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The Upside Down Boy / El niño de cabeza
Fresh from the country, Juanito is bewildered by his new school. Everything he does feels upside down: he eats lunch when it's recess and goes to play when it's time for lunch, and his tongue feels like a rock when he tries to speak English. But a sensitive teacher and his family help him find his voice through poetry, art and music.
32 pages, Hardcover
Published January 18, 2000
7 people are currently reading
241 people want to read
About the author
Juan Felipe Herrera
82 books138 followersJuan Felipe Herrera is the only son of Lucha Quintana and Felipe Emilio Herrera; the three were campesinos living from crop to crop on the roads of the San Joaquín Valley, Southern California and the Salinas Valley. Herrera's experiences as the child of migrant farmers have strongly shaped his work, such as the children's book Calling the Doves, which won the Ezra Jack Keats award in 1997. He is a poet, performer, writer, cartoonist, teacher, and activist who draws from real life experiences as well as years of education to inform his work. Community and art has always been part of what has driven Herrera, beginning in the mid-seventies, when he was director of the Centro Cultural de la Raza, an occupied water tank in Balboa Park converted into an arts space for the community.
Herrera’s publications include fourteen collections of poetry, prose, short stories, young adult novels and picture books for children in the last decade with twenty-one books in total.
Herrera’s publications include fourteen collections of poetry, prose, short stories, young adult novels and picture books for children in the last decade with twenty-one books in total.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
October 10, 2017
This colorful children’s book tells the story of a boy named Juanito, whose family moves to America in order for Juanito to get a good education. He has a difficult transition to city life, and the book goes on to depict his first day of third grade. As the title suggests, Juanito feels very upside down as he struggles to adjust to a new life and school. He doesn’t speak English and can’t catch on to what other students are doing. However with the help of his loving parents and understanding teacher things soon turn up right. Juanito is musically inclined and a good singer. With encouragement and support from his family and teacher, Juanito begins to fit in and shine! This book does an incredible job of showing the process of adjustment in a new country from a young immigrant’s perspective.
June 2, 2024
Personally, I thought the book was a little boring and wish the author had explained Juanito's feelings of "upside-down"ish more in-depth My students quickly grasped the concept after I gave the example of how someone from North Korea might feel moving to South Korea, but the fact that they are unfamiliar with Latinx cultures made this a difficult read at times. In the end, though, they enjoyed the story and trying to speak all the Spanish phrases. Even if it meant I had to temporarily ban "pio pio piiiiiiii" from my classroom.
July 12, 2022
The Upside Down Boy/El nino de cabeza Juan Felipe Herrera
While helping my dad move, I had an experience that made me feel like my world turned upside down. I’d gone looking for good picture books I could snag and found one titled "The Upside Down Boy / El Niño de Cabeza," by Juan Felipe Herrera, on a shelf that held the books my mom kept for the grandkids.
But when did she become acquainted with Herrera? In my book, The Joy of Poetry, I wrote about how I thought she would like the first Latin-American U.S. poet laureate.
I opened the book. Inside it, I found a card from me, to my mom, gifting her the book in my hands. I had completely forgotten.
Everything was upside down. I was la niña de cabeza.
But what I felt was nothing compared to what Herrera — called Juanito in the story — feels when his family moves to the mountains by Lake Wolfer, “a glassy world full of sky colors,” so he can attend school. His parents are campesinos, farm workers, moving with the crops.
The move isn’t easy. The English word “recess” sounds like the Spanish word reses, cattle. For lunch, Juanito brings a burrito de papas, a potato burrito, instead of a sandwich.
“Don’t worry, chico,”
Papi says as he walks me to school.
“Everything changes. A new place has new leaves
on the trees and blows fresh air into your body.”
Herrera served as U.S. poet laureate from 2015-2017, and before that, as California’s poet laureate. The line breaks in The Upside Down Boy feel intentional, but it’s not a poem, per se. The illustrations are by Elizabeth Gomez. (You can view Gomez’s color-filled pictures here.)
