LSSL 5361 Culture 3 Hispanic/Latin Literature

 Culture 3 Hispanic/Latino(a) Literature Review/Blogs

 

1. Bibliography:

Mora, P., & Lopez, R. (2007). Yum! mmmm! que rico!: America’s sproutings. Lee & Low Books.

ISBN: 978-1-58430-271-1

2. Plot Summary: This book includes information about the origin of featured foods across the Americas and incorporates poetry to add a playful tone. 

3. Critical Analysis: Let’s begin with Rafael Lopez, illustrator of this book. With every page you turn you feel like you are in a hispanic home: warm, nurturing, and welcomed. The use of vibrant colors is evident that Lopez is strongly influenced by his heritage. I love the way Mora combines two genres in one book: informational and poetry. She brilliantly includes information about common hispanic/latin foods and its origin and playfully adds a haikus to appeal to young readers. I appreciate that she shows diversity within the Hispanic culture through food.This is a book to surely put a smile on your face. In the end, she adds a letter to her readers explaining her passion for writing and the purpose for writing this hispanic rich culture book. 

4. Review Experts: 

Horn Book Guide (Spring 2008)

Fourteen haiku celebrate blueberries, chiles, chocolate, corn, pineapples, and other foods from North and South America. The language is light and kid-friendly: "Round roly-poly / squirts seedy, juicy splatter. / Red bursts in your mouth." Sidebars provide notes on each food. Acrylic on wood-panel illustrations dance with color and whimsy, complementing the high-spirited, playful descriptions of food in all its delicious diversity. Bib.

5. Connections:

Scanlon, Elizabeth Garton. All the world

---

1. Bibliography:

Soto, G. (2009). Partly cloudy: Poems of love and longing. Harcourt Children’s Books.

ISBN: 978-0-15-200301-6

2. Plot Summary: Gary Soto writes this collection of poems to capture the feelings and thoughts of young lovers as they experience love for the first time and all that comes with the “first”. 

3. Critical Analysis:

Gary Soto is a proud Mexican American, which does in his works. In this book of poems Soto captures young love and the dispairs that come with it. His choice of words in each poem are thought provoking and highlight emotions that we never thought we had. The cover of this book conveys bliss, happiness towards life, and the vast possibility it may present. 

4. Review Experts: 

School Library Journal (March 1, 2009)

Gr 6-9-Soto skillfully captures the voice and emotions of young teens in love. The free verse poems are grouped together in two sections: "A Girl's Tears, Her Songs" and "A Boy's Body, His Words." There are selections about first kisses ("I haven't been kissed, /But I'm waiting"), young love ("We were young, not yet fourteen./What chance could our love have/In a world so rough?"), jealousy ("You narrowed your eyes at me,/Flashed red coals from deep inside you"), and rejection ("When she said no,/I took my loneliness to the river"). In "Danger" a boy says, "If I knew you were in trouble,/I would take a shovel and shovel my way/To your house, six blocks away,/And risk live wires hissing like snakes./Love, I know, can be hazardous to my health." Since many of the narrators are 13 or 14 years old, these short, accessible poems will appeal to middle schoolers, especially. A great addition to poetry collections.-Ann Nored, Wilson Central High School, Lebanon, TN Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.

5. Connections:

• Giovanni, Nikki. Bicycles : love poems

• Falling hard : 100 love poems by teenagers

---

1. Bibliography:

Medina, M., & Dominguez, A. (2015). Mango, abuela, and me. Amsterdam University Press.

ISBN: 978-0-7636-6900-3

2. Plot Summary: 

Mia and her parents live in the city. Her grandmother moves from her tropical, comfy home to the city with Mia and her parents. Grandma speaks Spanish and Mia finds it difficult to connect with her. With time Mia and her grandmother find ways to teach each other English and Spanish and in the end they build a stronger relationship in which they are able to appreciate each other.

3. Critical Analysis: 

I appreciate the illustrations of this children's book. Through the illustration readers feel the emotions the characters feel throughout the story. The illustrations are a mix of new American culture and traditional hispanc culture. Domiguez does not use the traditional vibrant colors but the characters portray warm, loving, and empathic feelings. 

Medina depicts the challenges between generational gaps. We often see these challenges occur and this book helps young readers relate and allow other cultures to look into the characters' lives and traditions. Medina also uses the book as a way to teach anyone basic English or Spanish. She uses both languages in her book to exemplify the hispanic/latin language.

