The Color of My Words
Written by Lynn Joseph
Published by Harper Collins, 2001
ISBN: 9780064472043
Age Level: 8 and up
Book Summary:
Twelve-year-old Ana Rosa is a blossoming writer growing up in the Dominican Republic, a country where words are feared. Yet there is so much inspiration all around her — watching her brother search for a future, learning to dance and to love, and finding out what it means to be part of a community — that Ana Rosa must write it all down. As she struggles to find her own voice and a way to make it heard, Ana Rosa realizes the power of her words to transform the world around her — and to transcend the most unthinkable of tragedies.
My Thoughts:
Each month as I sit down to write the review for our featured book, I find myself stuck. I’ve run out of different ways to say “I love this book.” I’m certainly not complaining. As educators, I think we’re quite lucky to have access to so much amazing literature that also provides a way for us to teach about Latin America. This month’s book was no different—I loved it. Oddly enough, I’ve found that the more I love a book, the harder it is for me to convey my thoughts and feelings in a review. I usually feel like I just can’t do the experience of reading it justice. But, here’s my attempt. If my words fall short in convincing you, I hope you’ll still give Joseph’s book a chance. It deserves it.
As a mix of both poetry and prose, The Color of My Words was the perfect follow-up to last month’s Caminar. Each chapter opens with a poem written by the protagonist, Ana Rosa. While it reads as a novel, each chapter functions as a vignette or short story told from Ana Rosa’s point of view, allowing the reader to experience some of the more significant events of Ana Rosa’s life the year she was 12. With openness and vulnerability Ana Rosa walks us through the year that would forever change her. This aspect of the book is reason enough to use it in the classroom. Part of what Ana Rosa learns in this year is the power of words, particularly her words. Ana Rosa finds her voice in her writing. The power of writing is something that I wish all students would learn. While we may not all be writers like Ana Rosa, our writing is still powerful. It’s a way to express and process one’s experiences, thoughts, and emotions. It’s important for our students to see that there’s more to writing than essays, reports, and extended response questions on standardized tests. While these are important skills that we often need at some point in our lives, the ability to process our experiences and how they have impacted us is equally essential. This is a novel that would pair really well with Linda Christensen’s “Where I’m From” poetry in which students reflect on the people and events that have most influenced the person they’ve become.
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