Mango, Abuela, and Me - Meg Medina Illustrated By: Angela Dominguez

 

Mango, Abuela, and Me - Meg Medina Illustrated By: Angela Dominguez

Bibliography: 

Medina, M. (2015). Mango, Abuela, and me. Candlewick Press.

Plot Summary: 

Mia's Abuela has left her sunny house with parrots and palm trees to live with Mia and her parents in the city. The night she arrives, Mia tries to share her favorite book with Abuela before they go to sleep and discovers that Abuela can't read the words inside.

Critical Analysis:

Family and diversity is a common theme in children's literature, but for me, Mango, Abuela, and Me, is a WOW book because it broaches a subject I haven't often seen depicted, the subject of language differences within families. This is a common phenomenon in today's world, in my own family too. I appreciate the way it gives children a way of sharing that experience. The text itself is perfect for EL students, as it provides depth of theme and context, but with words choices that will be more familiar to them. This combination is a great way to inspire confidence in older students to select longer, more complex texts. Additionally, the generous white space surrounding the words makes the text clear and easy to discern. Finally, the beautifully vibrant illustrations makes this book a visual adventure for elementary students of all ages.

For younger readers, this is a great Read Aloud text with the simple text descriptions and colorful illustrations. For EL students (English Learners and ESPANOL Learners) teachers could use this text to present a language activity where students label objects in the classroom. It would be fun to label objects not only in English, but also in Spanish. If there are native Spanish speakers in the class, this is a great opportunity for them to demonstrate their knowledge and build their confidence by teaching their peers how to say the names of classroom objects in Spanish, while simultaneously learning the English words.

Review Excerpt: 

The New York Times

Medina artfully weaves a few Spanish words and phrases into her mainly English sentences in a way young Latinos take for granted, and most English speakers should understand...

Publisher's Weekly (starred review)

With its emotional nuance and understated, observant narration—especially where Abuela’s inner state is concerned—Medina’s (Tia Isa Wants a Car) lovely story has the feel of a novella.

Kirkus Reviews

Readers from multigenerational immigrant families will recognize the all-too-familiar language barrier. They will also cheer for the warm and loving relationship between Abuela and Mia, which is evident in both text and illustrations even as the characters struggle to understand each other. This warm family story is a splendid showcase for the combined talents of Medina, a Pura Belpré award winner, and Dominguez, an honoree.

Connections:

Family Life - Grandmothers - Multigenerational

Interpersonal Relations

Animals - Birds

Solimar: The Sword of the Monarchs - Pam Muñoz Ryan

Solimar: The Sword of the Monarchs - Pam Muñoz Ryan

Bibliography: 

Ryan, P. M. (2023). Solimar: The sword of the monarchs. Disney Hyperion.

Plot Summary: 

On the brink of her Quinceañera, and her official coronation, Princess Solimar is given a magical gift that sets her life on a new path.

Critical Analysis:

Fourteen-year-old Solimar is the daughter of the king and queen, although her older brother is the official successor to the throne. When the annual migration of the monarch butterflies begins, Solimar ventures a little too far, finding herself unexpectedly granted with the important role of caring for the weaker butterflies that need a little more support before they can join their companions. In addition to this responsibility, Solimar becomes the only person able to protect her kingdom from the nefarious intentions of another ruler, and she embarks on the adventure of a lifetime to restore balance to the world she loves so much.

Well-written and engaging, this story blends fantasy with reality while balancing one girl’s quest to better her kingdom with the need to protect monarch butterflies. Intriguing characters support Solimar along the way, and they are always available to lend an ear or a helping hand. Though there is some conflict with the neighboring kingdom, the overall struggle is found within Solimar’s journey to become an independent leader even when women are given less of a voice than men in her kingdom. Vivid descriptions bring Solimar’s experience to life, making it easy for readers to picture what is taking place in each scene. Even when Spanish vocabulary is used, it is defined in English in the surrounding text, making the presentation accessible to readers no matter their own Spanish-language fluency.