4. Review Experts:

Horn Book Guide starred (Spring 2016)

Mia worries when her "far-away grandmother" arrives. Abuela doesn't speak English, and Mia's "espaqol is not good enough to tell her the things an abuela should know." A pet-store parrot named Mango allows Mia and her abuela to truly connect. This heartwarming story about finding common ground and adapting to change is accompanied by illustrations that capture the characters' emotions and moods.

5. Connections:

• Medina, Meg. Evelyn Del Rey is moving away

---

1. Bibliography:

McCall, G. G. (2011). Under the mesquite (First Edition). Lee & Low Books.

ISBN: 978-1-60060-429-4

2. Plot Summary: This verse novel is about a teenager named Lupita, who takes on the challenges of being the eldest sibling of the family. She feels the obligation to help her mother take care of her siblings and attend and make good grades in school. She turns to her passion for writing. This is her outlet. She does not give up on her family, yet she finds ways to cope and deal with the stress and challenges she is presented with. 

3. Critical Analysis: We never know what others are going through. This verse novel presents an insight of the struggles teens may be challenged with.The flashbacks help the reader understand the way Lupita feels and how much she misses her childhood. Lupita has many challenges she faces and McCall depicts her as a strong, resilient Latina who doesn’t give up, especially when her family needs her the most. McCall demonstrates how close and caring Hispanic/latin family are. She presents hope and the American dream many look towards when coming to America.  I loved this book because I related parts of Lupitas struggles and Mexican culture and traditions to personal challenges when I was younger. The poems are touching and give the book a unique twist for readers to enjoy. 

4. Review Experts: 

Kirkus Reviews starred (August 15, 2011)

A resilient Mexican-American girl copes with familial obligation and loss in this free-verse novel. Drawing from her own teen years for inspiration, McCall highlights life in the borderlands: "En los Estados Unidos / I trained my tongue / and twisted syllables / to form words / that sounded hollow, / like the rain at midnight / dripping into tin pails / through the thatched roof / of our abuelita's house." Lupita's first-person tale captures pivotal moments of her high-school years in the border town of Eagle Pass, Texas, with glimpses back at her first six years in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico. During her freshman year, Lupita discovers that her mother has cancer. While her mother fights the disease and her father struggles to support the family financially, Lupita sometimes becomes the de facto parental unit for her seven younger siblings. As she worries about food and money, Lupita experiences the typical troubles and triumphs of a teenage girl; her drama teacher, Mr. Cortez, helps her find an outlet for her talent and her pain. Meanwhile, family members continue to draw strength and support from each other on both sides of the border. With poignant imagery and well-placed Spanish, the author effectively captures the complex lives of teenagers in many Latino and/or immigrant families. A promising, deeply felt debut. (Spanish glossary) (Verse fiction. 12 & up)

5. Connection:

Tamani, Liara. Calling my name

LSSL 5361 Culture 2 African American

 LSSL 5361 Module 2 African American Literature 

1. Bibliography:

Lester, J., & Pinkney, J. (1994). John Henry. Dial Books.

ISBN: 978-0-8037-1606-3 

2. Plot Summary:

The day John Henry was born, he amazed and had the attention of all. He was a big, strong, African American hero. He was able to do the unimaginable, until one day it was too much for him. John Henry is remembered as a hero and how much he did in his life. 

3. Critical Analysis:

In this folktale, Lester includes background information at the beginning of the tale. It helps the reader understand the elements in the story. Lester depicts the hero as strong and courageous. Everyone had their eyes on him, including the animals, but they weren't looking or judging him for the color of his skin. They were looking at his amazing strength and abilities. At the end of the folktale, John Henry whispers a power and positive quote, “Dying ain’t important. Everybody does that. What matters is how well you do your living.”

Pinkney illustrates with watercolors, painting each page with such detail that capture the historical setting and the amazing facial features of animals, family, and townspeople. The look of astonishment and amazement is seen throughout the story. John Henry is painted larger than life and ready to take on whatever life comes his way. Lester and Pinkney do a great job in focusing on a positive outlook of African American culture and provide the world with a lesson for all to learn. 

