Top Picks for Hispanic Heritage Month—Titles to Celebrate
by the editors -- Críticas, 8/15/2008
Once again we have compiled our top choices for adults’ and children’s books, and videos for Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place every year from Sept 15 to October 15. This list consists of titles reviewed in Críticas since September 2007 that successfully explore themes relevant to Hispanics living in the United States and is meant to help librarians, booksellers, and educators plan their festivities. As with our “Best Books” selections every year, it is impossible to pick every single good book, and thus we have chosen the ones that stood out the most to us. As always, we encourage you to tell us which are your favorite titles for Hispanic Heritage Month.
The list below quotes from the Críticas review of each book and is arranged alphabetically by author; click on the title to read the full review.
ADULTS’ BOOKS
FICTION
Tiempo de narrar. Cuentos centroamericanos.
(A Time to Tell: Central American Short Stories)
Méndez, Francisco Alejandro, ed.
Guatemala: Piedra Santa, dist. by Books Beyond Borders. 2007. 312p. ISBN 978-99922-1-204-2. pap. $29.95. FICTION
In this rich anthology, [Méndez] gathers new as well as more-established voices from the isthmus. Among the 35 short stories presented here are tales of fantasy with overtones of the likes of Philip K. Dick, as in Guatemalan Estuardo Paniagua’s (b.1965) “La conciencia, la última frontera” (“The Mind, Our Ultimate Frontier”). Many of the writers cannot help but portray much of the violence and civil war they grew up in, which is evident in their narratives. Baseball, sex, rock and roll, and other echoes of U.S. pop culture are sprinkled throughout, reminding us that Central America has not only suffered from its big neighbor’s foreign policy but has also been besotted with its other exports. There remains, however, a hard core of grittiness and direct language that can belong to no other Spanish-speaking region, making this anthology an appealing and welcome addition to the genre. [Críticas, 1/15/08; starred]
Obras Reunidas I. Fundaciones mexicanas.
(Reunited Works 1: Mexican Foundations)
Fuentes, Carlos.
ed. by Julio Ortega. Mexico/U.S.: Fondo de Cultura Económica. 2007. 674p. ISBN 978-968-16-8393-1. $49.95. FICTION
REVIEWED WITH:
Obras reunidas II. La capital mexicana.
(Collected Works 2: Mexico City)
Fuentes, Carlos.
ed. by Julio Ortega. Mexico/U.S.: Fondo de Cultura Económica. 2007. 593p. ISBN 978-968-16-8392-4. $40. FICTION
An ambitious project: to compile all the works of Carlos Fuentes (b. 1928), one of the most important Latin American writers of the 20th century and a member of Latin America’s "Boom" generation. In his introduction, recognized scholar Ortega states that this compilation is an invitation to re-read Fuentes through contemporary eyes. The first volume includes two of Fuente’s most famous novels: La muerte de Artemio Cruz and Los años con Laura Díaz. Renown writers Héctor Aguilar Camín and Sergio Ramírez provide short and enlightening prologs for each novel. [Críticas, 9/1/07; starred][Críticas, 1/15/08; starred] The second book, subtitled La Capital Mexicana (“The Mexican Capital”), includes one novel, La region más transparente (Where the Air Is Clear) and one book of short stories, Agua quemada (“Burnt Water”). This volume, and the entire collection, is essential for all libraries and bookstores.
Road Story.
Fuguet, Alberto & Gonzalo Martínez (illus).
Chile/ U.S.: Alfaguara. 2007. 127p. illus. ISBN 978-956-239-538-0. pap. $16.99. GRAPHIC NOVEL
Groundbreaking and influential, Chilean author Fuguet hooked up with countryman Martínez to produce what is by their reckoning the first graphic novel issued by a major Chilean publisher. An homage to Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, this story is emphatically North American. In this small-format, black-and-white graphic novel, an introspective thirtysomething man from Santiago travels to escape a soured marriage and other failures, using cash embezzled from his employer. Paired with the narrative, Martínez's strong, richly atmospheric artwork depicts the southwestern United States along parts of Route 66, with interludes in Tucson, Roswell, and Truth or Consequences, NM, and a climactic episode in El Paso/Juárez. The illustrations bring a proper touch of darkness to the story. [Críticas, 4/1/08; starred]
Under the Bridge: Stories from the Border/ Bajo el puente. Relatos desde la frontera.