As Juanito settles in to this new world of school, he explores his creativity.
His parents are proud of him, not only because they see Juanito gaining confidence, but because they know his education will give him opportunities they never had. At bedtime they tell him their story, a story of sacrifice. His mother won a spelling medal in third grade, in El Paso, but had to drop out that year to help her mother. His father paid friends a penny a word so he could learn English.
"Papi says softly, 'Each word,
each language has its own magic.'”
Juanito’s teacher, Mrs. Sampson, tells him he has a beautiful voice and eventually lets him conduct the school choir. Herrera dedicates the book to his third grade teacher, Mrs. Lucille Sampson of Lowell Elementary School, Logan Heights, San Diego, 1958, “who first inspired me to be a singer of words, and most of all, a believer in my own voice. Gracias.”
Juanito’s voice is most clear when he writes a poem about magic salsa.
You know what we need? More magic salsa. We need tomato cars and cucumber sombreros. We need upside down kids who grow up to be poets. And we need to be surprised, from time to time, when we find that the thing we were looking for was there all along, on just the right shelf.
While helping my dad move, I had an experience that made me feel like my world turned upside down. I’d gone looking for good picture books I could snag and found one titled "The Upside Down Boy / El Niño de Cabeza," by Juan Felipe Herrera, on a shelf that held the books my mom kept for the grandkids.
But when did she become acquainted with Herrera? In my book, The Joy of Poetry, I wrote about how I thought she would like the first Latin-American U.S. poet laureate.
I opened the book. Inside it, I found a card from me, to my mom, gifting her the book in my hands. I had completely forgotten.
Everything was upside down. I was la niña de cabeza.
But what I felt was nothing compared to what Herrera — called Juanito in the story — feels when his family moves to the mountains by Lake Wolfer, “a glassy world full of sky colors,” so he can attend school. His parents are campesinos, farm workers, moving with the crops.
The move isn’t easy. The English word “recess” sounds like the Spanish word reses, cattle. For lunch, Juanito brings a burrito de papas, a potato burrito, instead of a sandwich.
“Don’t worry, chico,”
Papi says as he walks me to school.
“Everything changes. A new place has new leaves
on the trees and blows fresh air into your body.”
Herrera served as U.S. poet laureate from 2015-2017, and before that, as California’s poet laureate. The line breaks in The Upside Down Boy feel intentional, but it’s not a poem, per se. The illustrations are by Elizabeth Gomez. (You can view Gomez’s color-filled pictures here.)
As Juanito settles in to this new world of school, he explores his creativity.
His parents are proud of him, not only because they see Juanito gaining confidence, but because they know his education will give him opportunities they never had. At bedtime they tell him their story, a story of sacrifice. His mother won a spelling medal in third grade, in El Paso, but had to drop out that year to help her mother. His father paid friends a penny a word so he could learn English.
"Papi says softly, 'Each word,
each language has its own magic.'”
Juanito’s teacher, Mrs. Sampson, tells him he has a beautiful voice and eventually lets him conduct the school choir. Herrera dedicates the book to his third grade teacher, Mrs. Lucille Sampson of Lowell Elementary School, Logan Heights, San Diego, 1958, “who first inspired me to be a singer of words, and most of all, a believer in my own voice. Gracias.”
Juanito’s voice is most clear when he writes a poem about magic salsa.
You know what we need? More magic salsa. We need tomato cars and cucumber sombreros. We need upside down kids who grow up to be poets. And we need to be surprised, from time to time, when we find that the thing we were looking for was there all along, on just the right shelf.