4. Review Experts: 

Horn Book Guide starred (March, 1995)

The original legend of John Henry and how he beat the steam drill with his sledgehammer has been enhanced and enriched, in Lester's retelling, with wonderful contemporary details and poetic similes that add humor, beauty, and strength. Pinkney's evocative illustrations -- especially the landscapes, splotchy and impressionistic, yet very solid and vigorous -- are little short of magnificent. With source notes.

5. Connections:

Lester, Julius. The Girl who saved Yesterday 

Lester, Julius. Black cowboy, wild horses : a true story

---

1. Bibliography: 

Tate, D. (2018). Poet: The remarkable story of george moses horton. Peachtree.

ISBN#: 978-1-56145-825-7 

2. Plot Summary:

This biography is about an African American poet, George Moses Horton. Don Tate shares Horton’s life as a child to an adult and the works he published. George Moses Horton loved singing and dreamed of being free. He sold his poetry to earn his freedom and met people throughout his life willing to help him. 

3. Critical Analysis:

Don Tate provided an author’s note in the back of the book telling the reader how he was ashamed of his culture and background. He quickly realized after studying the history of his people that it was important to get stories like George Moses Horton written for young readers to learn about history and see representation of African American resilience. This is an inspiring picture biography that young readers will enjoy. Tate writes the biography with pride and shows the hardships and injustice slaves endured and shows perserverance. 

4. Review Experts: 

Horn Book Guide starred (Spring 2016)

George Moses Horton, who taught himself to read and compose poetry, lived as a slave in North Carolina until he was sixty-six years old. Tate omits none of Horton's story's sadness but still makes it accessible to young readers and listeners. Gouache, ink, and pencil illustrations are as straightforward as the text but pack the appropriate emotional punch. Bib.

5. Connections:

Cooper, Floyd. Coming Home: from the life of Langston Huges

---

1. Bibliography:  

Zoboi, I. (2018). American street. Balzer + Bray.

ISBN: 978-0-06-247304-2

2. Plot Summary: 

This story is about a young teen girl and her mother who leave their home country Haiti to come to America in search of a better life. Her mother is detained at New York airport and is forced to continue on her journey alone. She finally meets family in Detroit. Even though she is with family she feels alone and worried for her mother and will do anything to bring her mother to Detroit. 

3. Critical Analysis: 

Through the novel, the character Fabiola, shows her culture, beliefs, and traditions of Haitian people. Fabiola speaks creole, the dominant language spoken in Haiti and English. She shares her beliefs by praying and lighting a candle so her mother finds her way to her. Many people including her cousins in America think it is Voodoo. This dramatic novel is a good read for readers to connect with. Despite the foul language, the events illustrate the American dream. I could not put the book down, it makes you want to read more, learn about the characters, and understand African American culture. I like that the author added personal stories about each character in the books. It adds depth and the reader is able to see the perspective of each character. She repeatedly  compares her life back in Haiti to her new one in America and is learning there are some big differences. 

4. Review Experts:

Kirkus Reviews starred (November 15, 2016)

Fabiola Toussaint is a black immigrant girl whose life is flipped upside down when she moves to Detroit, Michigan, from her homeland of Haiti and her mother is detained by the INS, leaving her to go on alone. Though Fabiola was born in the U.S., she has lived in Haiti since she was an infant, and that has now left her unprepared for life in America. In Detroit, she lives with her aunt Marjorie and her three thoroughly Americanized cousins, Chantal, Primadonna, and Princess. It’s not easy holding on to her heritage and identity in Detroit; Matant Jo fines Fabiola for speaking Creole (though even still “a bit of Haiti is peppered in her English words”), and the gritty streets of Detroit are very different from those of Port-au-Prince. Fabiola has her faith to help keep her grounded, which grows ever more important as she navigates her new school, American society, and a surprising romance—but especially when she is faced with a dangerous proposition that brings home to her the fact that freedom comes with a price. Fabiola’s perceptive, sensitive narration gives readers a keen, well-executed look into how the American dream can be a nightmare for so many. Filling her pages with magic, humanity, tragedy, and hope, Zoboi builds up, takes apart, and then rebuilds an unforgettable story. This book will take root in readers’ hearts. (Fiction. 14 & up)

5. Connections: Reynolds, Jason. All American Boys

---

1. Bibliography: 

Williams-Garcia, R. (2010). One crazy summer. HarperCollins.

