When Sandro Zapote finds out his little sister needs heart surgery, he is determined to help his parents raise the money they'll need to help her get better. Sandro's dad is in the states illegally and must work two jobs to support the family. For one, he picks up roadkill for the department of streets and sanitation and gets paid by the carcass. For the other, he collects scrap metal to recycle for cash. Sandro helps his dad with some of the scrap metal heavy lifting, and one headboard, a weight bench, some gutters, and a few car parts later, Sandro has a brilliant idea: can collecting. Save the environment. Save his family. Maybe even save some spending money for the fabulous, fast new bike he's been coveting.
Well-meaning and with funny inner monologue, Sandro is the kind of person you can't help but cheer for. He's a boy who loves drawing, soccer, and his little sister. And whether he's fishing a fuzzy, dust-coated turtle out from under his sister's bed or organizing a school-wide can drive all by himself, Sandro is a smart, self-aware hero, who makes just a few mistakes along the way.
Canned and Crushed, by first-time author Bibi, gives Sandro a funny, relatable, readable voice, while being fresh and original. It's a story that will open its readers' eyes, dealing with issues of illegal immigration, unemployment, racism and religious persecution, bullying, and more—carefully and with a light and often humorous touch. This is a cross between The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian and Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and it's a book no kid will want to miss.