Pedro's Yo-Yos: How a Filipino Immigrant Came to America and Changed the World of Toys

Pedro Flores grew up in the Philippines, where children played with a spinning toy on a string. As a young man he came to the United States looking for opportunity and worked a series of hard jobs, but he never forgot the toy from home. This picture book biography follows the ups and downs of his journey as he turned that childhood plaything into a business, making and selling yo-yos and helping spark a craze that spread across the country and still delights players today. Rob Peñas, a second-generation Filipino American, tells a well-researched story of ingenuity and perseverance, and Carl Angel's bright illustrations bring Pedro's world to life. An author's note adds more history about Pedro and the toy that made him famous.