Sanmiguel, Rosario.
tr. from the Spanish by John Pluecker. U.S.: Arte Público Press. 2008. 232p. ISBN 978-1-55885-514-4. pap. $14.95. FICTION
In this bilingual volume, Sanmiguel collects stories told by women from different backgrounds and ages whose lives have been marked by hardships: troubled relationships, low-paying jobs, underprivileged backgrounds, poor and dangerous housing arrangements, and illegal border crossings. Yet, despite all the obstacles, they were able to prevail and survive. Many interesting characters inhabit these stories: China and Morra, two older women who live in and manage a brothel; Francis, who is trying to escape her troubled love affair with Alberto, who for years has chosen his wife over her; Mónica, who ends up abandoned by her boyfriend in the middle of Rio Grande and is left to cross the border alone. [Críticas, 4/15/08]
NONFICTION
Ayude a sus hijos a triunfar en la escuela secundaria y llegar a la universidad.
(Help Your Children Succeed in High School and Go to College)
Dabbah, Mariela.
U.S.: Sphinx: Sourcebooks. 2007. 128p. ISBN 978-1-57248-644-7. pap. $5.95. PARENTING
Teenagers often face many obstacles to doing well in school, particularly if they are new to the United States and/or the English language. This brief guide contains useful information for parents of high school students: how adults can and should get involved in school activities, help students stay out of trouble, and help children separated from parents. This useful information is not available in similar guides. The author also talks about postsecondary educational opportunities, the college application process, financial aid, and planning for college, though readers will want to consult various sources. [Críticas, 11/15/07]
Las llaves de la ciudad. Un mosaico de México.
(The Keys of a City: A Mosaic of Mexico City)
Lida, David.
Mexico: Sexto Piso. 195p. 2008. ISBN 978-84-96867-24-6. pap. ESSAY
The chronicles collected here present the stories of 29 people living in one of the most populous cities in the world. Lida lets the protagonists speak for themselves, using a simple and direct language. These individuals offer a mosaic of compelling and intimate narratives that describe different aspects of everyday life in the city. In “Nota Roji,” for instance, the owner of the main map-publishing company explains how he manages to stay in business in a city where the vast majority of the citizens don’t have maps. This book is an outstanding work of journalism and writing. Through real stories, Lida offers what countless literary works cannot supply through fiction: a key into the depths of Mexico City. [Críticas, 5/15/08; starred]
La inmigración y usted. Cómo navegar por el laberinto legal y triunfar.
(Immigration and You: How to Navigate Through the Legal Labyrinth and Succeed)
Lovo, Mario M.
U.S.: Vintage Español: Random House. 2007. 418p. ISBN 978-0307-27486-1. pap. $15.95. LAW & IMMIGRATION
Lovo, an immigration law specialist and a regular guest on Univision’s Despierta America (“Wake Up, America”), compiles a useful guide to immigration’s most frequently asked questions. Geared to Latin American immigrants, the book thoroughly examines topics such as how to get residency through a relative, get a work visa, participate in the visa lottery, and request a visa outside the United States. He also goes into great detail about the best way to tackle different matters in a court of immigration and enumerates the requisites for requesting asylum. Valuable appendixes include a list of institutions offering free legal advice in various cities throughout the United States and a list of questions, in both English and Spanish, that are likely to appear on the U.S. citizenship test. [Críticas, 2/15/08; starred]
Abrazar el éxito.
(Embracing Success)
Macías, Adriana.
México/U.S.: Alamah: Santillana. 2007. 165p. ISBN 978-970-770-999-7. pap. $15.99. AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Macías is a unique individual who has already accomplished some of life’s major goals in an extraordinary way. Born without arms, she learned from the age of two how to use her feet to carry out life’s daily activities. As she adjusted to life with her disability, she developed not only extraordinary flexibility and control over her body but an indomitable spirit and positive mental attitude. Macías earned a law degree and a Masters in Human Resource Administration and has become a passionate and articulate advocate for the disabled in Mexico and throughout the world. Woven throughout the book is her unwavering belief that a positive attitude and determination are the true paths to a fulfilling and successful life. [Críticas, 11/15/07]
Mujer sin límite.
(Woman Without Limits)
Marín, María.
