend this book to parents and teachers of children in the age 4-8 range. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book!

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I received an electronic ARC from Astra Publishing House through NetGalley.
Jesus gets to go with his Papa for the whole workday. He is in charge of the magical water-jug clock that will let them know when the day is done. At first, he is not careful and wastes much of the water by pouring it on his face. He is also kind and gives some to the animals at the houses where they work. When the water-jug is empty, he knows it is time to go home. However, his papa explains that they have a lot more work to do and the jug is not magical. Jesus learned a valuable lesson about rationing the water and taking care of resources.
I appreciate the love between this father and son and the joy they share together. The real magic is in their relationship.
Wonderful memory filled story from this author.

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This charming story is filled with an important life lesson, but Jesús's zany actions, the strange animals he discovers as they work, and the colorful illustrations by Eliza Kinkz that celebrate this hard-working family's daily routine while creating a sense of lighthearted silliness along the way, creates a wonderful story that will delight readers everywhere. There is so much to love about Papá’s Magical Water-Jug Clock. I encourage you discover it for yourself. It will be worth it!

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I read this first to myself, read it again to my oldest son and again when my second son overheard and wanted me to read it aloud again. Three times and I still loved this book. My oldest son said “Mom! My friend José’s dad is a gardener too! José helps his dad sometimes”. This is why I love children’s books, the diversity. Not just the diversity of characters but the diversity of lives (example: Jesus’s dad is a gardener and his mom is a cleaner).
This story follows Jesus and his dad on a hot Saturday while they go to the various of houses they do lawn care for. Jesus is in charge of the magical water jug and learns a lesson later about time and water being precious.
The illustrations are so bright and I think kids who like they style of DogMan or Captain Underpants would appreciate this style as well.

Thank you Astra Books (children) for the ARC. We will be adding this book to our family library as soon as a print is available.

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I received an advanced reader copy of this book through Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have reviewed several children's books over the past week and this one by far is my favorite!

The illustrations were cute and funny. There was something to be discovered in every photo.

A few Spanish words were spread through out the book. It tested my 7 year old's knowledge (as he has become more interested in learning Spanish over this past year). We are Afro Latinxs, but my son never took interest in learning Spanish until recently.

The story was fun and my son caught on to what the child was trying to accomplish from the very beginning!

We highly recommend this book and we absolutely look forward to picking up a physical copy°

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