New children’s book tells story of giving, proclaims union justice
Good Guy Jake/Buen Chico Jake, Hardball Press
Book review by John Pietaro
“Good Guy Jake”/“Buen
Chico Jake” Written
by Mark Torres; Illustrations by Yana Murashko; Translation by Madelin Arroyo
Romero (Hardball Press, 2017 www.hardballpress.com)
Hardball
Press is an independent publisher founded by writer and union activist Tim
Sheard which specializes in books with humanitarian, pro-labor messages. Eighth
in Hardball’s series of children’s books is “Good Guy Jake”/ “Buen Chico Jake”,
just in time for the holiday season. Here’s the tale of a New York City
Sanitation Worker who collects discarded toys from the trash in order to repair
them and bring them to needy children living in a shelter. Like all of
Hardball’s releases, “Jake” is a story told bilingually, with Spanish language
translations of each English language paragraph, hence, this volume could be
the perfect gift for the young child in your life who speaks either language.
More so, the Hardball Press catalog, thoughtfully translated, is an excellent
means to introduce children to the other language.
The rich,
colorful artwork is another standard Hardball has set high, and another example
of how the publisher always hit the mark. “Jake” is no exception: the
characters, circumstances and backgrounds are appealing if not a little
compelling to the eye. Of course, the concept of multi-culturalism is a staple
of each book and even the casual reader notes the details of skin tone, dress
and hairstyle appropriate to a character’s culture. And while each release thus
far has included strong pro-worker statements of unity within a carefully spun
plot, this latest volume takes this concept to the next step. In the book
Sanitation Worker Jake is fired from his job for taking the discarded toys in
the trash, a violation of city regulations. The author brings in the reality of
the grievance process, right up to arbitration. The hearing is held a week
before Christmas and Jake’s character witnesses include many of the children
he’s brought refurbished toys to as well as their parents, testifying to the
difference Jake has made in their lives. This peek into the often grueling
struggle between union and management is not only unique to children’s
literature, but something rarely seen in novels for any age reader. For parents
who suffer the indignity of wrongful discipline or termination from a job and
are awaiting arbitration, “Good Guy Jake”/“Buen Chico Jake” is a powerful tool
to allow children to understand what’s happening as much as it continues the
message of giving to others.
Hardball
Press books are available directly from the company’s website www.hardballpress.com or via Amazon and—best of all—via
indie bookstores everywhere.