U.S.: Aguilar: Santillana. 2008. 188p. ISBN 978-1-59820-978-5. pap. $16.99. SELF HELP
The winner of numerous awards, including Latina Woman of the Year for 2006, the bubbly Marín is well-known throughout the Spanish-speaking community. Her new book stands out among the growing number of self-help titles targeting Latinas. This brief, practical, and focused workbook will help readers think through the issues and questions that are holding them back from achieving their goals. Each chapter includes a valuable series of exercises and questions to help readers apply the concepts [described] to their own situation. Written in a lighthearted yet sensitive manner, the book pushes, prods, and encourages Latinas to confront the limitations they place on themselves. A good selection for Latinas’ book clubs or support groups. [Críticas, 4/1/08]
Ismaelillo.
Martí, José.
tr. by Tyler Fisher. U.S.: Wings. 2007. 126p. bibliog. ISBN 978-0-916727-42-0. $19.95. POETRY
National hero of the Cuban struggle for independence and central 19th-century literary figure, Martí (1853–95) is perhaps the best-loved poet from the isle of poets. Often recited classics in Latin America, the poems in this collection are not nearly as well known in the United States. The facing translation of Martí’s first published book of poems (Thompson and Moreau, 1882) makes this the first complete bilingual edition. Dedicated to his then three-year-old son, José Francisco, and written in exile and without his family, the poems speak lovingly of the father-son relationship and include some prophetic verses about José Francisco’s “remaking him”. Fisher, a professor of Latin American literature and a poet himself, offers a thorough academic introduction that places the book in context and thoughtful translations that maintain Martí’s voice and vigor, rhythm and exultant verses. Highly recommended for all libraries and bookstores, especially those serving Cuban populations. [Críticas, 10/15/07; starred]
El poder de una sonrisa.
(The Power of a Smile)
Martínez, Karla.
Mexico: Grijalbo, dist. by Random House Spanish. 2008. 146p. ISBN 978-0-3073-9209-1. pap. $16.95. MEMOIR
The host of Univision’s magazine-style show Control for more than six years, Martínez became the face of hip Hispanic young adults while reporting on music, art, fashion, sports, and entertainment before taking her positive, uplifting manner to Despierta América (“Wake Up, America”) in 2006. Here, the 33-year-old anchor, now married and a first-time mother, shares her story of growing up in Mexico, moving to the United States to pursue her modeling career, struggling to learn English, adapting to the new culture, honing her reporting and journalistic skills, and, finally, achieving fame and success. The narrative interweaves positive messages encouraging young Latinos to tackle life’s challenges and move forward with their goals. [Críticas, 5/15/08]
El regalo del tiempo. Cartas a mis hijos.
The Gift of Time: Letters to My Children)
Ramos, Jorge.
U.S.: Rayo: HarperCollins. 2007. 189p. ISBN 978-0-06-135311-6. $16.95. MEMOIR
Ramos, coanchor of Univision News since 1986, is one the most influential, respected, and popular Latinos in the United States and Latin America. Written as a series of 15 letters to his children, this is his most personally revealing book and will undoubtedly endear him even more to his many fans and readers. While readers will enjoy the personal details he shares, it is the expression of his values and beliefs that will resonate with readers. In his letters, he shares important principles and perspectives that many Latinos would surely want to pass on to their children. Ramos has written an intimate and timeless book that will appeal to parents and children of all ages. [Críticas, 9/1/07; starred]
Migrantes de la pobreza.
(Migrants of Poverty)
Ronquillo, Víctor.
Colombia/U.S.: Norma. 2007. 169p. ISBN 978-970-09-1546-3. pap. $14.38. SOCIAL SCIENCE
Offering a privileged glimpse into the covert world of illegal immigrants, much more detailed and understanding than what is found in the usual newspaper articles, [Ronquillo] blurs that difference through the muted tone of a first-person narrator who observes an underworld of corruption, danger, and stoic survival. Yet, he highlights the difference by portraying so many tragic lives. Ronquillo fleshes out significant features of different national groups and individual experiences. The result is a series of vignettes that perfectly illustrate the effect of migration on more than one national economy, culture, faith, and judicial system. This is testimonial literature done with subtle focus and skill; one cannot help but react to the exposé of the underbelly. This book deserves to be read, studied, and discussed by wide audiences, and the questions it implies require answers. [Críticas, 2/5/08]
ALSO IN TRANSLATION
FICTION
De cómo las muchachas García perdieron el acento.
