Mi sueño de América/My American Dream.

By staff -- Críticas, 12/15/2007

Gr 4-6–In this autobiographical story, nine-year-old Yuli has just moved to Houston, Texas from Monterrey, Mexico. Through a fresh perspective, the narrator captures the strangeness of her American surroundings, from the freeways to living in an apartment and in a big city for the first time. She is excited about her life in the United States, but this feeling soon turns into disappointment when her classmates do nothing to help her fit in at her new school where she neither understands nor speaks the language. Her teacher’s encouragement makes a world of difference, and Yuli slowly feels motivated to overcome adversity. When she befriends Shoko, a Japanese student and the only other foreigner in the class, the two students work extra hard at integrating into the new culture. Teachers and children who may have immigrants in their classrooms will learn what a difference one caring person can make to any newcomer. The accurate bilingual text is paired with basic black-and-white sketches that support the story line. Recommended for all schools and libraries.—Gisela Norat, Agnes Scott Coll., Decatur, GA