Little Chanclas - Tapa dura

"[Jose] Lozano displays a keenly sympathetic understanding of the sometimes-intense love a child bears for a favorite item of clothing. With both words and energetic, folk art-inspired illustrations, he creates a likably stubborn protagonist and situates her in a vibrant, affectionate Latino family. Kirkus Reviews "Jose Lozano's softly exuberant, painterly images of a Mexican-American neighborhood seem to have in their DNA large-scale street murals, Mexican comic books and trading cards. They help Lily's story leap playfully from the page like some sweet, hip fable." New York Times "Young children will enjoy the onomatopoeia used through the book to describe the sound of Lily's chanclas. Those who are familiar with the linguistic nuances of the border regions and Spanish-speaking enclaves in the U.S. will identify with the authentic use of Spanglish in both the English and Spanish text to contextualize and describe Lily's environment." Laura Roy, International Literacy Association "Spanglish/Chicano words are interwoven with family scenes of love and support that affirm the title character's cultural identity." School Library Journal, Top 10 Latin@ Books for 2015 "Any child with a particularly beloved toy or item of clothing will be able to relate to Lily, and this story has the potential to lead to discussions about ownership, language, culture and life." LA Times "The charm and enthusiasm of Little Chanclas (the child) invites young readers and listeners into her world, and the vibrant illustrations and upbeat word play of Little Chanclas (the book) is a delight for everyone." De Colores: The Raza Experience in Books for Children

A bilingual tale about Little Lilly Lujan who loves her chanclas (flip-flops) going slippety-slappety and flippity-flop. In fact, Lilly refuses any footwear except her favorite pair of flip-flops. "Why does Lilly love her chanclas so much?" her family cries. Lilly doesn't listen. That's why her family nicknames her "Little Chanclas." At baptisms, barbecues, quinceneras, and picnics, you can hear Little Chanclas going slippety-slap and flippity-flop. Then one day Lilly dances a little too much at a fiesta, her chanclas come apart, a pit bull chews up the remains, and there is no more flip for her flop! Little Chanclas is inconsolable. Crisis ensues as she rejects shoe after shoe. But then a miracle happens. Lilly puts on a pair of soccer shoes. She's a natural. She goes clickety-click. She scores a goal. She's a star! Jose Lozano is a rising star in the thriving Latino art scene in Los Angeles, California. Born in Los Angeles, his family moved to Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, when he was a baby. Growing up on the border, he found many of the cultural touchstones that continue to influence his work today bad Mexican cinema, lucha libre, fotonovelas, ghost stories, and comic books. Lozano prefers to work in a series, focusing on themes like Mexican wrestlers, paper dolls, and loteria. In fact, the Los Angeles Metro System commissioned his loteria card portraits of various light rail riders for the La Brea/Expo Station. Lozano lives in Fullerton, California, and teaches elementary school in Anaheim.