(How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent)
Alvarez, Julia.
tr. by Mercedes Guhl. U.S.: Vintage Español: Random House. 2007. 320p. ISBN 978-1-4000-9694-7. pap. $14. FICTION
[A new translation of ] Alvarez’s first novel, [which] tells the story of four sisters and their family, as they become Americanized after fleeing the Dominican Republic in the 1960s. A family of privilege, the Garcías experience understandable readjustment problems in the United States, particularly their old world patriarch father. The sisters fare better but grow up conscious, like all immigrants, of living in two worlds.[Críticas, 12/15/07]
La heredera del mar.
(The Heiress Water)
Rodríguez-Barron, Sandra.
U.S.: Rayo: HarperCollins & Planeta. 2008. 333p. ISBN 978-0-06-155505-3. pap. $13.95. FICTION
Monica Winters Borrero is a child of mismatched parents: her father is a liberal, romantic American journalist and her mother a cold, beautiful, and rebellious Salvadoran. Monica’s early years in the paradise of upper-class El Salvador are idyllic. Then, in 1985, the civil war comes too close, and her mother disappears, presumably drowned. Years later, Monica is living in the United States and working as a physical therapist when she encounters Will Lucero, the grieving husband of comatose Yvette. The three end up at a clinic in El Salvador that promises Yvette a treatment that comes from the venom of a sea creature. As Monica and Will work together to investigate the mysterious clinic and its ties to secrets from Monica’s past, they fall in love and discover the connection of the women of Monica’s family to the ocean and its creatures. [Críticas, 6/15/08]
NONFICTION
Nieve en la Habana. Confesiones de un cubanito.
(Waiting for Snow in Havana: Confessions of a Cuban Boy)
Eire, Carlos.
tr. by José Lucas Badué & José Manuel Prieto. U.S: Vintage Español: Random House. 508p. ISBN 978-1-4000-7970-4. pap. $15. MEMOIR
In this beautifully fashioned memoir, [Yale historian Eire] recounts one of many wonderfully vibrant stories from his boyhood in 1950s Havana. As imaginatively wrought as the finest piece of fiction, the book abounds with magical interpretations of ordinary boyhood events. Eire looks beyond the literal to see the mythological themes inherent in the epic struggle for identity that each of our lives represents. The final cataclysm comes when Eire and his brother, still young boys, are shipped off to the United States to seek safety and a better life. As painful as Eire’s journey has been, his ability to see tragedy and suffering as a constant source of redemption is what makes this book so powerful.[Críticas, 9/1/07]
Como aprendí inglés. 55 latinos realizados relatan sus lecciones de idioma y vida.
(How I Learned English: 55 Accomplished Latinos Recall Lessons in Language and Life)
Miller, Tom, ed.
U.S.: National Geographic, dist. by Random House Spanish. 2007. 267p. ISBN 978-1-4262-0098-4. $16.95. pap. SOCIAL SCIENCE
Veteran travel writer Miller has put together a substantial volume on language, knowledge, and cultural assimilation, gathering essays and excerpts from more than 50 authors, poets, professional athletes and musicians, doctors and politicians who took up English as a second (or third, or fourth) language. As PBS correspondent Ray Suarez notes in the foreword, for many “the need to learn English was accompanied by wrenching personal circumstances: exile, illness, economic migration, family dissolution.” Richard Rodriguez recalls distinctions he made as a child between a private and a public language—Spanish had always been his to use, but English, what he needed for school, felt more difficult to embrace. In a selection from her 2001 memoir, American Chica, Washington Post books editor Marie Arana tells how she feigned ignorance of English on her first day at a new elementary school so she'd be funneled into the Spanish-speaking class. Other contributors such as Álvaro Vargas Llosa, Walter Mercado, Enrique Fernández, and Daisy Zamora provide nuanced perspectives on the ongoing immigration debate, putting faces to the statistics and concrete meaning to broad points of policy and ideology. [Críticas, 10/1/07]
VIDEO
De nadie.
