For the children living in a colonia near a large city dump, school is held on a blue tarp spread on the ground. Teacher Señor David tells Armando and his friends that a school can be anywhere, and the children sit on the tarp as they study reading and math, sing songs, and play games. Armando must work beside his father at the dump, searching for discarded items to sell or use, and he wonders what he is missing at the blue tarp school. When his parents tell him that “learning is important,” he is thrilled to leave the dump early each day to return to Señor David’s classroom. The colonia is devastated when a fire sweeps through the dump, but the resulting newspaper article triggers a donation of money to build a school, and the blue tarp is exchanged for a small building with books and supplies. An informative authors’ note tells of this fictional story’s real-life inspiration: David Lynch’s school for children in a colonia of the Tijuana city dump. Vibrant watercolor and ink illustrations with white masking fluid outlines show Armando and his family and neighbors at home, work, and school. Several Spanish words are smoothly incorporated within the text, and listed with definitions and pronunciation guide in a concluding glossary. (Ages 5–9)

In Spanish. The story of a young Mexican boy living in a colonia (trash dump community) who takes the first steps toward realizing his dream of getting an education.

Buh-beep! Buh-beep! A truck horn sounds through Armando's colonia, his neighborhood, near the city dump. Señor David is back, setting up school on a blue tarp spread on the ground. Oh how Armando longs to go to this school, but he knows he must help his father pick through trash in the dump for things his family can use, recycle, or sell.

When Armando's parents decide at last to let him spend afternoons at Señor David's school, Armando is overjoyed. He'll learn to read and write. He'll learn numbers. Best of all, he'll draw pictures. And one momentous day Armando's love of drawing helps bring an almost unimaginable treasure to the children of the colonia.

Translated from Armando and the Blue Tarp School, Armando y la escuala de lona azul is a testament to the pursuit of dreams and the power of one person to make a difference in the lives of others.