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Canned and Crushed
When Sandro Zapote finds out his little sister needs heart surgery, he is determined to help his parents raise the money they’ll need to help her get better. Sandro’s dad is in the states illegally and must work two jobs to support the family. For one, he picks up roadkill for the department of streets and sanitation and gets paid by the carcass. For the other, he collects scrap metal to recycle for cash. Sandro helps his dad with some of the scrap metal heavy lifting, and one headboard, a weight bench, some gutters, and a few car parts later, Sandro has a brilliant idea: can collecting. Save the environment. Save his family. Maybe even save some spending money for the fabulous, fast new bike he’s been coveting.
Well-meaning and with funny inner monologue, Sandro is the kind of person you can’t help but cheer for. He’s a boy who loves drawing, soccer, and his little sister. And whether he’s fishing a fuzzy, dust-coated turtle out from under his sister’s bed or organizing a school-wide can drive all by himself, Sandro is a smart, self-aware hero, who makes just a few mistakes along the way.
Canned and Crushed, by first-time author Bibi Belford, gives Sandro a funny, relatable, readable voice, while being fresh and original. It’s a story that will open its readers’ eyes, dealing with issues of illegal immigration, unemployment, racism and religious persecution, bullying, and more—carefully and with a light and often humorous touch. This is a cross between The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and it’s a book no kid will want to miss.
Well-meaning and with funny inner monologue, Sandro is the kind of person you can’t help but cheer for. He’s a boy who loves drawing, soccer, and his little sister. And whether he’s fishing a fuzzy, dust-coated turtle out from under his sister’s bed or organizing a school-wide can drive all by himself, Sandro is a smart, self-aware hero, who makes just a few mistakes along the way.
Canned and Crushed, by first-time author Bibi Belford, gives Sandro a funny, relatable, readable voice, while being fresh and original. It’s a story that will open its readers’ eyes, dealing with issues of illegal immigration, unemployment, racism and religious persecution, bullying, and more—carefully and with a light and often humorous touch. This is a cross between The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and it’s a book no kid will want to miss.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published March 3, 2015
6 people are currently reading
411 people want to read
About the author
Bibi Belford
5 books15 followersBibi Belford graduated with a B.A. in English from Westmont College and has worked as a playground supervisor for children of migrant workers and was a student teacher in a bilingual classroom before completing her masters in Bilingual Literacy at Northern Illinois University. She currently works as a literacy coach and reading interventionist for an elementary school in Illinois. She is the mother of four grown children and lives in Batavia, Illinois.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
June 5, 2017
A charming tale, Canned and Crushed can sit at the top of the recommended reading lists of teachers who value multi-cultural tales, humorous storytelling, and richly developed voices. Simply put, Bibi Belford's debut novel is a hoot!
Sandro Zapote needs money. His dad is an undocumented immigrant who collects scrap metal and dead animals for a living, he needs a new bike (yes, needs), and his sister has a rare heart condition. To top all that, Sandro's soccer team can't seem to make it without him even though he needs to work, his teachers definitely don't get him, and if Abiola Khan doesn't leave him alone, he might be forced to do something desperate.
Even when Sandro's escapades get him into trouble, readers will find themselves rooting for him to find a way out. Since we're inside Sandro's head, we know what lies beneath his actions. And we can forgive him.
This book doesn't tip into a morality tale, but it does explore issues of ethics, social justice, economics, and even education. It looks at the cultures of central Mexico, immigrants to the US, and mainstream American culture. The book handles tough issues with a deft, light touch that leave readers laughing while thinking.
I want to include the story's weaknesses, but I'm having a hard time thinking of them. Dialogue? It's snappy. Story? Well told. Characters? Believable. Voice? Oh, this author's got that in spades. So read the book yourself, and if you find some weaknesses, let me know.
This book should appeal to readers 8-12, teachers, parents of readers 8-12, and readers old enough to read children's books again and enjoy them.
Sandro Zapote needs money. His dad is an undocumented immigrant who collects scrap metal and dead animals for a living, he needs a new bike (yes, needs), and his sister has a rare heart condition. To top all that, Sandro's soccer team can't seem to make it without him even though he needs to work, his teachers definitely don't get him, and if Abiola Khan doesn't leave him alone, he might be forced to do something desperate.
Even when Sandro's escapades get him into trouble, readers will find themselves rooting for him to find a way out. Since we're inside Sandro's head, we know what lies beneath his actions. And we can forgive him.
This book doesn't tip into a morality tale, but it does explore issues of ethics, social justice, economics, and even education. It looks at the cultures of central Mexico, immigrants to the US, and mainstream American culture. The book handles tough issues with a deft, light touch that leave readers laughing while thinking.