Read
October 22, 2017The Upside Down Boy, written by Juan Felipe Herrera, with a genre of bilingual picture book, and illustrated by Elizabeth Gomez, is a story written for children seven to eight. The pictures in this story do more than the words. They are full of animals and people, but had fantasy in each picture as well. They go along with the difficult time that Juanito is dealing with. Juanito and his family move and he starts going to a new school. He feels different than everyone else and feels as if his world is turning upside down. As he gets more comfortable, he teaches his class about his culture and experiences. This is a bilingual book, in Spanish and English, and helps students connect with emotion to an experience of that nature, whether it be moving from another state to a new school, or from another country. It helps show students that even though going to a new school may be intimidating, it can turn into a positive experience in the end.
July 13, 2017
Papi says softly, "Each word, each language has its own magic."
Lyrical writing paired with whimsical, colorful illustrations continue the story of little Juanito where his life left off in CALLING THE DOVES. New at school and unfamiliar with English, even living in a city is foreign to him. Thankfully, his family and supportive teacher help Juan find his voice.
Lyrical writing paired with whimsical, colorful illustrations continue the story of little Juanito where his life left off in CALLING THE DOVES. New at school and unfamiliar with English, even living in a city is foreign to him. Thankfully, his family and supportive teacher help Juan find his voice.
February 11, 2021
Written side by side in English and Spanish, and gorgeously illustrated, this little book is a treasure. Not only is it a great way to practice reading Spanish with a reliable, meaningful (rather than literal) translation, the language is every bit as beautiful as Herrera's poetry. Un tesoro hermoso seguro!
October 26, 2022
This book is about a boy who goes to school for the first time after his family settled in a new town. It is difficult for him to learn English words when everyone else understands. He feels like everything is upside down. He eats lunch when it is recess, but when it is recess, he eats lunch. Juanito speaks Spanish but is also learning English words. I like how this book has a combination of both English and Spanish words to help children understand what some words mean in Spanish. Juanito's parents and teacher help him find his voice through poems, music, and art. His father then complimented him on his voice and he really takes it to heart and is wanting to sing more. On the cover of this book, Juanito is upside down over the new city that he moved to with his parents. It is not that detailed, but the artwork mimics a page in the book too which I thought was fun to connect. I would recommend this book to third-grade to fifth-grade. The younger the students are learning about another language, the quicker they would learn.
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March 3, 2025This beautiful bilingual book is about a young boy who is an immigrant and the challenges that he faces upon moving to a new country. He struggles with language barriers, fitting in, and adapting to his new surroundings. As the story unfolds, he begins to discover his own strength in his cultural background and how he can express himself and connect with others in his community. This story teaches children the importance of embracing diversity, understanding the challenges that immigrants face, and celebrating cultural identity. Being different is not something to be afraid of, but something to be proud of. I can use this book in my future classroom to spark discussions about empathy, diversity, and the experiences of immigrants. I can also incorporate activities that help students explore their own cultural identities, like a self-portrait that represents their heritage.
October 22, 2020
Genre: Biography- autobiography
Awards: N/A
Source: Townsend Memorial Library
Audience: K - 3rd
Describe the type of biography read. Explain how you know: This is an autobiography. I know this to be the case because it is written in first person from Juan Felipe Herrera’s perspective.
Is this an authentic or fictionalized biography? How do you know?: This seems to be a fictionalized biography because there are elements added into the story that do not seem to portray in-depth research. This also seems to be a fictionalized biographies because it is written from the perspective of a young boy so there are added imagined details within the story.
Awards: N/A
Source: Townsend Memorial Library
Audience: K - 3rd
Describe the type of biography read. Explain how you know: This is an autobiography. I know this to be the case because it is written in first person from Juan Felipe Herrera’s perspective.
Is this an authentic or fictionalized biography? How do you know?: This seems to be a fictionalized biography because there are elements added into the story that do not seem to portray in-depth research. This also seems to be a fictionalized biographies because it is written from the perspective of a young boy so there are added imagined details within the story.
September 17, 2023
A young boy has moved with his family and is starting school. He doesn't speak much English and everything feels upside down and backwards. I think this is a great book to read for students who are new at a school, students who come from another country, students who speak limited English --as well as all of their peers.
