Buenos días a todas y todos,
I hope this day finds you each doing well!
As the holidays near, we are invited to reflect on the significance that such days play in our own lives and in the lives of others. We are reminded that the way we experience holidays differs from those around us: from one family to the next, one culture to the next, and from one generation to the next. Notwithstanding these differences, there remains a constant and a uniting force: food.
In this age, it is not uncommon for people to constantly migrate. Whether it be from town to town, city to city, state to state, or country to country, it is a fact that many people are migrants. Thus, we want to kick off our immigration theme with a book for middle grade (grades 3-7) readers that discusses how migration, even if it is just one’s family or friends that leave, can impact one’s identity. This week, we will be discussing Alma Flor Ada’s Love, Amalia (or Con cariño, Amalia).
In this book, Amalia is a young girl who lives in Chicago. One day, she learns that her best friend, Martha, will be moving to California with her family. Amalia, who is already close to her grandmother, develops a closer relationship with her Abuelita. She learns a considerable amount about her family and Mexican heritage from her. Most importantly, she is Amalia’s biggest source of comfort. When Amalia loses Abuelita, she is sad. However, she begins to realize that she was lucky to have been able to know her grandmother as well as she did. Continue reading
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