I want to include the story's weaknesses, but I'm having a hard time thinking of them. Dialogue? It's snappy. Story? Well told. Characters? Believable. Voice? Oh, this author's got that in spades. So read the book yourself, and if you find some weaknesses, let me know.
This book should appeal to readers 8-12, teachers, parents of readers 8-12, and readers old enough to read children's books again and enjoy them.
March 13, 2015
A Rewarding, But Challenging and Thought Provoking, Story
The voice of our hero/narrator Sandro is interesting and hard to pin down or categorize. He is much too perceptive, worldly wise and articulate to be a ten year old. His repeated disclaimer that he is trying to build up a sophisticated vocabulary is a charming but ineffective dodge. Despite this, though, the author has created him with enough childish innocence, energy, interests and preoccupations that there is a feeling of an authentic voice. It might be best, (and the best way to describe the effect), to think of this as a memoir written by an adult, but from the point of view of his younger self. I don't have a problem with this. I don't really want to read a book actually written by a ten year old, and I am happy to have the version of a ten year old that has been created by this author. That's probably true for a young reader of this book as well.
The off balance feeling you get from the narrator's voice is compounded by the way he behaves and reacts to circumstances. Sandro can be generous, patient, loving and responsible. He can also be dense, vindictive and mean. The result is that you get a character who is an odd combination of Scout, Dennis the Menace, Mother Theresa, and that sneaky kid from "The Great Brain". So, sometimes you want to hug this character and sometimes you want to spank him, (metaphorically speaking, of course). I didn't mind that and actually appreciated the vigor and originality that went into creating Sandro, but it's probably something to keep in mind when recommending this book to any particular young reader. It helps that Sandro recognizes when he is behaving badly and strives to improve himself. So at least the "teaching moments" are actually an important part of the overall story.
And the more I think about it, the more it makes sense to have a complex kid to narrate a book that has the ambition, optimism and nerve to address complex questions like illegal immigration, a disabled parent, a seriously ill sister, bullying, family money problems, and the like. Everything isn't warm and cuddly and you probably need a hero with a few warts in order to tell the story properly.
The upshot is that this book is undoubtedly well written. There are loads of very sharp and deftly crafted comments and observations. There is an underlying generosity to the author's view of her characters, and bits of unexpected humor and almost slapstick humor are sprinkled throughout. Sandro at his best has great heart and charm. But, there are serious and uncomfortable themes here too. The blurbs draw comparisons to "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" and "Diary of a Wimpy Kid". That may be fair, but there is more of Junior on the rez than of Greg Heffley here. That's bracing and unusual for a book aimed at this reading demo, but that's what makes this such an interesting and tempting choice for a confident reader.
Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
The voice of our hero/narrator Sandro is interesting and hard to pin down or categorize. He is much too perceptive, worldly wise and articulate to be a ten year old. His repeated disclaimer that he is trying to build up a sophisticated vocabulary is a charming but ineffective dodge. Despite this, though, the author has created him with enough childish innocence, energy, interests and preoccupations that there is a feeling of an authentic voice. It might be best, (and the best way to describe the effect), to think of this as a memoir written by an adult, but from the point of view of his younger self. I don't have a problem with this. I don't really want to read a book actually written by a ten year old, and I am happy to have the version of a ten year old that has been created by this author. That's probably true for a young reader of this book as well.
The off balance feeling you get from the narrator's voice is compounded by the way he behaves and reacts to circumstances. Sandro can be generous, patient, loving and responsible. He can also be dense, vindictive and mean. The result is that you get a character who is an odd combination of Scout, Dennis the Menace, Mother Theresa, and that sneaky kid from "The Great Brain". So, sometimes you want to hug this character and sometimes you want to spank him, (metaphorically speaking, of course). I didn't mind that and actually appreciated the vigor and originality that went into creating Sandro, but it's probably something to keep in mind when recommending this book to any particular young reader. It helps that Sandro recognizes when he is behaving badly and strives to improve himself. So at least the "teaching moments" are actually an important part of the overall story.
And the more I think about it, the more it makes sense to have a complex kid to narrate a book that has the ambition, optimism and nerve to address complex questions like illegal immigration, a disabled parent, a seriously ill sister, bullying, family money problems, and the like. Everything isn't warm and cuddly and you probably need a hero with a few warts in order to tell the story properly.
The upshot is that this book is undoubtedly well written. There are loads of very sharp and deftly crafted comments and observations. There is an underlying generosity to the author's view of her characters, and bits of unexpected humor and almost slapstick humor are sprinkled throughout. Sandro at his best has great heart and charm. But, there are serious and uncomfortable themes here too. The blurbs draw comparisons to "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" and "Diary of a Wimpy Kid". That may be fair, but there is more of Junior on the rez than of Greg Heffley here. That's bracing and unusual for a book aimed at this reading demo, but that's what makes this such an interesting and tempting choice for a confident reader.