I love that poetry helps him feel comfortable and find a way to express himself.
I love that poetry helps him feel comfortable and find a way to express himself.
September 18, 2020
Published 2000.
10/10. I absolutely adore this book. It was a great surprise to open the first page and see the text is written in both English and Spanish. Not only is this book great for bilingual, English language learners, but it is great for all students to get a taste and appreciate the beauty of the Spanish culture.
10/10. I absolutely adore this book. It was a great surprise to open the first page and see the text is written in both English and Spanish. Not only is this book great for bilingual, English language learners, but it is great for all students to get a taste and appreciate the beauty of the Spanish culture.
September 5, 2023
Los colores y las imágenes son muy bonitas. Hay varias oraciones que parecen versos de poemas y son muy bellas. Se trata de un niño que habla español que se muda a la ciudad y empieza a ir a una escuela donde se habla inglés. Siente que su mundo está de cabeza, pero poco a poco empieza a descubrirse a sí mismo y sus pasiones junto con la guía de su maestra y sus padres.
November 10, 2019
The illustration is so vivid in this book. The colors are phenomenal! Being that he's from the mountains coming to the city was quite different for him. When they went, he came. When he went, they came. I can see how he felt upside down.
April 3, 2025
Wonderful book! It shows the struggle of some immigrants to learn their way around the culutre of their new location. It also displays a difference in culture, this is made evident by the picture drawings in the book.
August 27, 2021
A story in Spanish as well as English about a teacher who inspires her students with music and empowers them to build a beautiful world.
June 25, 2022
it's relatable, the artwork isn't for me though. I loved how music and poetry got Juanito through the culture change and language barrier.
October 5, 2023
So full of figurative language it almost had to be a read aloud and explained. Hard to understand that there is story and then poetry. Good lessons from the book.
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October 28, 2019This is an excellent book for students that are learning the English language. It gives a glimpse into what children are dealing with when trying to learn a new language. It is not easy learning new things. this can reach all children. The pictures are defined and has the reader drawn into every page. This also shows that there are different means that can be used when teaching a child another language. Going beyond the regular activities given to students. Art, poetry and other fun activities can be explored when working with students.
October 19, 2016
The Upside Down Boy is about a boy who finally is able to have a stable home and go to school regularly for the first time. Juanito is nervous about starting school and finds himself doing everything wrong because of the language barrier. He eats lunch when it's recess time and goes out to play when it is time for lunch. I think it is interesting when Juanito describes his tongue like a rock when he is expected to talk English. Juanito's teacher helps him find is singing voice and this boosts his confidence. His loving family is very supportive and proud of their son for overcoming barriers and in the end that helps him find his place in this new world. This book goes well with my topic because it shows the difficulties that come along with having a language barrier. I do find it realistic for the family to be really supportive because Latin American families are usually very united and want to see their children be successful in life. The author uses playful language that will capture students interest and might be related to them. I feel that even though the story does not have a well thought out plot it still has a strong message. I loved the illustrations and the way that it demonstrates the way that students might feel when in a new environment, probably chaotic. The story is written in both Spanish and English and the characters use words that accurately represents their culture.
October 28, 2018
"The Upside Down Boy" by Juan Felipe Herrera was so wonderful to read. It was exhilarating and kept me interested throughout as the protagonist, Juanito, tries to feel comfortable in his new setting. I do believe that the story line would be very interesting to children of all ages as well. As I just noted, the plot was very entertaining and did a good job of making me want to continue reading to see if Juanito ever feels like he's not upside down anymore.
The illustrations were very bright and colorful; I know that even young children will have an easy time following along with the story. Every picture on every page follows along with the words making it very easy for anyone to follow along with the story. While the illustrations did have a fantasy aspect to them, they were realistic for the most part.