2. Plot Summary: 

This story is about a young girl named Delphine, who travels from New York to California. Delphine and her siblings are spending the summer with their mother, who is not so welcoming and excited about the visit. During this changing time in America, their mother arranges them to attend a Black Panther Summer Camp. 

3. Critical Analysis:

This novel's themes range from family to prejudice and racism. The characters are girls who are genuinely curious about their mother and during the visit they also become interested in the fight for justice. By reading this book one will find themselves learning about the Civil rights movement and the Black Panthers organization. The historical setting and events in this book are surely to bring up important discussions. This one crazy summer the girls learned about themselves and their culture from their mother, who is an avid Civil Rights activist and attending a Black Panther summer camp.  

4. Review Experts:

School Library Journal (March 1, 2010)

Gr 4-7-It is 1968, and three black sisters from Brooklyn have been put on a California-bound plane by their father to spend a month with their mother, a poet who ran off years before and is living in Oakland. It's the summer after Black Panther founder Huey Newton was jailed and member Bobby Hutton was gunned down trying to surrender to the Oakland police, and there are men in berets shouting "Black Power" on the news. Delphine, 11, remembers her mother, but after years of separation she's more apt to believe what her grandmother has said about her, that Cecile is a selfish, crazy woman who sleeps on the street. At least Cecile lives in a real house, but she reacts to her daughters' arrival without warmth or even curiosity. Instead, she sends the girls to eat breakfast at a center run by the Black Panther Party and tells them to stay out as long as they can so that she can work on her poetry. Over the course of the next four weeks, Delphine and her younger sisters, Vonetta and Fern, spend a lot of time learning about revolution and staying out of their mother's way. Emotionally challenging and beautifully written, this book immerses readers in a time and place and raises difficult questions of cultural and ethnic identity and personal responsibility. With memorable characters (all three girls have engaging, strong voices) and a powerful story, this is a book well worth reading and rereading.-Teri Markson, Los Angeles Public Library Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information.

5. Connections: 

Jackson, Linda Williams. Midnight without a Moon

Magoon, Kekla. Fire in the Streets

LSSL 5396 Module 2 Discussion 2

 

KidLit TV  https://www.kidlit.tv/

If you haven’t heard of KidLit TV you are missing out on a great digital tool for teaching and learning. KidLit TV was awarded the Parents’ Choice Gold Award and named best Digital tool for teaching and learning by AASL. 

This is definitely a 21st century digital tool in school libraries that engage and promote literacy for lifelong learners. KidLit TV has a variety of fun ways to promote literacy such as:

Story Makers. Story Makers is my favorite. I think you will find it being your favorite, too. You get to hear straight from the author tell the viewer about a new book or series they are promoting. 

Read Aloud is very similar to StoryLine Online. In KidLit TV the readings are read by the author themselves. 

Big Picture Live will feature different authors discussing the “behind the scene” of the making of their book. Very interesting! This would be a great way to build background knowledge. 

In Studio is another great feature to learn or teach students about artists’ around the world.

These are just to name a few of the creative ways KidLit TV helps teachers teach and students learn about books and artists’ around the world. In addition to these awesome TV shows, KidLit has a KidLit Radio! A Podcast for children. You can access these podcasts directly from the website or through iTunes and SoundCloud. 

I hope you check out this awesome website!  Be sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram 

https://www.facebook.com/KidLitTV/

https://twitter.com/KidLitTV_NYC

https://www.instagram.com/kidlittv/

LSSL 5361 Module 1 Culture Literature- Book reviews

 Culture 1 Multicultural & International Literature

Book Blog Review 

1. Bibliography

Raschke, Jens, et al. Do fish sleep? Enchanted Lion Books, 2019. 

ISBN: 978-159270-285-5

         Batchelder Award Novel- Do Fish Sleep? By Jens Raschke

2. Plot Summary

This realistic fictional story is about a family that experiences a death in their family. Emil, who was sick, dies at a very young age. His sister Jeete and mom and dad are immersed in sadness. Jette recounts special moments she had with her little brother before his death. She is curious and at times does not completely understand death. As the family struggles with their emotions, they find help through family, friends, and counseling to cope with the death of Emil. In the end, Jette begins to accept and move forward with life,but never forgets her little brother. 

