Béisbol en abril y otros cuentos. (Baseball in April and Other Stories)

By staff -- Críticas, 5/15/2007

REVIEWED WITH:
Tomando partido.
(Taking Sides)
Soto, Gary.
tr. by Enrique Mercado. U.S.: Alfaguara: Santillana. 2007. 145p. ISBN 1-59820-520-X. pap. $9.95.

Gr 4-7–Soto’s stories of Hispanic youth are a natural choice for Spanish translation. The boys of Béisbol, Latinos growing up in Central California, deal with universal issues that early adolescents can relate to, such as trying out for Little League and trying to impress girls. Their experiences are frequently tough, like that of a boy who sees The Karate Kid and decides he’ll take on a bully, only to get scammed by a charlatan sensei and then beaten up just the same. Tomando partido’s Lincoln Mendoza struggles when he is displaced from his San Francisco barrio into an affluent, predominantly white suburb. He misses everything about his old life, and the thing that should make him feel more comfortable—making the basketball team—is tainted by the coach who rides him for no reason. The clash of cultures is jarring, yet ultimately surmountable for the boy. Reluctant readers will find the clear, straightforward prose approachable. These new translations preserve more American references from the original, with English words like “homeroom,” “low-riders,” “los playoffs” sprinkled throughout the text, along with enough brand names to choke My Little Pony. Occasional footnotes help with the slang.—Críticas