Pedro Flores was a Filipino immigrant who brought the yo-yo to America and made it a worldwide phenomenon. In Peñas' informative picture book, he describes how Flores overcame the challenges of living under colonial rule, migrating to a new country in 1915, and starting his own business from scratch. Opportunity knocked on his door when an American family took interest in a yo-yo he made for their son. Soon, everyone's interest was piqued, and Flores spent his time carving yo-yos at night and demonstrating tricks with them during the day. The yo-yo became a sensation, and he expanded his homemade business to several factories. Flores' determination and entrepreneurial spirit ensured that the yo-yo would capture the imagination of children and adults worldwide. The concise text, which nicely encapsulates key moments from Flores' life, is beautifully accompanied by Angel's naturalistic and expressive digital paintings, especially when depicting Flores' impressive yo-yo tricks. Robust back matter elaborates on Flores' life, the colonization of the Philippines, and the further history of the yo-yo.

Gr 1–4 —Pedro Flores was born in the Philippines in 1896, when the country was under the rule of Spain and Filipinos were treated as second-class citizens. Flores spent his little free time with friends playing with a toy they called yo-yo, which means "come back." When Spain sold the Philippines to the United States, it was an opportunity for teenage Flores to come to this country. While in America, he taught the family he lived with one of his favorite pastimes, playing with his handmade yo-yo and showcasing various tricks. Soon they were all hooked, sharing yo-yos with family and friends. Eventually, the demand became so large, Flores was sharing it with the world. Though he didn't invent it, Flores made the yo-yo what it is today, taking a simple toy and making it a part of our collective childhoods. Illustrations beautifully depict the key moments of Flores's life and enhance the text. Back matter includes a more detailed history of the Philippines, the yo-yo, and Flores. VERDICT A well-researched and readable biography that would be a great addition to all libraries, or used in units about immigrants, inventions, and their potent overlap.—Kristyn Dorfman