Please note that I received a free advance ecopy of this book in exchange for a candid review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.
December 18, 2015
A book that feels like a walk through a middle-grade school hallway, Bibi Belford has managed to capture the language of middle-schoolers while presenting a character that is often difficult to like, even as you are exposed to more of his life away from school.
Sandro Zapote is a kid in a difficult situation: his father is in the US without papers, and his little sister has a heart condition that requires treatment that is far more expensive than his family can afford. The family’s living situation gets worse when his mother and sister head to Mexico so Girasol can get treatment, leaving Sandro and his father back in the states. Worry about his sister, a solid and often single-minded determination to help his family, and Sandro’s own sense of ‘justice’ in dealing with those who wrong him give this book an all too plausible feel, while introducing issues that are difficult and controversial for adults, let alone children.
Belford uses Sandro’s desires to do good with his often and frequent moments of bad behavior, tying it back to his desires to ‘do for’ his family when not everything works out quite as he would plan. Simple childish reactions of jealousy, mischief and small vandalisms will be easy for children to understand, and they will most probably ‘side with’ Sandro in some of his actions gone horridly wrong. Underneath the mischief and mistakes is a child desperate to help his family but wholly without the real skills or options to do so.
With a few twists and unexpected help from surprise places, wonderfully rich characters and prose that feels honest and real while still presenting issues that are far more adult than one would expect in a story for children, Belford presents readers with an opportunity for discussion, learning and enjoyment.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
Sandro Zapote is a kid in a difficult situation: his father is in the US without papers, and his little sister has a heart condition that requires treatment that is far more expensive than his family can afford. The family’s living situation gets worse when his mother and sister head to Mexico so Girasol can get treatment, leaving Sandro and his father back in the states. Worry about his sister, a solid and often single-minded determination to help his family, and Sandro’s own sense of ‘justice’ in dealing with those who wrong him give this book an all too plausible feel, while introducing issues that are difficult and controversial for adults, let alone children.
Belford uses Sandro’s desires to do good with his often and frequent moments of bad behavior, tying it back to his desires to ‘do for’ his family when not everything works out quite as he would plan. Simple childish reactions of jealousy, mischief and small vandalisms will be easy for children to understand, and they will most probably ‘side with’ Sandro in some of his actions gone horridly wrong. Underneath the mischief and mistakes is a child desperate to help his family but wholly without the real skills or options to do so.
With a few twists and unexpected help from surprise places, wonderfully rich characters and prose that feels honest and real while still presenting issues that are far more adult than one would expect in a story for children, Belford presents readers with an opportunity for discussion, learning and enjoyment.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via Edelweiss for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
January 2, 2015
As a mother of an almost ten year old, I do tend to forget that all kids this age often think they can save the world. Sandro isn't trying to save the world, just his family and most importantly his little sister. His voice is clear and full of determination and if he learns anything, its that it is okay to ask for and get help. This the second book by Sky Pony Press that I have had the pleasure of reading an ARC of and I can't wait to recommend at the bookstore where I work. I love that there are stories with characters that are full of heart and qualities that make them unique in society being published.
December 6, 2014
Bibi is attuned to grade school humor and speech! The book is written using common everyday speech that you hear in the schools while also introducing young readers to more advanced vocabulary. The topics in the novel are presented in fresh ways that will start good conversations about controversial issues. Loving it so far!
June 10, 2015
Wonderful story with many lessons learned! My Great-Grand daughter is now reading it...so it is obviously meant for all ages....buy this and enjoy! Easy reading and fun....
June 12, 2015
Holy guacamole! Sandro is dealing with A LOT. You'll love rooting for him as he deals with school and family drama. Great new voice in youth fiction.
December 3, 2018
Another wonderful read by Bibi Belford. As a reader, I can tell that Belford has worked with children because she seems to be able to put down in words what they are thinking- realistically.
April 4, 2018
Fourth grader Sandro has two goals: help his soccer team win and take home the top prize for the school district’s art contest. But when his sister gets sick, everyone must step up. His dad is working two jobs and often needs Sandro’s help, even if that means he must miss a soccer game. Sandro does his best, but sometimes his schemes get messy and his choices are off target.
This title addresses themes of racism, illegal immigration, and disability, while using humor and an authentic voice. Readers will identify with Sandro’s poor decision making skills and relate to his father’s advice to “be the better man.”
This title addresses themes of racism, illegal immigration, and disability, while using humor and an authentic voice. Readers will identify with Sandro’s poor decision making skills and relate to his father’s advice to “be the better man.”
February 20, 2020
Gosh, I like this book! The narrative voice is so wonderful. You can't help loving 11 year old Sandro who gets himself deeper and deeper into trouble as he tries to creatively solve the problems of his sister's medical bills and his family's increasing financial distress. Sandro has big ideas and an even bigger heart.