Since the story is about Juanito and his family coming to the United States from Latin America the representation of different cultures is main focused on Juanito and his family. His teacher and school friends do play a bit of a part in the story however. Everything remained true to the cultures since it was written by a Latino author. "The Upside Down Boy" was great to read and I would definitely recommend reading it to children of all ages.
The illustrations were very bright and colorful; I know that even young children will have an easy time following along with the story. Every picture on every page follows along with the words making it very easy for anyone to follow along with the story. While the illustrations did have a fantasy aspect to them, they were realistic for the most part.
Since the story is about Juanito and his family coming to the United States from Latin America the representation of different cultures is main focused on Juanito and his family. His teacher and school friends do play a bit of a part in the story however. Everything remained true to the cultures since it was written by a Latino author. "The Upside Down Boy" was great to read and I would definitely recommend reading it to children of all ages.
October 19, 2016
This story is about a boy named Juanito whose family moves to the city for the first time in order for Juanito to get an education. As he attends his first day of school, he can't understand much because he doesn't speak english and feels as if he's upside down because he does everything differently than other students. His teacher then makes him realize his own abilities as she encourages him to draw and sing. By realizing his abilities through motivation from his teacher and his family, Juanito begins to feel as if he belongs in this new strange city.
This story would be a bilingual nonfiction because it includes both english and spanish translation and is a story about the author's childhood. I think this story would be interesting to children especially because it's in poem form that would engage young readers. The illustrations are beautifully drawn and so colorful! They would make the children interested in the book as they follow the poem. One of the things I love about this book is that the author wrote this book about his own childhood which helps him represent the culutral group that he wrote the book about.
This story would be a bilingual nonfiction because it includes both english and spanish translation and is a story about the author's childhood. I think this story would be interesting to children especially because it's in poem form that would engage young readers. The illustrations are beautifully drawn and so colorful! They would make the children interested in the book as they follow the poem. One of the things I love about this book is that the author wrote this book about his own childhood which helps him represent the culutral group that he wrote the book about.
June 27, 2011
Age of Readership:
7-8 years and up
Genre:
bilingual picture book
Diversity:
Mexican-American/migrant worker
Illustrations:
Paintings, very colorful, full of living creatures of all kinds, birds, peoples, dogs, cats; has a touch of fantasy in every picture that goes along with the difficult time the main character has with settling down
Personal Response:
I think it is a lovely story, slightly autobiographical, about the main character, Juanito, settling down after traveling with his migrant worker parents from place to place. He's going to school for the first time and it makes him feel as though he is upside down. It clearly shows the struggle of going into a situation one is completely unfamiliar with. It also shows positively Juanito becoming familiar with his new surroundings and finding his voice and talents.
Curricular and programming connections:
Would help with introducing school to children, as it shows the scary situation it can be, but also how positively it can turn out. This can be for any age, though, moving to a new area, starting a new school, etc.
7-8 years and up
Genre:
bilingual picture book
Diversity:
Mexican-American/migrant worker
Illustrations:
Paintings, very colorful, full of living creatures of all kinds, birds, peoples, dogs, cats; has a touch of fantasy in every picture that goes along with the difficult time the main character has with settling down
Personal Response:
I think it is a lovely story, slightly autobiographical, about the main character, Juanito, settling down after traveling with his migrant worker parents from place to place. He's going to school for the first time and it makes him feel as though he is upside down. It clearly shows the struggle of going into a situation one is completely unfamiliar with. It also shows positively Juanito becoming familiar with his new surroundings and finding his voice and talents.
Curricular and programming connections:
Would help with introducing school to children, as it shows the scary situation it can be, but also how positively it can turn out. This can be for any age, though, moving to a new area, starting a new school, etc.