(No One’s)
(Mexico/U.S., 2006) color. Spanish (English subtitles).84 mins. Laguna Productions. DVD. 2007. $24.95. DOCUMENTARY
Interviewed in Mexico, immigrants from various Central American countries talk about their reasons for leaving home to undertake the dangerous trip to the United States. These men and women of various ages have chosen to travel through Mexico by train, thus avoiding paying fees to coyotes. In doing so, they face numerous dangers, including encounters with gangs known as maras—organized groups of teenagers and young men who assault, rob, rape, and often kill their victims—and the abuses of Mexican police officers and railroad company employees, who often steal from the stowaways. This well-done documentary offers their testimonies and captures the intensity of their stories. [Críticas, 5/15/08]
La Quinceañera.
(USA, 2007) color. Spanish (English subtitles). 42 mins. Horizon Line Documentary. 2007. DVD. $79.95. DOCUMENTARY
Quinceañera refers to both the teenage girl celebrating her 15th birthday and the celebration itself, which marks her passage from girlhood to being a young woman, much like a Sweet Sixteen or debutante ball in the United States. (In some Latin American countries, the event is referred to as Quinceañero or simply Los quince.) This documentary follows the preparations for the Quinceañera celebration of Ana María, the last of five girls in a single family living in a tight-knit working-class neighborhood in Tijuana. Although the documentary is not intended to be an in-depth exploration of the Quinceañera per se, it is recommended as a fine introduction to this rite of passage practiced in many Latin American countries and of importance to Latinos in the United States.—[Críticas, 9/1/07]
The Invisible Chapel.
(U.S., 2007) color. Spanish (English subtitles). 31 mins. Gatekeeper Production. DVD. 2007. $20. DOCUMENTARY
In this remarkable documentary, Latino filmmaker John Carlos Frey examines the creation of a makeshift chapel to honor the Mexican Virgen de Guadalupe in an immigrant camp in San Diego. The camp housed men who lived in plastic shacks in harsh outdoor conditions, while working illegally in the plush neighborhoods. A group of three women started feeding the men [and through them], the men asked the local Catholic Church to provide a priest for mass—a need that grew significantly with the construction of a “chapel.” As the camp grew and other services became available, some neighbors became uneasy about this “shantytown.” After 20 years, local politicians and neighborhood and anti-immigrant groups successfully dismantled the original camp and its chapel. They were not able, however, to prevent the immigrants from establishing a new campsite. [For more on this topic, see Immigration 101] [Críticas, 5/15/08]
CHILDREN’S BOOKS
FICTION
Arco iris de poesía. Poemas de las Américas y España.(Rainbow of Poetry: Poems from the Americas and Spain)
Andricaín, Sergio.
illus. by Olga Cuéllar. U.S.: Lectorum. 2008. 40p. index. ISBN 978-1-930-33259-1. $16.99.
PreS-Gr 2–A representative collection of poetry from Latin America and Spain, this volume fills a void in children’s literature. The poems are short and deal with elements that children can relate to; some are sweet, others are nonsensical. Most countries are represented with two selections each, and a number of well-known poets are included. [Críticas, 11/15/2007; starred]
La tortuga golosa.
(The Sweet-Toothed Turtle)
Campos, Paula.
illus. by Macarena Ortega. U.S.: Paula Books (Había una vez en América): Jorge Pinto Books. 2008. ISBN 0-9795576-4-X. pap. $14.95.
Gr 2-4–According to the Nahua Indians of Mexico, the turtle’s shell got its patchwork pattern by an accident that changed nature’s design. When a sweet-toothed turtle gets tired of the limited ground vegetation within her reach, she decides to climb a tree with appetizing fruit. When she falls from the trunk and cracks her shell into many pieces, the forest animals offer her feathers and sea shells to cover her nakedness; when nothing seems to work, they decide to team up and reassemble the broken shell. The whimsical and vibrant watercolors will appeal to young readers; and the appended information, which includes a map of the Nahua settlement within the American continent, will help children better understand this culture that is still alive in parts of Mexico. [Críticas, 4/1/2008]
El capitán Cheech.
(Captain Cheech)
Marin, Cheech
tr. by Miriam Fabiancic. illus. by Orlando Ramírez. by US: Rayo: HarperCollins. 32p. 2008. ISBN 978-006-113-209-4. $16.99.
Gr 1-3–Marin’s successful picture book series is destined to be the Captain Underpants of the Latino world. Just like Marin’s first book Cheech y su autobús escolar (Rayo, 2007), this story of Cheech and his cheecharrones is funny, culturally relevant, and—most importantly—much needed in the genre. [Críticas, 8/15/08]
De cómo nació la piñata.
