Armando and the Blue Tarp School

by Edith Hope Fine, Judith Pinkerton Josephson, Hernan Sosa (Illustrator)

Armando's family lives on things they can use, recycle, and sell from the city trash dump. Armando works with his father to help support the family, but he also finds things for himself pencil stubs, a notebook, and an old paint set with which to write and paint. One summer Senor David arrives and begins teaching school on a blue tarp spread on the ground. Armando's parents finally decide that learning may help him find different work when he grows up, so he begins attending the blue tarp school. The children learn to read and write in Spanish and English. They learn math. And they draw, much to Armando's delight. When a fire in the colonia burns down several homes, it is Armando's picture of the fiery night plays a key role in building a real school. The story is inspired by the work of David Lynch, a teacher from New York who first began working in a colonia in Mexico in the early 1980s.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Poverty, Cultural, Nonfiction, Latinx, School

32 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2007

Reviews

[Jessica Martinez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Armando and the Blue Tarp School is a realistic fiction book based on David Lynch, an American special education teacher who volunteered to teach children in Tijuana, Mexico. Armando and his family are trash pickers; they recycle and sell items that they scavenge. His family does not have to travel far because there is a dump in their colonia, which is located in Tijuana, Mexico. Señor David sets up his blue tarp in Armando’s colonia to teach children how to read and write in Spanish and English. Despite the fact that Armando wants nothing more than to learn, his father reminds him that he must help support the family and forbids him to go to school because he must work as a trash picker. While picking trash, Armando collects a notebook and paint set and keeps it for himself. In the evenings, his friend, Isabella, teaches Armando new words that she has learned from Señor David. Eventually, Armando’s father gives him permission to leave work early, hoping that Armando may find better work in the future by going to school. One night, a massive fire destroys many homes, including Armando’s. When newspaper reporters came to the colonia to document the effects of the fire, a journalist asks for one of Armando’s paintings that depicted the fire. Armando is surprised to discover that the journalist had published his painting on the front cover of the newspaper. Consequently, a woman who sees Armando’s painting decides to sponsor the construction of a school in the colonia. As Armando’s family builds a new house, an actual school is also built in the colonia.

Although the authors are not Hispanic,they nonetheless met David Lynch and portrayed his experiences as accurately as possible. Hernán Sosa, the illustrator, was born in Argentina and raised in Paraguay, so he is Hispanic. Armando and the Blue Tarp School is appropriate for children ages five through nine. Hernan Sosa's vibrant ink and watercolor illustrations accurately portray life in a Mexican colonia, capturing the attention of young readers. Although there is a Spanish glossary in the back of the book, it is not needed because Spanish words are followed by the same word in English. Young readers can easily understand the storyline with the book’s short sentences and vivid illustrations.

Good characters reflect a variety of backgrounds because Señor David is an American and the people in the colonia are Mexican. Rather than oversimplifying Armando’s life, the authors expose children to the difficult living conditions of individuals in poverty: Armando cannot go to school because he must help support his family, there are no physical school buildings, and his family must pick through trash in order to get the things they need. Thus, this book is great for a read aloud; teachers may emphasize the importance of school and provide motivation for the students who take learning for granted. Reading this book may ignite a discussion about humanitarianism because the example of Señor David teaches children that one person may have a huge impact on a community or another person’s life. Additionally, Armando and the Blue Tarp school causes children to realize that learning does not only take place in school but that it may take place anywhere, including a blue tarp on the ground.

[M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Armando and his family live by a huge dump and spend their days sorting through trash, looking for things they can sell or use. They are pepenadores, trash pickers. When Senor David comes and makes a school for the pepenadores children on a big blue tarp spread on the ground, Armando’s father doesn’t want the boy to go. Armando needs to pick trash to help support his family. Ultimately Armando’s parents change their minds and decide he can attend the blue tarp school in the afternoons after spending the morning picking trash and the boy is overjoyed to be able to learn to read, to write, and to draw and paint. Finally, a tragedy ends with the blue tarp school receiving an unheard of gift, an actual building for the school.

Based on the true story of David Lynch who started the blue tarp school at the Tijuana dump one summer. He came back again and again and finally stayed for the next 27 years, convinced that education would change the children’s futures.

[Dani Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had no idea about the pepenadores (trash pickers) in Mexico before this book. The life that Armando (and many others) is living is unimaginable to those of us in many parts of the US. This was a really touching account of one boy's determination to receive an education and a man's determination to make sure children received that education. I was so glad for the author's note at the end to tell the story a bit more; it's very powerful.

Definitely read this with your little one, my friends.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is wonderfully written and illustrated and shows the school life of kids in Mexico...krb 7/10/17

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting! I liked the information in the back, especially.

[Andréa]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

A 7-year-old's review: It was sad but it was happy. I'd read it again tomorrow.

[Lakeya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a non fiction story. The story is a really good! I know that children would definitely be excited to read this book. This book teach children words in Spanish. I love the opportunity for the children learn how to speak in Spanish. While being able to relate to the main characters situation. This is definitely a good read for a classroom. The illustrations were nice. But, the children wouldn't be able to predict the stories, while just looking at the pictures. I did like the story also of how the teacher gave back to the community. The tarp school. The author teaches that school can be anywhere.

[N_stefanie Akwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Armando wants to go to school, but his family needs him to go with his father to work picking-trash at the nearby garbage dump. When a teacher comes to his small villiage, he creates a school without walls on his big blue tarp. Armando convinces his family to let him dream about a future beyond his family's expectations and learn from the visiting teacher. Armando's artwork depicting a recent fire that wiped out his small village gets chosen to be on the cover of a newspaper and brings attention to his village's need for a new school. A philantropist donates money and the people of the village build a schoolhouse for all the children who used to sit on the blue tarp imagining what might be.

