AUTHOR: Diego Arboleda
PUBLISHER: ANAYA
GENRE: FICCIÓN
READER’S NAME: Teresa Mlawer
DATE: June 7, 2013

An original story, divided in chapters, full of humor, and very well written that will keep readers entertained. The story takes place during the time of the Spanish Civil War, and it centers around a family: a mother, who likes to paint; a father who is a writer; their two children, Jaime and Greta, and a peculiar maternal grandfather who owns a spa up in the mountains, and dislikes his son-in-law because he does not feel that being a writer is a real profession and certainly not the best way to make a living.

The title of the book derives from the fact that the father writes his stories in an old Remington typewriter (don’t forget the story takes place in 1937). Every time that he writes something that he does not like he pulls the paper from the typewriter, crumbles it in his hand and throws it to the floor, while his daughter secretly picks it up.

There are a lot of twists, unexpected events, and an array of characters that appear throughout the story, especially when the mother decides to take the children to the spa in order to keep them safe from the uncertainty of the war.

A very entertaining and easy to read story that will captivate the interest of readers, young and not so young alike.

I think the book could be a candidate for translation but certain aspects of the story will have to be changed for the US market.  I believe the connection to the Spanish Civil War is not necessary to keep the interest of the story.

I truly enjoyed the story.

About the Author:
Diego Arboleda was born in Stockholm, Sweden. He graduated from the Autonomous University in Madrid.  He has written several books for children and YA and works at one of the largest bookstores in Madrid.  In 2012 he was awarded the prestigious “Premio Lazarillo”, and the book will be published by Anaya in the fall of 2013.