(How the Piñata Was Born)
Czernecki, Stefan & Timothy Rhodes.
tr. by Alberto Ruy Sánchez. illus. by authors. México: Artes de México. 2007. unpaged. ISBN 978-970-683-283-2. $15.95.
Gr 3-5-This vibrantly illustrated tale of the origin of the piñata is actually a story about the joys of giving. Juanito, a poor blind boy, leads the annual Christmas Eve, or Noche Buena, procession that culminates with the villagers setting up a Nativity scene. A little star, curious about the candlelight below, descends too close and gets itself caught on an enormous cactus. In maneuvering to dislodge the star from its thorny lodge, Juanito is sprinkled with stardust and rewarded with the gift of sight. Many years pass before the aging Juan invents the first star piñata and fills it with trinkets and sweets to make for the children’s best Christmas.[Críticas, 1/15/2008]
Los siete mejores cuentos centroamericanos.
(The Seven Best Central American Short Stories)
Sánchez, Laura & David Arias Marín, adapt.
illus. by Eulalia Cornejo. Colombia/U.S.: Editorial Norma (Los siete mejores cuentos). 2007. 56p. ISBN 978-958-04-8500-1. $12.
Gr 4-6–Combining the mundane and the supernatural, these fables give children the opportunity for moral questioning. Beyond the simple, fast-paced plots, readers may ponder questions that deal with compassion, persistence, ambition, and tolerance of difference. Varied and interesting, the stories are illustrated in bright full- and half-page watercolors that are sure to draw attention. A nice attempt at capturing native folklore from Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Panamá. [Críticas, 11/15/2007]
NONFICTION
La canción de Gabriela: ¿Cómo me adapto a un lugar nuevo?
(Gabriela’s Song: How Will I Adjust to a New Place?)
Gómez-Bassols, Isabel & Eric Vasallo.
illus. by Priscilla Garcia Burris. Rayo: HarperCollins. 2007. unpaged. ISBN 978-0-06-114102-7. $12.99.
PreS-Gr 2–Yo no tengo miedo, porque el miedo no me va.” (“I am not afraid because fear does not fit me.”) The song comes in handy when her family moves from their comfortable home in an unnamed country to her aunt’s house in the United States. The youngster is concerned about leaving her friends and moving to a place where people don’t speak her language. Her song—and her mother’s support—helps her feel brave enough to face school. Her ethnically diverse class helps her feel welcomed. [Críticas, 9/1/2007]
Frida Kahlo. Pintó su vida.
(Frida Kahlo: She Painted Her Life)
Guzmán, Lila & Rick.
U.S.: Enslow Elementary (Latinos Famosos): Enslow. 2008. 32p. glossary. index. photogs. ISBN 978-0-7660-2678-0. LBD. $22.60.
REVIEWED WITH:
Roberto Clemente. Héroe del beisbol.
(Roberto Clemente: A Baseball Hero)
Guzmán, Lila & Rick.
U.S.: Enslow Elementary (Latinos Famosos): Enslow. 2008. 32p. glossary. index. photogs. ISBN 978-0-7660-2675-9. LBD. $22.60.
César Chávez. La lucha por lo justo.
(César Chávez: Fighting for Fairness)
Guzmán, Lila & Rick.
U.S.: Enslow Elementary (Latinos Famosos): Enslow. 2008. 32p. glossary. index. photogs. ISBN 978-0-7660-2679-7. LBD. $22.60.
Gr 3-4–These captivating biographies give young readers a glimpse into the life of famous personalities. Frida Kahlo describes the artist’s childhood, her suffering of polio, the famous accident, her relationship with Diego Rivera, and the circumstances behind some of her most famous paintings. Roberto Clemente follows the athlete’s humble childhood in Puerto Rico, his start in the Brooklyn Dodgers, his life in segregated Pittsburgh, major achievements, and dedication to helping his community. César Chávez explains the daily life of migrant workers in the 1920’s and how the young fruit picker became the political leader and founder of the United Farms Workers. In the three titles, the carefully edited texts give enough details to capture the young readers’ imagination. [Críticas, 10/5/2007]
Pablo.
Lazaro, Georgina.
illus. by Marcela Donoso. U.S.: Lectorum Pub. (Cuando los grandes eran pequeños). 2008. unpaged. ISBN 978-1-933032-09-2. $14.99.
