Dancing Home/ Nacer bailando

by Alma Flor Ada , Gabriel M. Zubizarreta

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum (July 12, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416900888
• ISBN-13: 978-1416900887

A year of discoveries culminates in a performance full of surprises, as two girls find their own way to belong.

Mexico may be her parents’ home, but it’s certainly not Margie’s. She has finally convinced the other kids at school she is one-hundred percent American—just like them. But when her Mexican cousin Lupe visits, the image she’s created for herself crumbles.

Things aren’t easy for Lupe, either. Mexico hadn’t felt like home since her father went North to find work. Lupe’s hope of seeing him in the United States comforts her some, but learning a new language in a new school is tough. Lupe, as much as Margie, is in need of a friend.

Little by little, the girls’ individual steps find the rhythm of one shared dance, and they learn what “home” really means. In the tradition of My Name is Maria Isabel—and simultaneously published in English and in Spanish—Alma Flor Ada and her son Gabriel M. Zubizarreta offer an honest story of family, friendship, and the classic immigrant experience: becoming part of something new, while straying true to who you are.

Un año de revelaciones culmina con una actuación llena de sorpresas, mientras dos niñas descubren su lugar en el mundo.

México es el país de sus padres, pero no el de Margie. Ella ha logrado convencer a sus compañeros de escuela que es cien por ciento estadounidense, igual que ellos. Pero cuando Lupe, su prima mexicana, va a vivir a su casa, la imagen de sí misma que había creado se deshace.

La situación de Lupe no es fácil. Siente que su casa de México no es un hogar desde que el padre se fue al norte. La esperanza de poder encontrarlo en los Estados Unidos le da algo de consuelo, pero aprender un idioma nuevo en una escuela nueva representa un gran desafío. Al igual que Margie, Lupe necesita una amiga.

Poco a poco, los pasos de cada niña van encontrando el ritmo de un baile compartido, a medida que descubren el verdadero significado del hogar. Siguiendo la tradición de Me llamo María Isabel, Alma Flor Ada y su hijo Gabriel M. Zubizarreta ofrecen un relato honesto de los valores de la familia y de la amistad, y de la experiencia que debe atravesar el inmigrante: volverse parte de algo nuevo y, a la vez, conservar la propia identidad.

Alma Flor Ada is an authority on multicultural and bilingual education. She is the author of numerous award-winning books for young readers, including My Name is Maria Isabel, Under the Royal Palms (Pura BelprÉ Medal), and The Gold Coin (Christopher Award). She lives in California, and you can visit her at almaflorada.com.

Gabriel Zubizarreta draws from his experiences of raising his three wonderful daughters in his writing. He hopes his books will encourage young people to author their own destinies. He enjoys cooking, sports and being a father to his children. He lives in Northern California with his family and invites you to visit his website at GabrielMZubizarreta.com.

Meet The Author: Alma Flor Ada