3. Critical Analysis

I can see why this book is outstanding and a bestseller. It made my eyes water a couple of times. It places you in the shoes of Jette. She goes through many emotions, the stages of grief. The author delicately captures the emotions of grief. This novel was originally written in German and translated in many other languages. It has become an internationally known novel in which I  believe it has done so well because its themes are universal. At some point in a person’s life, they will experience grief and the death of a loved one. It is an excellent novel for children to read so they build empathy and maybe learn how to deal with a loss. Also, know that they are not alone; others go through the same painful losses. The illustrations are somewhat simple, but powerful and touch your heart deeply. A reader can feel the pain of the characters by looking at the pictures.

4. Review excerpt(s)

Publishers Weekly (September 16, 2019)

This heartrending story by German writer Raschke is narrated by 10-year-old Jette, who describes the death of her terminally ill six-year-old brother Emil in unvarnished prose ("He lay there completely still. And pale, like yogurt"). Her parents are too devastated to offer much comfort. Earlier on, when Emil wasn’t as ill and they were on vacation, Jette asked her father whether fish could sleep. "Dad gave me a funny look and mumbled something. I saw that he didn’to know." It’s an early hint that the parents she depends on are as lost as she is. Another time, Jette and Emil talk frankly about death, and she offers Emil a version of Heaven that he likes: "pizza heaven, where he can eat as much pizza as he wants all day." Cartoonish drawings by Rassmus contribute to the straightforwardly painful mood, as when Jette is seen in the back of her car on the way to the funeral home with Emil’s seat empty beside her. Brutally honest about the suffering that follows the death of a young sibling, Raschke’s narrative is at once excruciating, honest, and compelling.áAges 8-12. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

5. Connections

Look for these other books for young people about grief and loss.

• Spinelli, Jerry. Maniac Magee ISBN: 978-0-7807-1286-7

• Henkes, Kevin. Sun & Spoon ISBN: 978-0-688-15232-1

---

1. Bibliography 

Fox, Mem, and Judy Horacek. Good night, sleep tight. Scholastic Australia, 2017.

ISBN: 978-0545533706

One Picture book by Mem Fox: Good Night, Sleep Tight

2. Plot Summary

This book tells different nursery rhymes to Bonnie and Ben by their babysitter Skinny Doug. The children are excited and not ready for bed so Skinny Doug shares his bedtime stories his mother used to tell him in hopes to calm the children down to sleep. 

3. Critical Analysis 

This is a great read for young children. If you're looking for a book to introduce poetry or just simply a great bedtime story for young children, Good night, Sleep Tight is an excellent choice. Traditionally, young children are read bedtime stories and this book hits on the classic nursery rhymes and it certainly celebrates American culture. The illustrations are funny,age appropriate, whimsical that tells a story as well. The usage of bright watercolors are appealing to the reader(s). The illustrations are engaging and portray the ideal experience of a night without parents. It sets the mood and the characters bring joy and excitement. 

4. Review Expert(s)

Sure to be requested and welcome for lapsits and reciting together any time of day." - Kirkus starred review

5. Connections

• Tartan, Miro. Right Before Sleep ISBN: 978-1913691035

 

---

1. Bibliography 

Avingaq, Susan, et al. The Pencil. Inhabit Media Inc., 2018. 

ISBN:  978-1-77227-216-1

One picture book of choice: The Pencil 

 

2. Plot Summary

The story begins with ananna leaving to help out a neighbor deliver her baby and the children are left with their ataata. It is a cold day in Canada. Father opens mothers special box and allows the children to play with the special pencil mother wrote letters with. Not knowing what ananna will say or think about them using the pencil to draw, Susan shows off their art work when anaaa returns. Anaana was disappointed and explained to the family the importance of the pencil and how they should be responsible with belongings. In the end, everyone was happy and the children learned a valuable lesson and enjoyed their day. 

3. Critical Analysis

In The Pencil, the author shares a little about herself at the end of the book. This gives the reader a better understanding and background knowledge of the culture she portrays in her story. The author also provides a glossary to define and pronounce words that will be difficult to read and understand. I really liked this added feature because it helped me understand the language. The illustrations are my favorite. It is rich with culture and traditional tribal tools, attire. The pictures represent a piece of a childhood most of us can relate to growing up. The colors complement each other and have a calm and soothing feel. The illustrator Charlene Chua is one of  my favorite illustrations so far.This book brought joy to me and reminded me to always appreciate and be responsible with our belongings. 