February 22, 2015
I had the pleasure of sitting with Bibi at a Children's author's conference yesterday. The story behind her book is wonderfully true. There are not many Hispanic boy main characters in children's literature and while it seems that everything goes wrong for Sandro, as a teacher, you know there ARE kids who are dealing with way more than we can ever imagine. I found the book realistic in how Sandro behaves. He doesn't always do the right thing. He knows what his parents expect and what he SHOULD do, but he's a kid and it doesn't always work out the right way. That's what I really liked about the book.
April 26, 2016
This is a great book about siblings and the lengths one would go for another. Not only is the main character struggling to balance school with his love of soccer, his sister needs major surgery, and he takes it upon himself to raise the money to save her. This book explores best friends, frenemies, a wayward turtle, entrepreneurship, and the struggles undocumented families can have despite high education and skill.
Middle-grade boys especially, and girls, will enjoy this book. Adults too--there's plenty of laugh-out-loud moments to make your family look at you funny and wonder if they're supposed to be in on the joke. Seriously, it's a great read!
Middle-grade boys especially, and girls, will enjoy this book. Adults too--there's plenty of laugh-out-loud moments to make your family look at you funny and wonder if they're supposed to be in on the joke. Seriously, it's a great read!
February 4, 2016
Sandro comes across as appealingly resilient and cheerful in the face of all that's going on in his life: his little sister's illness, starting a recycling project to raise funds for her hospitalization, living with Papi while Mama and Girasol are gone. He reminds himself to be "a better man" when things don't go his way. Big quibble: Abiola's family is from Pakistan but their last name is consistently spelled "Kahn," with the exception of page 155 when it is (presumably) correctly spelled "Khan." I knew something wasn't right!
March 16, 2015
Sandro is a boy kids will cheer for. He's smart, well-meaning, but makes a lot of mistakes as he tries his best to do the right thing. He sees the world as black and white, fair and not fair, easy or hard. Friend or enemy. When he realizes the choices he makes have consequences that effect everyone, he begins to see the shades of grey that add fullness to life. And, one of his Papi's favorite sayings takes on new meaning: Nothing is as it appears. A perfect book for the middle school crowd.
Read
July 3, 2015Belford is a reading teacher from Aurora, Illinois. Her main character is a soccer-loving 4th grade boy, Sandro, who has Mexican heritage. The story has themes of immigration, bullying, family illness, and helping others. Teachers will like this book because there is an emphasis on vocabulary but kids will like it because the main character is very "real". He gets in trouble at school, is sometimes jealous of his sister, and doesn't always do his household chores.
May 23, 2016
Sandro is determined to find a way to earn money so that his sister can get the heart surgery that she needs. He finds out that recycling cans can bring in cash, so he arranges to have a disposal unit installed in his school. Sadly, he doesn't realize that all the money earned will be going to the school instead of to him, but there is a happy ending. Nice characterization of a boy who acts before he thinks, but has a good heart.
May 10, 2018
This was a great book! Really expressed "there is always more than it seems." Sandro's perspective shines a light on the pressures of childhood and not being understood as well as not quite understanding what is going on around you. I especially love the vocabulary and math lessons skillfully and subtly woven in. A great read and learning experience for kids and adults!
October 18, 2017
wonderful little book. this was a goodreads giveaway for me.
April 19, 2021
Truly enjoyable story from an eleven-year-old boy in public school, living a dual life as so many American children do. His parents brought him to the States from Mexico; however his mother is a citizen and his father is not--in fact, Papi is not documented technically, though he is married to an American citizen. As Sandro, our hero, says, things are complicated. He can't even explain to his teacher about what his parents do for a living, so school was not off to a good start. Adding to the pressure are a girl who is his nemesis and his soccer team who needs him there, on time, for every game if they want to go on to championship play. When his little sister develops a serious illness, Sandro comes up with all sorts of plans to help the family pay for her treatment. Along the way he learns about trusting and friendship and making decisions.
April 24, 2023
This was an incredible read-aloud! My son LOVED the book and the main character, Sandro, who is a 4th grade soccer player. Throughout the story Sandro deals with many of life's challenges, gets into hilarious shenanigans, and doesn't always make the right choices -- but through the ups and downs of his plans to try to help his family pay for his sister's heart surgery we always found ourselves rooting for him. The inner dialogue felt spot on to a 4th grader and sparked many good family discussions. We stayed up well past our bedtime many nights laughing and reading "just one more page" to find out what would happen next to Sandro, his friends and family. This is a book you don't want to miss!
June 23, 2015
3.5/5
Interesting voice for this story. Some of the plot was a little unbelievable in my opinion. Good for grade 5-7
I received this book free through good reads first reads giveaway.
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July 3, 2018good
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