Gr 2-4–This introduction to the life and work of Pablo Neruda provides surprisingly detailed information in a rhyming format accessible to young children. Beginning with his birth and early years in the village of Temuco, the text clearly describes the people who first influenced him, as well as his spiritual attachment to nature and the world around him. Neruda’s trajectory, both as a poet and diplomat, is laid out in such a way that it seems inevitable. [Críticas, 2/19/2008]
BILINGUAL
Merry Navidad!
Ada, Alma Flor.
illus. by Viví Escrivá. U.S.: Rayo: HarperCollins. 2007. 64p. ISBN 978-0-06-058434-4. $16.99.
PreS-Gr 2–Attractive and informative, this title is a nice introduction to villancicos, or traditional Spanish Christmas carols. The book presents the events from December 16, when Las Posadas begins, to January 6, when Three Kings Day is celebrated throughout Latin America and Spain. The carols are divided into sections, such as “On the Road to Bethlehem” and “Christmas Eve,” according to the circumstances surrounding the songs. [Críticas, 12/15/2007]
My name is Gabito/Me llamo Gabito.
Gallegos, Yuliana.
illus. by Raúl Colón. U.S.: Luna Rising (My Name Is). 2007. 28p. ISBN 978-0-87358-908-6. $15.95.
K-Gr 3-In the tradition of her previous biographical accounts, My Name is Celia/Me llamo Celia and My name is Gabriela/Me llamo Gabriela Brown dazzles readers in this telling of Gabriel García Márquez’s magical childhood. Mesmerizing color-pencil, full-page illustrations wrap around the text to create what seems to be a perfect balance of art and language. Based on García Márquez’s adult autobiography Vivir para contarla (Living to Tell the Tale; Knopf, 2003), this wonderful, engaging narrative transports readers to Gabito’s early childhood in northern Colombia.[Críticas, 11/15/2007; starred]
Mi sueño de América/My American Dream.
Brown, Monica.
tr. by Georgina Baeza. U.S.: Piñata Books: Arte Público Press. 2007. 55p. ISBN 978-1-55885-485-7. pap. $9.95.
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. [Críticas, 12/15/2007]
La velita de los cuentos/The Storyteller’s Candle.
González, Lucía.
tr. by author. illus. by Lulu Delacre. U.S.: Children’s Book Press. 2008. 32p. ISBN 978-0-89239-222-3. $16.95.
Gr 2-5–The winter of 1929 feels colder to Hildamar and Santiago than it does to lifelong New Yorkers. Brother and sister have recently arrived from Puerto Rico, and they miss the sunny days and warm climate. As Three Kings Day approaches, they miss home even more. Then a storyteller and librarian named Pura Belpré visits their school. A fellow Puerto Rican, she tells the children that the library is for everyone and invites them and their families to attend a Three Kings Day celebration to prove it. It may be cold, but life suddenly feels restored to the young protagonists. [Críticas, 1/15/2008]
Tortillas and Lullabies/Tortillas y cancioncitas.
Reiser, Lynn.
tr. by Rebecca Hart. illus. by Corazones Valientes. U.S.: Rayo: HarperCollins Publishers. 2008. 40p. ISBN 978-0-06-089185-5. pap. $ 6.99.
PreS-K–An ode to Latin American women, this beautifully illustrated and culturally rich picture book is perfect for beginner readers. Reiser, a prolific children’s author, highlights four different activities that are passed from one generation to the next—making tortillas, gathering flowers, washing clothes, and singing lullabies. Using repetitive, rhythmic text, a little girl tells how her great-grandmother, grandmother, and mother did the same things for their daughters, and how she does these activities for her doll. [Críticas, 3/1/2008]
The Shark that Taught me English/El tiburón que me enseñó ingles.
Markel, Michelle.
tr. by Ernesto Guerrero. illus. by Bo Young Kim. U.S.: Lectura Books. 2008. 28p. ISBN 978-1-60448-002-3. $15.95.
Gr 2-4–In a story that is equally appropriate for children as it is for teachers, Sofía represents immigrant children everywhere. Displacement to a new country can feel like being thrown into an ocean and learning a second language as menacing as a circling voracious shark. Sofía, who is new to the United States from Mexico, is literally mute at school while drowning in a sea of English. Fortunately, a skilled, sympathetic teacher helps her overcome the language barrier. [Críticas, 7/15/2008]
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