Thumbs Up, Rico!

Title: Thumbs Up, Rico!
Author: Maria Testa
Illustrator: Diane Paterson
ISBN: 0-8075-7906-8
Publisher: Albert Whitman, March, 1994
Binding, Price: Hardcover, $13.95

Description: The first time I met Caesar, he was playing basketball down at the playground. I really wanted to like him. I wanted to like him a lot. But the first time I met Caesar, I didn’t like him at all. In three separate stories, Rico, a boy with Down Syndrome, makes a new friend, helps his sister with a difficult decision, and finally draws a picture he likes. (Ages 5-11)

Awards & Accolades

Blue Chip Award, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Best Books for Children

“Testa’s phrasing is simplicity itself, yet she portrays Rico’s emotions and his self-reliant approach to problems with poignant subtlety. Paterson’s broadly rendered realistic paintings, which appear on a majority of the spreads, enhance appeal. An upbeat story that will find many uses, as a hi-lo, a young reader, or a readaloud.” -Kirkus

“Testa keeps the vocabulary simple, yet communicates shades of emotion well. Both words and colorful illustrations convey the characters’ feelings without sentimentality. A good read-aloud book for introducing children to Down syndrome and an involving read-alone choice for children new to chapter books.” -Booklist

“The boy’s emotional growth is well developed in the simple but realistic episodes.” -School Library Journal