There are a few reasons I like this book. First, I like how the book is bilingual and offers the text in Spanish and English since the young boy in the story is bilingual. This is very educational and can help extend students vocabulary in another language. Second, I like that the characters are believable. The characters are two mothers and a son which is present in todays society. Having a non-traditional family is common and okay. Also, the strange appearance of his mothers partner’s character is very unique to the story. Third, I like how the book pushes readers to think about the tough issues of differences in individuals and how to be polite, respectful and include everyone. The message to take away from this story is that we must be respectful to everyone even if their family isn’t the same as ours.

Antonio loves Leslie, his mother's partner, but is embarrassed when the kids make fun of how tall she is and how she looks like a clown in her paint-spattered overalls. When she meets him after school he hurries her off the school grounds so they can go elsewhere to read under a tree. For Mother's Day, the kids all make cards but when the teacher announces they will be displayed, Antonio fears more teasing. Then he sees the painting Leslie has made for his mother, of the three of them reading under a tree. He realizes Leslie is a part of the family and that is nothing to be embarrassed about.

I liked the book Antonio's Card for two reasons. I liked how the author includes imagery so that the reader can visualize the situation. For example, the author writes, "The tallest person coming down the street is Leslie, looking like a splattered canvas in her workshop overalls." The reader can see Leslie's head above the others and her paint-splattered overalls. I also liked the conflict of the story because it is relatable. When Leslie approaches Antonio to pick him up, the children start making fun of Leslie. The children say "That woman looks like a guy!" and "She looks like a rodeo clown." Antonio then has to decide whether to care about what the children say or not. The main message of the story is that we are all individuals and are different, and we should not be ashamed of being around someone who is more different than others. At first, Antonio is ashamed of being associated with Leslie because of the way she looks and acts, but through talking with his mother, he decides to disregard others’ opinions and bring Leslie to school with him in front of his peers. ( )

I liked this book. I think that this book provided a huge window into the life of a child who has parents of the same sex. I thought that the characters in this story were extremely believable. I have members of my family who are homosexual so I can see why Antonio became embarrassed when his classmates were making fun of him. I also really liked the writing in this story. This book was a bilingual book, with English on one side of the page, and the Spanish translation on the other side of the page. I believe that the main idea of this story was to push the readers to accept all different kinds of people for who they are, not who they love. ( )

Antonio loves to draw and spell, making a Mother's Day card at school for his mother and her partner, Leslie. After some of his schoolmates make fun of the way Leslie looks and dresses when she comes to meet him after school one day, Antonio feels self-conscious of his different family, afraid that his classmates will tease him about Leslie. The reader follows Antonio through his personal conflict and sees the elements that influence his decision whether or not to show off his family. The book is written in both Spanish and English, with the English generally at the top of the page and the Spanish at the bottom. Each two-page spread contains a page of painted picture and a page of text. Cecilia Alvarez illustrated the book using acrylic paint, and showed Antonio's emotions plainly through his expression. Recommended for purchase. Suitable for ages 6-10. ( )