Alma Flor Ada & F. Isabel Campoy
Pictures by David Diaz
Through first-person poems and descriptive prose, thirteen different Latino and Latina young people are introduced to readers. The histories of immigrants from various countries and in numerous situations are presented in a way that is both heartwarming and informational. Young Latino and Latina readers will find themselves in the text and non-Latino children can learn of the breadth and depth of the contributions made by Latinos to the U.S.
The
book offers an opportunity for students, Latinos and non-Latinos alike, to
explore their own identity as well as to understand better
the identity of others while learning about important aspect of Latino
culture and history. Each theme is introduced by a significant moment in the
life of thirteen boys and girls of diverse background and circumstances.
Each
literary presentation in free verse is followed by a non-fiction section that
shares information about different aspects of the Latino culture, but
since it is not strictly a historical book, the chapters can be read in any
order. You may want to allow students to choose which chapters they want to
read first. The choice may be based on the place where the character lives, the
character’s background, or even the character’s name.
In the
website you will find pedagogical suggestions:
• General
suggestions applicable to any theme of the book.
•Specific
activities for each theme, including:
- Questions to guide a dialogue conducive to critical and creative reflections. These questions follow the Creative Reading Methodology which can be found in this website.
- Group and individual activities.
- Recommended authentic literature [fiction, biographies, poems, songs] for the topic presented in the chapter.