I liked this book because students with empoverished backgrounds could see themselves in literature and feel hopeful about the power of education, talent, and resilience. It was even more uplifting to learn at the end that the story is based on real people working together in the spirit of community.

[Chelsea Bucci · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about a boy named Armando. He lives in a poor neighborhood and spends his days searching through trash in dumps, searching for objects that his family can use or sell. He meets a teacher named Senor David who invites him to join his class. His Papa gives him permission to be able to pursue an education. Senor David teaches Armando and other children in the village English under a blue tarp. I loved this story because it gave a hopeful outlook for children living in poverty. It also hits home at the reason why I want to be a teacher: to change the lives of others in a positive way. It was very interesting to learn that this book was based on true events by the author David Lynch, who taught in poor neighborhoods in Tijuana, Mexico. I was drawn to this story because it reminded me of the country Morocco.

[Melissa Dwyer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally rated G+ by Virginia Lambeth
This fictional story is based on conditions at the town dump at Tijuana, Mexico. Familiies live there, gathering saleable items by culling through the mounds of trash. American David Lynch visited the area in 1980 and never left. He efforts to teach children under a blue tarp led to a newspaper article in the Los Angeles Times. After reading the article an anonymous reader had donated money to build a school. In this story Armando is saddened that he cannot attend the "blue tarp school" because his family is dependent on his working with his father at the garbage dump. A fire destroys the homes and a newspaper article is written, with the ensuing charitable act that built the school. Creative teachers will find many uses for this book.

[Jasmine Winters · Rating 4 out of 5]

Armando and the Blue Tarp School is about a young boy and his family who collects trash to earn a living. Despite needing Armando to make money for his family, they have decided to send him to a school on a blue tarp in their colonia. Armando is excited to learn to read, write, and have the opportunity to draw. Unfortunately a fire destroys buildings in their community and Armando becomes a hero. He draws a picture of the fire that causes a woman to donate money for an actual school to be built for the children. This books helps children understand the decisions that must be made by families when it come to making a living and education. Students can also feel empowered that even as a young person they can make a difference in their community in their unique ways.

[Belma Sarajlic · Rating 4 out of 5]

“ This is my third Multicultural picture book.”

Armando and the Blue Tarp School by Edith Hope Fine is an amazing book that teaches children about people around them. Edith Hope Fine did a wonderful job sharing Armando’s story with her readers who will enjoy the book from cover to cover. Armando is a boy who lives with his family on the dump. His father and his father work together to support family, but at the same time Armando loves school and wants to learn new things. Armando’s mom and dad decide that they want Armando to go to school and learn things from his teacher on Blue Tarp. His school did not have a walls and a chalkboard like others because their teacher would bring this blue tarp and all kids from gather from the area to learn new information.

[Nicola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on a true story, this historical fictional story is great for grades 2 and up. Through this book you are given a different perspective, as you enter the life of Armando, who lives in a Tijuana landfill. The story causes kids (and adults) to recognize how important a good education is. Many times, as Americans, we forget how lucky we are to live in a country that provides free public education for its citizens. This book will definitely raise some good quality discussions.

[Kelli Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a young boy who struggles with poverty. It talks about the struggles that he experiences everyday because of it. I made a lot of personal connections to this book which makes me want to share it with my future students. I know a lot of children struggle with poverty however it is more dominate in the ESOL community so I think it would be a great book for them to read.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is full of inspiration for children who are not lucky enough to have a school or regular education. It is multicultural with history and Spanish words mixed into the story. The text is pretty lengthy, so it would be better to read to older children with a larger attention span. Wonderful illustrations!

[N · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on a true story of children in an economically impoverished community set alongside a trash dump. An outsider, David Lynch (I was kind of sad that it wasn't the David Lynch) volunteers as a teacher to the students. The school starts off simply, meeting on a piece of tarp.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story was a nice little story, but the back story was far more intriguing. It is based on the experiences of David Lynch who has for years taught the children of Tijuana's city dump and how they went from school on a blue tarp to a real schoolhouse. Quite inspiring.

[Jillian Reed · Rating 5 out of 5]

An inspirational story about a boy who is torn between helping the family and going to school. The father allows the boy to attend and ends up having a school being built in his colonia. A fictional story, but very inspiring for students. Also incorporates Spanish to English an vis versa.

[Armando · Rating 5 out of 5]

Story about David Lynch who went to Tijuana Mexico and started teaching children that lived in a dump. Armando is a fictitious character in which all of Señor David’s students are portrayed.

[Ledawn · Rating 2 out of 5]

CYRM picture book for older readers nominee 2009-10. A true story (with liberties taken) of one man who brought hope to a small community of garbage pickers in Tiajuana by starting a school.

[Reidun Bures · Rating 4 out of 5]

School, poverty, a little Spanish

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Great for Spanish culture reading.

[Debra]

Ages 6 - 9

This book would be especially helpful for children in poor socio-economic situations. They could identify with the main character.

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about school, poverty, and also has a little Spanish. Great, inspirational story.

[Andréa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.

[*The Angry Reader*]

This is a neat story idea because it shows children that school is a valuable thing. Poor children living in a village don’t always get to attend school because sometimes they need to help their families financially. And “school” in this situation is sitting on a blue tarp learning basic words. This is a good way to present education as something treasured.

The illustrations are bright and go well with the story.

[Tatum Edwards]

I loved this book! Students can see from a different perspective and how other culture view school and the different roles children must play while growing up.