4. Review Expert(s)

Kirkus Reviews (July 15, 2019)

When their mother leaves to help a neighbor, siblings Susan, Rebecca, and Peter are surprised when their father opens his wife’s wooden box of special things. With Anaana gone from their iglu, the children play all their usual games: a jumping contest, blindfolded hide-and-seek, drawing on the ice window, and playing with the dolls their grandmother has made for them, but soon all three become bored. However, Ataata surprises them by opening Anaana’s wooden box and taking out her pencil! He hands it and a piece of paper to Susan, the oldest and narrator, so she can draw. Soon, the other children each have a turn with the pencil, but with the paper full, they draw on the back of an empty tea box. Ataata must sharpen the pencil with his knife, making the pencil much smaller; Susan wonders what will happen when Anaana returns. Authors Avingaq and Vsetula understand life in Nunavut, Canada, and embed in the story the importance of being responsible for belongings and caring for them wisely. A helpful glossary of the Inuktitut words (italicized on first reference within the story) is included in the backmatter. Chua depicts a close, loving Inuit family dressed in furs; a traditional ulu and seal-oil lamp can be seen along with a European kettle in the cozy interior. A breath of warmth from the far north. (Picture book. 5-7)

5. Connections

• Cali, Davide. The Little Eskimo.

• Munsch, Robert N.. A Promise is a Promise

 

---

 

1. Bibliography 

Atinuke, et al. Too small tola. Candlewick Press, 2021. 

ISBN: 978-1-5362-1127-6

Novel of choice: Too Small Tola by Atinuke

2. Plot Summary 

In a country named Nigeria, lives a young girl named Tola. She lives with her Grandmommy and two older siblings. Tola struggles with the fact that she is too small. Throughout the novel she proves those who see her as less because of her stature. She helps her Grandmommy with items they pick up at the market and carries heavy water jugs back to her apartment. Despite her having to prove her strength to others, Tola has a big heart. She shows random acts of kindness to the people in her community by helping the elderly and sick, or injuried. Tola is not too small to make a big impact. 

3. Critical Analysis 

This book depicts Nigeria’s environment and the struggles people go through on an everyday basis. Working 6 days a week, having no water or electricity, the struggle to have a stable job or income to pay rent. In the story, I noticed contemporary details on the way the children behaved and thought. To add, I felt there was a generational gap within the characters. It is also rich in culture, traditions, customs, and beliefs. Carrying a basket the head is custom and learned at an early age. Tola and the people in her community celebrate Easter and Eid and celebrate these religious days with new tailor made clothing. Another thing I noticed was the importance placed on education throughout the book. The girls seemed to place more importance on education than the brother. The themes family and multigenerational  in this book are universal and can be related to around the world. Overall, it shows a contemporary attitude within characters and accurate representation of Nigerian family struggles, cultural beliefs, and customs. 

4. Review Expert(s) 

Horn Book Magazine (March/April, 2021)

Tola is small, but she is mighty. In three episodic chapters, Tola uses her not-inconsequential perseverance to help her grandmother, other family members, and those in her wider Lagos community. As she does in her chapter books about Anna Hibiscus (Welcome Home, Anna Hibiscus!; You're Amazing, Anna Hibiscus!, both rev. 11/17; and others), Atinuke provides child-friendly particulars that create a vivid picture of the setting (and just as in the Anna Hibiscus titles, continually re-sets the scene: "Tola lives in a run-down block of apartments in the megacity of Lagos, in the country of Nigeria"). When the water is not working in their apartment building, Tola and her siblings must fill jerry cans at a nearby tap, lining up with their neighbors before school. When Abdul the tailor visits Tola's family to measure them for their matching Easter outfits ("Easter and Eid do not often happen at the same time, and celebrations are all anybody is talking about"), he rides his bicycle with his sewing machine strapped on the back. Atinuke's writing is rich with imagery and replicates the music and rhythm of Tola's daily life. The stories are copiously illustrated with line drawings of a round-faced, appealingly welcoming protagonist. The friendly format, universal emotional truths, helpful illustrations, and strong writing work together to immerse young readers in Tola's world. Maeve Visser Knoth March/April 2021 p.80

5. Connections

Look for this other book for young people about family and self image.

• Delacre, Lulu. Salsa Stories ISBN: 978-0-329-94379-0 

 

---