June 6, 2008
I really enjoyed this book it something that almost everyone can relate to. A boy and his family move and he has to start going to a new school. He is a migrant and feels different from everyone else. He feels that everything is just "upside down." Everything starts to turn around for Felipe and he ends up teaching his class about his own culture. This book is written in both English and Spanish so it would be great for a bilingual classroom. It has great descriptive words and dialogue through the entire book as well. It also deals with emotion, which students will be able to relate to. I think that this book would be appropriate for 2nd grade. After students have read this book they could then write about a time that they have felt different from someone or out of place and how they can relate with the way that Felipe was feeling.
October 9, 2012
This bilingual book describes what happens when Juanito’s migrant family moves from a rural area to the city of San Diego so he can go to school. He doesn’t speak English and is afraid. His tongue feels like a rock. He doesn’t understand what the other kids are doing, and always feels like he does everything upside down. But his understanding teacher and loving parents guide him, and encourage him to make the most of his artistic abilities; he is very good at writing and singing. Before long, he is a class leader. The bright and colorful whimsical primitive-style acrylics by Elizabeth Gomez are wonderful.
Reading level: Ages 6 and up
Reading level: Ages 6 and up
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October 19, 2016This book is about a boy named Juanito who is adjusting to his new school. He is adjusting to his new home and a classroom where he does not understand anything since he does not know English. Everything seems upside to him because he is used to the warm country life. His teacher was very welcoming and sensitive to him and his family.
"The Upside Down Boy" is a realistic fiction book. This book is written in Spanish and English and is filled with colorful illustrations. This book relates to my topic of immigration because it mentions how hard it is for students to adjust to a new class not knowing English.
"The Upside Down Boy" is a realistic fiction book. This book is written in Spanish and English and is filled with colorful illustrations. This book relates to my topic of immigration because it mentions how hard it is for students to adjust to a new class not knowing English.
November 20, 2018
This book is about a boy who’s whole world gets flipped upside down when he moves to America and begins school. Nothing makes sense to him, and everything is different from his old school. He eventually finds comfort in other things, making his transition easier, such as poetry, art and music. With the help of his family and teacher, his transition goes way smoother than he thought. This book can be a lesson on anyone that is going through moving to a new school, or an English Language Learner.
March 14, 2018
"Each word, each language has its own magic. Cada palabra, cada idioma tiene su propia magia."
The Upside Down Boy is a beautiful children's book that features bilingual text and the struggle that many Chicanos face. It centers around Juanito who is starting in a school in Texas but cannot speak much English. It tells his journey of finding his voice and getting comfortable in his new life. One of my favorite part of the book was the artwork and how it brought to life the text.
The Upside Down Boy is a beautiful children's book that features bilingual text and the struggle that many Chicanos face. It centers around Juanito who is starting in a school in Texas but cannot speak much English. It tells his journey of finding his voice and getting comfortable in his new life. One of my favorite part of the book was the artwork and how it brought to life the text.
November 9, 2018
This is an awesome bilingual picture book that follows Juanito's family as they move to the United States. As a bilingual book, the words are found in English and Spanish on each page. Illustrations in this book are bright and colorful. The reader can also really get a sense of Juanitos emotions throughout the book by looking at the pictures. Juanito enters an American school speaking no almost no English. This book is inspirational for anyone wanting to English but especially those in school.
June 25, 2019
Colorful and poetic, with bilingual text, this story of a young Juanito, who doesn't speak much English, starting school in Texas, in universal. It speaks to not knowing where you belong, trying to adapt to new situations, and how the simple act of a kind word can make a difference. My favorite part is how much joy the family in the story shows at every turn - in their words and in the illustrations that appear to dance across the page.
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February 15, 2021One has to feel empathy for the central character, Juanito, in this story. Here is a child who is put in a strange, to him, environment. He doesn't speak the language of his new setting. Kids in the classroom laugh at his not knowing. Juanito makes all the blunders one would expect from one who doesn't understand what is happening: he eats his lunch at recess time, goes out for recess at lunch time. This poor little boy truly feels that he is upside down.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews