Publisher: Cooper Square Publishing Llc; 1st edition (September 1, 2005)
Region: South America (Chile)
Ages: 4-8 years old
Language: Bilingual English-Spanish
In the bilingual book My Name is Gabriela/Me llamo Gabriela, Mônica Brown tells the fascinating story of Chilean Gabriela Mistral, who chose what she wanted to be called “porque [le] gusta cómo suena.” Gabriela Mistral, chosen as the pseudonym of Lucila de María del Perpetuo Socorro Godoy Alcayaga, was the first Latin American person to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1945. The story is complemented by illustrations by John Parra, which capture the beauty of the Andes Chileans and the vitality of local culture.
Each page is a work of art that transports readers into the poetic world of Gabriela Mistral and the Chilean landscape. Brown and Parra emphasize Mistral’s passion for poetry and determination to pursue education despite her difficulties. This helped Gabriela become a dedicated educator and inspired some of their students to pursue educational careers. Through words, Gabriela travels “a lugares muy lejanos,” in addition to proposing a reflection on injustice and the defense of children’s rights.
At thirteen, Gabriela, the daughter of a poet, wrote her first verses. She claims that her father’s poems, who abandoned her when she was just three years old, were what first sparked her love of poetry. In addition to addressing issues of miscegenation and indigenous culture, her work deals with themes such as love, motherhood, land, and death. She wrote several important books, such as “Desolação” in 1922, “Ternura” in 1924, and “Poema de Chile” in 1967. Gabriela dedicated the first part of her book “Tala” (1938), “Muerte de mi Madre,” to your mother [1].
The book introduces the poet’s life and work and inspires young readers to pursue their dreams and believe in the power of education and creativity. Mistral dedicated his entire life to education, playing a significant role in the educational systems of countries in Europe and across the Americas. Upon receiving the Nobel Prize, Gabriela Mistral reported that she instantly remembered her family, the Andes Mountain ranges she saw from her window during childhood, the children in her village, and everything they could share with the world. This book is more than a biography; Brown and Parra pay a profound tribute to a great writer of Latin American literature, whose work continues to inspire generations.
En el libro bilingüe, My name is Gabriela/Me llamo Gabriela, Mônica Brown cuenta la fascinante historia de la chilena Gabriela Mistral, quien eligió lo que quería que se llamara “porque [le] gusta cómo suena”. Gabriela Mistral, elegida como seudónimo de Lucila de María del Perpetuo Socorro Godoy Alcayaga, fue la primera latinoamericana en recibir el Premio Nobel de Literatura en 1945. La historia se complementa con ilustraciones de John Parra, que captan la belleza de los Andes, los chilenos y la vitalidad de la cultura local.
Cada página es una obra de arte que transporta a los lectores al mundo poético de Gabriela Mistral. Brown y Parra enfatizan la pasión de Mistral por la poesía y su determinación de continuar con su educación a pesar de sus dificultades. Esto ayudó a Gabriela a convertirse en una educadora dedicada y inspiró algunos de sus estudiantes a seguir carreras educativas. A través de la palabra, Gabriela viaja “a lugares muy lejanos,” además de proponer una reflexión sobre la injusticia y la defensa de los derechos de la niñez.
A los trece años, Gabriela, hija de un poeta, escribió sus primeros versos. Cuenta que su amor por la poesía lo despertaron los poemas de su padre, quien la abandonó cuando ella tenía apenas tres años. Además de abordar temas de mestizaje y cultura indígena, su obra aborda temas como el amor, la maternidad, la tierra,, y la muerte. Escribió varios libros importantes, como “Desolação” en 1922, “Ternura” en 1924, y “Poema de Chile” en 1967. Gabriela dedicó la primera parte de su libro “Tala” (1938), “Muerte de mi Madre,” a tu madre [1].
El libro presenta la vida y obra del poeta y inspira a los lectores jóvenes a perseguir sus sueños y creer en el poder de la educación y la creatividad. Mistral dedicó toda su vida a la educación, desempeñando un papel importante en los sistemas educativos de los países de Europa y América. Al recibir el Premio Nobel, Gabriela Mistral relató que instantáneamente recordó a su familia, la Cordillera de los Andes que vio desde su ventana durante su infancia, los niños de su pueblo y todo lo que podían compartir con el mundo. Este libro es más que una biografía; Brown y Parra rinden un profundo homenaje a un gran escritor de la literatura latinoamericana, cuyo trabajo continúa inspirando a generaciones.
Americas Award Commended Title Críticas “Best Children’s Book of the Year”
Latino Book Award Best Children’s Picture Book – English -2nd Place
Monica Brown’s My Name is Gabito / Me llamo Gabito: The Life of Gabriel Garcia Marquez is a captivating bilingual biography in both English and Spanish, illustrated by Raul Colon. This book introduces young readers to the life and legacy of one of the twentieth century’s most celebrated literary figures, Colombian Gabriel Garcia Marquez. In 1972, he received the Neustadt International Prize for Literature. Ten years later, his body of work, including the acclaimed One Hundred Years of Solitude, earned him the Nobel Prize for Literature.
Using Colon’s vibrant drawing, Brown narrates the life of Gabito, as Garcia Marquez was popularly known, from his humble origins in Colombia to his recognition as a powerful literary figure in the global scene. The book captures the essence of Garcia Marquez’s imagination, love of storytelling, and remarkable magical realism in his work. Navigating through Garcia Marquez’s biography, the author describes important occasions such as his childhood in Aracataca, Colombia, his journalistic experiences, and the influences that formed his writing style. In this sense, Brown beautifully communicates the impact of Garcia Marquez’s writing on people across the world, highlighting the common themes of love, melancholy, and human resilience that humanize his work.
Overall, My Name is Gabito / Me llamo Gabito is an impactful homage to Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s life and literary legacy, who, through his remarkable words, often reminds us that “only everyday and eternal reality is love.” (One Hundred Years of Solitude). In this book, Monica Brown describes not only the impact of Gabito on Colombian literature but also his role as a powerful voice to spread Latin America’s heritage and challenges to the world. Brown’s simple and concise writing style distinguishes this biography, making it accessible to readers of all ages in a bilingual style.
[Spanish]
Mi nombre es Gabito / Me llamo Gabito: La vida de Gabriel García Márquez de Mónica Brown es una cautivadora biografía bilingüe en inglés y español, ilustrada por Raúl Colón. Este libro presenta a los lectores jóvenes la vida y el legado de una de las figuras literarias más famosas del siglo XX, el colombiano Gabriel García Márquez. En 1972, recibió el Premio Internacional de Literatura Neustadt. Diez años más tarde, su obra, incluida la aclamada Cien años de soledad, le valió el Premio Nobel de Literatura.
Utilizando los vibrantes dibujos de Colón, Brown narra la vida de Gabito, como se conocía popularmente a García Márquez, desde sus humildes orígenes en Colombia hasta su reconocimiento como una poderosa figura literaria en la escena mundial. El libro captura la esencia de la imaginación de García Márquez, su amor por contar historias, y el notable realismo mágico de su trabajo. Navegando a través de la biografía de García Márquez, el autor describe ocasiones importantes como su infancia en Aracataca, Colombia, sus experiencias periodísticas, y las influencias que formaron su estilo de escritura. En este sentido, Brown comunica maravillosamente el impacto de los escritos de García Márquez en personas de todo el mundo, destacando los temas comunes del amor, la melancolía y la resiliencia humana que humanizan su trabajo.
En general, Mi nombre es Gabito / Me llamo Gabito es un impactante homenaje a la vida y al legado literario de Gabriel García Márquez. Quien, a través de sus notables palabras, a menudo nos recuerda que ” la única realidad cotidiana y eterna era el amor. “(Cien Años de Soledad). En este libro, Mónica Brown describe no sólo el impacto de Gabito en la literatura colombiana sino también su papel como una voz poderosa para difundir la herencia y los desafíos de América Latina al mundo. El estilo de escritura simple y conciso de Brown distingue esta biografía, haciéndola accesible a lectores de todas las edades.
Santa Marta, Colombia, in 2007.Alejandra Vega/AFP/Getty Images
Language: English (contains some words in Spanish)
Imagine is the work of former U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera and Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator Lauren Castillo. By exploring Herrera’s childhood memories, this autobiography written in verse form takes readers to a poetic universe where the ordinary transforms into something extraordinary and the everyday takes on magical contours. Memories such as his childhood in the countryside, picking flowers, and helping his mother care for the farm animals, especially on nights under a bright, starry sky, inspire this beautiful poem. Using simple language, Herrera invites readers of all ages to imagine that anything is possible when you have a dream.
The illustrations show the childhood of Juan Felipe, who would become a poet, artist, and activist, the son of Mexican immigrants, Campesinos. Through eloquent language and vivid illustration, Herrera and Castillo celebrate the power of imagination to transcend boundaries and connect people across time and space. Herrera consistently employs repetition throughout the story, beginning each stanza with “If I…” and ending with “I imagine.” This repetition stimulates reflection and encourages readers’ imagination. By sharing stories of immigration, hope, and possibility, the author delves into the depths of human experience.
The book Imagine is more than just a compilation of poems; it is a manifestation of poetry’s capacity for transformation. This art form has the potential to strengthen human resistance to the injustices of a world that so often imposes obstacles to the dreams of many individuals. Contrary to this trend, Herrera’s words inspire readers to envision a world where everything is viable, where dreams take flight, and where borders do not exist. Through each poem, Juan Felipe Herrera inspires us to reimagine ourselves and the world around us, inviting us on an adventure of discovery and hope.
Moving into May, we celebrate the end of poetry month! For this celebration post, you’ll find poetry-based resources for both 1-5 grades, Spanish language learning resources, and suggestions for advanced students.
Last week, the Latin American and Iberian Institute assisted the Poesía eres tú event, held annually at the National Hispanic Cultural Center and organized by the Spanish Embassy and the Ministry of Education, the Spain Resource Center, the Latin American and Iberian Institute, and Rio Rancho Public Schools. This year, the Spanish poetry competition featured students grades 1 through 5, including students from Coronado Elementary School, Cienaguas International School, East San Jose Elementary School, George I Sanchez C. Community School, Manzano Day School, and New Mexico International School. Winners were selected from each age group, but the cohort of about 30 students each presented incredible performances of their selected poems, some in costumes, other with props, and each student with incredible talent and dedication.
While we typically review books on this blog, we wanted to highlight some of the works students performed. Poetry can be an intimidating to those who are unfamiliar, but with digestible lengths, accessible vocabulary, and a variety of interpretations, poetry can also be a great study resource. Below are some of the students’ poems we felt were particularly salient and emotionally connected. We encourage you to read them and consider incorporating them into your class curriculum. Some of these works are also particularly engaging given current political and social contexts, encouraging students to interact with these ideas from a young age.
“Mariposa del aire” por García Lorca
“El ratoncito despistado” por Marisa Alonso Santamaria
Predominantly English, with Spanish used throughout
Publisher: Penguin Random House, Tiny Reparations Books, 2023
Poetry, of course, is for all ages. Melania Luisa Marte’s poetry collection Plantains and Our Becoming is both a rich work and a meditation on her own experiences. This work and various poems within it has great potential as a learning resource when working with advanced high school students. Some of the themes in her works are mature so we recommend using this source with upper-level high school students. Published in 2023, Melania Luisa Marte’s work “Afro-Latina” went viral in 2020 when featured for National Poetry Month on Instagram in 2020. It has since been viewed over 9 million times. “Afro-Latina” is included in this collection, including many other works examining identities and histories of Haiti and the Dominican Republic intending to “celebrate and center the Black diasporic experience”. In the process, Luisa Marte examines themes of generational trauma, ancestral knowledge, national identity, displacement, migration, love, family, and joy. While meditating on serious, painful, and difficult realities and histories, Luisa Marte never ceases to interweave agency, joy, love, and beauty within these pages.
As a teaching resource, the language of the text is also a learning opportunity. Her works are predominantly written in English, but she uses a mix of Spanish and English to varying degrees throughout her poems. This structure invites a myriad of experiences and language backgrounds, encouraging readers to sit in their understanding (or lack of) and think about those ramifications, how it changes their understanding of the work and the themes referenced throughout, and other elements that may reveal. Divided into three parts, Daughter of Diaspora, A History of Plantains, and On Becoming, we experience various life journeys and stages. Each new section is prefaced by a brief historical and social contextual introduction, encouraging readers to connect what they are reading to broader events. This makes the works accessible to those readers who may have less familiarity with Dominican and Haitian history. As a reader, I met the end of each section hoping for more.
Publisher: Ciranda na Escola; 1ª edição (25 julho 2022)
Language: Portuguese
Age: 5-8 years old
Region: South America (Brazil)
Moreira de Acopiara is a poet and playwright born in 1961 in the interior of Ceará, Brazil. The author, who has already published several children’s books in the form of Cordel literature, and the illustrator, Laerte Silvino, reinterpret one of the best-known stories in the world with a Brazilian touch: the classic “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Although this type of literature was of Portuguese heritage, Brazilian popular poets quickly incorporated elements of the country’s culture, making it popular poetry. By narrating stories with elements of folklore typical of the Northeast region and with a popular language understandable to everyone, it soon became popular, especially in the Brazilian states of Pernambuco, Paraíba, Bahia, and Ceará.
In this work, the authors narrate the friendship between Antonio, who had dreamed of becoming a great aviator since he was a child, and a boy with “golden hair” from another planet, the Little Prince. Through a rhythmic and poetic story characteristic of cordel, Moreira and Laerte tell how, through friendship, love, dreams, and longing, the two friends manage to cross borders and transport themselves to each other’s world through their memories. In this sense, O Pequeno Príncipe em Cordel not only incorporates the characters of the work in a Brazilian context, valuing this cultural expression so rich that it is Cordel literature, but it also transmits profound lessons about human relationships and that in this life “what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
[Portuguese]
Moreira de Acopiara é um poeta e dramaturgo nascido em 1961, no interior do estado do Ceará, Brasil. O autor, que já publicou vários livros infantojuvenis em forma de literatura de cordel, e o ilustrador Laerte Silvino fazem uma releitura com um toque brasileiro de uma das histórias mais conhecidas do mundo: o clássico “O Pequeno Príncipe”, de Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Embora esse tipo de literatura tenha sido uma herança lusitana, os poetas populares brasileiros não tardaram em incorporar elementos da cultura do país, tornando-a uma poesia popular. Ao narrar histórias com elementos do folclore típico da região Nordeste e com uma linguagem popular compreensível para todas as pessoas, logo se popularizou, sobretudo nos estados brasileiros de Pernambuco, Paraíba, Bahia e Ceará.
Nessa obra, os autores narram a amizade entre Antonio, que sonhava em se tornar um grande aviador desde criança, e um rapaz de “cabelinhos dourados” e de outro planeta, o pequeno príncipe. Através de uma história ritmada e poética, características do cordel, Moreira e Laerte contam como por meio da amizade, do amor, dos sonhos e da saudade, os dois amigos conseguem atravessar fronteiras e se transportar um para o mundo do outro através de suas recordações. Nesse sentido, o livro não só incorpora os personagens da obra em um contexto brasileiro, valorizando essa expressão cultural tão rica que é a literatura de cordel, mas transmiti lições profundas sobre as relações humanas e que nessa vida “o essencial é invisível aos olhos”.
Additional Sources:
Examples of Cordel Literature (Photos:Jéssica’s collection)
Setting: Iguazú Waterfalls; Northeastern Argentina
Francisco X. Alarcón was a prolific and award winning Chicano author, poet, and educator. He is a recipient of both the Jane Addams Award for Children’s Literature as well as the Pura Belpré Award. His work in children’s poetry has reached many, and makes poetry relatable to all ages. Given his renown, it is no surprise that we have featured him several times in our blog. This April we celebrate National Poetry Month, so we encourage you to check out Alarcón’s works throughout this month. You can see our reviews of his other works here, here, and here on the blog.
Alarcón delivers once again with this bilingual work Animal Poems of the Iguazu/ Animalario del Iguazú. This book bloomed from a small green notebook and Alarcón’s travels to visit the Iguazú waterfalls, located in northeastern Argentina and bordering Brazil and Paraguay. The Iguazú National Park in which these waterfalls are located was founded in 1934, to protect the waterfalls and the wealth of biodiversity that inhabits the subtropical rainforest surrounding them. Alarcón’s impetus for publishing his work is clear: motivate people to action, and encourage them to support the international community’s call for a green-corridor expanding the park’s protected space into 1,400,000 hectares of continuous rainforest, linked with other protected zones in Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil. Since the book’s publication in 2008, the dream of establishing a protected corridor remains. In addition to poetry, this book makes an excellent introduction to the importance of conservation. Whether pursuing a unit on poetry, biodiversity, or environmentalism, Animal Poems of the Iguazú is an excellent resource for your classroom.
This collection of poetry includes well-known animals like butterflies, toucans, and parrots, as well as those we may be less familiar with, like the Coati, The Martin Pescador, and the Great Dusky Swift. Even animals few in number and facing extinction, like the Jaguar, still maintain a critical part of the landscape that their presence shaped over the centuries. Together, these animals occupy a beloved and important part of this ecosystem. Critically, Alarcón also teaches us about the Guaraní histories that make up a critical part of this place while imbuing the Iguazu with a living and vibrant energy. Alarcón grants empathy and importance to all creatures, from people traversing the Iguazu’s waters to the small ants watching from below. Overall, Alarcón creates a place filled with energy and potential filled with nightly serenades, quiet water, busy ants and pesky mosquitoes, who all face the “same green fate”. While the illustrations work beautifully to wind the beauty of the words with that of the natural environment, it is ultimately up to the reader to decide what they will do with this knowledge. To acknowledge a place’s beauty and vitality is one thing, but to take action to preserve it is another.
Publisher: Ciranda Cultural; 1ª edição (15 dezembro 2022)
Language: Portuguese
Age: 5-8 years old
Region: South America (Brazil)
The book Carolina Maria de Jesus, written by Adriana de Almeida Navarro and illustrated by Bill Borges, delves deeply into the life and work of one of the most important Brazilian writers of the 20th century. This book offers a comprehensive exploration of the journey of Carolina Maria de Jesus (1914-1977) from her poor childhood in the state of Minas Gerais to her international recognition as a crucial voice in Brazilian literature. Her most famous book, Quarto de Despejo: Diário de uma Favelada (Child of the Dark: The Diary of Carolina Maria de Jesus) extensively documented the impact of poverty, hardships, and the challenging conditions in Brazilians’ favelas (slums) reality.
Navarro conducts a thorough and sensitive analysis of Carolina’s life, situating her within the reality of many Afro-Brazilian families in Brazil’s social and political context. By exploring Carolina’s motivations, challenges, and achievements, the author gives readers a deeper understanding of the woman behind the words. Carolina was the only one in her family who was literate. The author highlights that, at one point in her life, she came back home from school and realized she could read. This forever changed her life, her family’s life, and Brazilian literature. Bill Borges’ illustrations of this narrative, bring to life key moments of Carolina’s journey and capture her essence in a visually impactful way.
Carolina Maria de Jesus transcends mere biography; it is a tribute to the resilience of an Afro-Brazilian woman, her determination, and the transformative power of writing as a tool for personal and social empowerment. By celebrating Carolina’s life and her contribution to Brazilian literature, the book also highlights her ongoing relevance as a voice echoing issues of racial and gender justice, influencing contemporary social movements around the world.
[Portuguese]
O livro Carolina Maria de Jesus, escrito por Adriana de Almeida Navarro e ilustrado por Bill Borges, mergulha de maneira profunda na vida e obra de uma das mais importantes escritoras brasileiras do século XX. Este livro abrange a trajetória de Carolina Maria de Jesus, desde sua humilde infância no estado brasileiro de Minas Gerais até seu reconhecimento internacional como uma voz crucial da literatura brasileira, especialmente através de sua obra mais famosa, Quarto de Despejo: Diário de uma Favelada. Em seu diário, ela relata como os desafios de viver em uma das maiores favelas de São Paulo podem afetar a realidade socioeconômica de várias famílias brasileiras.
Navarro conduz uma análise minuciosa e sensível da vida de Carolina, situando-a na realidade de muitas famílias afro-brasileiras no contexto social e político do país. Ao explorar as motivações, desafios e conquistas de Carolina, a autora proporciona aos leitores uma compreensão mais profunda da mulher por trás das palavras. Carolina era a única da família que foi alfabetizada. Navarro destaca que um dos momentos mais importantes da vida da escritora foi perceber que sabia ler após um dia de aula. Isso mudou sua vida, a de sua família e a da literatura brasileira para sempre. As ilustrações de Bill Borges complementam essa narrativa, dando vida aos momentos-chave da jornada da afro-brasileira e capturando sua essência de maneira visualmente impactante.
O livro Carolina Maria de Jesus transcende uma mera biografia; é uma homenagem à sua determinação e ao poder transformador da escrita como instrumento de empoderamento pessoal e social. Ao celebrar a vida de Carolina Maria de Jesus e sua contribuição para a literatura brasileira, a obra também destaca sua relevância contínua como uma voz que ecoa questões de justiça racial e de gênero, influenciando movimentos sociais contemporâneos em todo o mundo.
Yanga: The Road to Freedom” is a fascinating book about Gaspar Yanga, or Nyanga, a brave leader who fought for freedom in colonial Mexico. Written by Arjona, the story captures Yanga’s struggles and courage, while Martinez’s illustrations make the tale come alive. We follow Yanga’s journey from Africa to his courageous resistance and the founding of a free community in Veracruz. Arturo Martinez, a native of the state where Yanga founded his town, contributes vivid and accurate artwork that complements the book.
The book explores how Yanga reinvented himself in a new land and fought for his freedom and the freedom of his people. He was originally from the region of West Africa, likely from the region that is now present-day Nigeria. He was captured and enslaved, arriving in the Spanish colony of New Spain (present-day Mexico) in the late 16th century. It is believed that he was of royal descent and had knowledge of military tactics and leadership skills.
He managed to escape from slavery and fled to the rugged mountains of Veracruz, where he formed a community of running slaves, known as “cimarrones” or maroons. Over time, this community grew and became a refuge for other escaped slaves seeking freedom from the harsh conditions of Spanish colonial rule. Recognizing that they were unable to defeat Yanga militarily, the Spanish colonial authorities eventually negotiated a peace treaty with him in 1618.
In the early 17th century, the treaty granted autonomy to Yanga’s community, officially establishing the town of San Lorenzo de los Negros (now Yanga) as the first free town of Africans in the Americas. Yanga assumed leadership of the town, becoming its first leader. His legacy as a symbol of resistance against oppression and his fight for freedom have left an indelible mark on Mexican history.
Today, Yanga is celebrated as a hero and a symbol of resistance against slavery and colonialism in Mexico. This exciting and educational read teaches us about the fight for freedom and justice in Mexico’s history. Yanga’s story reminds us of the importance of perseverance against oppression, making this book an essential tool for learning about this lesser-known historical figure.
Book blog authors credited include past contributors Jéssica Pereira, Alice Donahue, Katrina Dillon, Jasmine Morse, Kalyn Finnell, Ericka, Lorraine, Marleen Linares-González, Jake, and Whitney Wagner.
While we continue our regular weekly posts here at the LAII, we have many blog posts and resources from previous years to use in the classroom or pursue for your own interests. February is notoriously the shortest month of the year even with the occasional Leap Day, which is why we compiled this reference post updating our recent posts featuring Afro-Caribbean and Afro-descendant narratives. For additional compilations lists, lesson plans, media studies, and additional information about teaching these narratives and recognizing Afro-Latinidad, reference our compilation posts from previous years. While we offer many resources, we also encourage you to pursue your own, and recommend consulting other area studies departments and dedicated organizations like Teaching Central America, the Hemispheres Curriculum Units at the University of Texas, the Consortium of Latin American Studies K-12 resources, Tulane University’s Stone Center for Latin American Studies K-12 resources, and the University of Arizona’s Caribbean/African Latin America lesson plans through their Center for Latin American Studies.
Below, see excerpts from book blog posts over the years illuminating the work of authors and K-12 literature.
Celebrating author Ibi Zoboi
“Zoboi’s writing is powerful and rooted in a celebration of her Haitian heritage. More than celebratory, however, her writing confronts and challenges how Haitian culture is generally portrayed – and how young women of color, particularly young Black and Latinx women, appear in literature and the media. She grapples openly with questions of poverty and institutional racism, white supremacy and violence. And in the process, her writing helps to humanize individuals whose lives are too frequently dehumanized, degraded, and stigmatized in popular media – if they’re fortunate enough to appear at all. As Zoboi writes in her blog, “what matters most is that we black content creators within all-white industries take the helm and steer the ship to tell stories that are true and humanizing – narratives that pull from lived experiences and are based on a deep love for black people.”
“Lynn Joseph is originally from the island of Trinidad in the Caribbean. At the age of ten, she moved to Baltimore but continued to return to Trinidad for her summers. According to an interview with Joseph on her personal website, she started writing because of the nostalgia that was born from her bicultural childhood: “So, I lived two separate lives: an American school life and a Trinidad summer life. I began writing because I missed Trinidad so much; riding my bike everywhere, building forts in the hills, and just limin’ (hanging out) with friends. I also missed the steel pan music, and the joy I felt in Trinidad. The energy on my island is incredible.” Like this month’s featured book, Dancing in the Rain, most of Joseph’s books include elements of Caribbean culture. Dancing in the Rain won a Burt Award for Caribbean Literature (2015) prize, and skillfully focuses on the intersection between the culture, society and current events of New York City and the Caribbean. While exposing readers to certain Caribbean traditions and ways of life, this book also emphasizes the strong influence of Caribbean culture here in the U.S., particularly in New York.”
“Danticat is an artful and inspiring author whose work, infused with many levels of social conscience, educates readers of a variety of ages in a variety of ways. She is one of our most consistently featured and written-about authors here at Vamos a Leer, in large because the beauty and depth of her writing continue to amaze us…” Her works featured on the blog include Krik? Krak!, Mama’s Nightingale: A Story of Immigration and Separation, Eight Days, A Story of Haiti, and The Farming of Bones.
“This book is an Honorable Mention recipient of the 2017 Américas Award. It tells the story of Malaika, a young girl in Jamaica living with her granny while her mummy works in Canada to provide for them. In the story, Malaika is struggling with not having a costume for carnival, one of the most exciting festivals in her town. Malaika’s worries and frustrations with the costume are interwoven with missing her mummy, struggling to allow her granny to fill that motherly role, and optimistic expectations of no longer having financial issues since her mummy is working in Canada. In the end, Malaika and her granny find a resolution and Malaika dances beautifully in Carnival.”
Planting Stories: The Life of the Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré
“Pura Belpré was the first Puerto Rican librarian at the New York public library. This book tells us her inspirational story, and the way in which she planted in New York the seeds of all the stories she heard on the island where she grew up. These stories were told to her “under the shade of a Tamarind tree, in Puerto Rico.” The seeds she plants in the library are an extension of this tree, transplanted in New York City and for all the boys and girls who wanted to hear these stories. Belpré wrote the first book on Puerto Rico’s folktales for the city’s public library. She saw the importance of having access to books in our maternal language and to having representation of our own culture and imagery.”
“This book is a great education tool. The reader is able to see how Celia blossoms into a performer, while also learning about Afro-Cuban music traditions and genres. It includes select words in Spanish and even touches on historical-political information of how, after moving to the U.S., to her deep disappointment, Celia was no longer able to return to Cuba…For the classroom, this book could…accompany lessons that aim to utilize bibliographies, or Cuban-American history. Students can compare this book to another about Celia, or choose their own influential Latina, artist, musician, or any combination thereof! It can also accompany an activity that involves listening to Celia’s music, playing instruments, and/or learning to dance salsa.”
“Pelé, the King of Soccer” recounts several of Pelé’s achievements, both with the team that brought him to prominence, Santos Club, and the Brazilian national team, which led the country to victory in three World Cups (1958, 1962, and 1970). Additionally, the book delves into Pelé’s charismatic personality and his influence not only in the world of sports but also his social and cultural impact. In this way, readers, whether soccer fans or not, can understand the significance of Pelé to Brazilians and the reasons why many consider him the king of soccer.”
“Laura Acevedo tells the story of an aspiring Afro-Boricua chef and teen mom in the heart of Philadelphia, in With the Fire on High. Emoni, in her senior year of high school faces one of life’s toughest challenges, growing up and learning how to continue following her passion. Emoni juggles parenting, working and being a full time student when she takes a leap of faith and joins a cooking class as her senior elective, with the opportunity to travel to Spain. This book is a wonderful coming of age story that portrays its protagonist as a capable, loving and independent young woman who need a little help from her friends and family along the way.”
“Eight Days, A Story of Haiti tells the story of a young boy who is trapped under his house for eight long days following Haiti’s 2010 earthquake. In order to keep his spirits high and make the time pass, he daydreams of running and playing in the sunshine, scenes which have been beautifully illustrated by Delinois to “reflect the beauty of Haitian life before the earthquake, and what is possible for the future.” Despite living through a terrifying experience, the child protagonist embodies hope and potential.”
Language: Spanglish, mostly English with Spanish phrases
Region: United States
Illustrator: Rose Bousamra
Published by: First Second, a division of Holtzbrinck Publishing Holdings Limited Partnership, New York
2022
Frizzy, the 2022 graphic novel by Claribel Ortega, is our pick of the week. As noted by many at the LAII and educators alike, graphic novels are particularly helpful in translating difficult topics to younger audiences. This use is exemplified by the repeated use of classics like Art Spiegelman’s Maus and Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolisin the classroom. Moreover, pictures, media, and graphics are what students are increasingly engaged with inside and outside the classroom. As such, they provide multiple ways to translate knowledge and complex realities while remaining accessible across a variety of language levels. We are thankful to see the continued use of graphic novels as a teaching tool and take a particular interest in Latin American authors’ increasing use of this toolset to introduce younger generations to complex and multifaceted histories. For those interested in these narratives, we recommend reading Canizales’s Amazona and doing a deep dive into Jesús Cossio’s works (particularly Barbarie—Cómics sobre la violencia política 1985–1990).
Complex realities and difficult emotions surround our lived experiences, and graphic novels offer a distinct place to explore these nuances. The past few years documented an uptick in censorship throughout the U.S. The list of banned topics and curricula include the history of slavery and the continuance of racism in the U.S., Critical Race Theory, and an expanding repertoire of banned or censored texts. Frizzy is not yet on that list of honorable “challenged or banned” titles, but its work to confront racism and Anti-Blackness from a young age certainly puts it in danger. For this reason, we encourage you to add it to your reading in this last week of Black History Month–though it makes an excellent read year-round. Claribel Ortega is the best-selling author of the novel Ghost Squad and Witchlings. Ortega’s work and Rose Bousamra’s powerful illustrations bring to life the coming-of-age story of Marlene, a Dominican middle-school-aged student developing and navigating her own identity and personal expression amidst family and societal expectations. Every week, Marlene and her mother go to the hair salon. This is a weekly battle for Marlene, who wants to express herself and her curls freely. Through humidity disasters, family criticisms and harsh comparisons, various YouTube influencer curly routines, school bullies, and family arguments, Marlene navigates her way to expressing her own identity while reckoning with her family’s complicated understanding of their own heritage. While Marlene finds support in her family and friends throughout this journey, sometimes it is those we most want to impress who can be the most resistant to the very things that are vital to our own identity expression.
Importantly, readers learn through Marlene’s journey that everyone brings their own history to their actions. Marlene’s mother has her own experiences of being bullied and judged for her natural curls. Confronting deeply ingrained societal and familial prejudices of Anti-Blackness is a long process, but this book is a great starting point for students. Moreover, this reckoning is complicated along the way by grief, loss, hate, jealousy, and bravery. This novel highlights emotional intelligence and provides an excellent learning opportunity for students to build their own. Most importantly, Marlene’s resilience and demand to fight for her own expression is critical. As she discovers, there is no such thing as good or bad hair—only hair. This lesson is applicable to many aspects of our lives and reminds students to stay true to themselves—we each are worth fighting for.
“The only thing I wanted to do was make people see me how I saw myself in my head. Was that so hard?” p.74, Claribel A. Ortega
“We learn things from our parents, who learn things from their parents, who learned that from their parents. It doesn’t make those things okay to believe…but it does take time to unlearn them and be better.” p.149, Claribel A. Ortega
Winner of the 2023 Pura Belpré Award for Children’s Text Winner of the 2023 Eisner for Best Publication for Kids October 2022 Indie Bestseller
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