This charming story is one that showcases the strength of one independent young woman alongside the more restrictive nature of the kingdom in which she was raised. The overall narrative flows smoothly, with Solimar focusing on figuring out where to go and how to help rather than facing internal moral struggles. As Solimar is fourteen, this book will speak to older middle grade readers in plot while the presentation is accessible to those who prefer a streamlined narrative without many surprises. Succinct and heartwarming, this story is a good fit for middle grade readers who appreciate fantasy adventures in concise packages.

Review Excerpt: 

Booklist

Award-winning author Ryan has masterfully crafted a story using cultural elements from Mexico with a generous sprinkling of magic. In this story of courage, determination, and ingenuity, readers will cheer on Solimar in her arduous journey to save what is near and dear to her heart.

BCCB

Full of energy and egalitarian ideas, Solimar gently but firmly resists some aspects of San Gregorio’s gender roles while honoring the kingdom’s traditions and protecting its ecological wonders...Ryan emphasizes cooperation and mutual assistance among individuals and communities; both Solimar and her kingdom are ultimately stronger for the friendships they forge.

School Library Journal

The story is rich with vibrant imagery, suspense, and humor...Muñoz Ryan has given readers a strong and appealing Latinx heroine, while weaving in beautiful elements of culture, ancestry, family values, and gender equality.

Connections:

Hispanic Stories

Fantasy/Magic Genre

Monarch Butterfly Migration

Baseball in April and Other Stories - Gary Soto

 

Baseball in April and Other Stories - Gary Soto

Bibliography: 

Soto, G. (2000). Baseball in April and other stories. Harcourt, Inc.

Plot Summary: 

A collection of eleven short stories focusing on the everyday adventures of Hispanic young people growing up in Fresno, California.

Critical Analysis:

This collection of short stories captures a slice of life. I don't have any other words to describe how charming this book is. I feel like Soto writes about childhood and captures all of our childhood quirks, our childhood growth spurts, our unrealistic expectations, our childhood hopes, dreams, shortcomings, silliness, innocence, and our beauty. There wasn't a single story that didn't resonate from my own childhood experiences. And I simply love these stories.

As a reader, I feel like the short story I need to tease apart a bit more is "Barbie." In this short story, Veronica gets a doll that is more of a reflection of who she is as a Mexican girl - a dark haired doll. She is disgusted with this "ugly" doll and longs for a "good" doll - a blonde, blue-eyed Barbie. Soto never hits the reader over the head with a moralistic lesson cautioning readers to not fall into the trap of self-loathing. He simply puts forward the ways in which we did so as children. Brown kids all over the world want blonde haired, blue-eyed Barbies.

At the school, my student population is predominantly of minorities. Little African girls want to be princesses as well, but when I pull out the Black Rapunzel, or the Black princess, they balk. When I offer Munch's Paper Bag Princess, they scrunch their noses. When I put Princess Justina Albertina in front of them, she's too fat. As soon I pull the picture books that have pink covers with blonde haired princesses, they frantically grab for the "real" princesses. Pinkalicious, Fancy Nancy, blonde Cinderellas and blonde Sleeping Beauties are the real deal. As a reader of Soto's work, I can see what he's teasing out, and sadly, this same frantic stretch for the "good" princess or the "good" doll compels my African students to behave like Veronica from "Barbie."

I continue to offer alternative princesses though. The self-sufficient princess. The can-do princess. The princess who can save herself. It crushes my heart when my students reach for the Disney princess instead.

Review Excerpt: 

Los Angeles Times Book Review

Sensitivity to young people's concerns and his ability to portray the world as it is perceived by children is nothing less than remarkable.

The Boston Globe

A fine collection of stories that offers a different cultural perspective about feelings common to all teenagers. Soto writes well and with tremendous insight into the process of growing up.

The Horn Book

Will strike chords of recognition in readers of all ages.

Connections:

Story Collections / Short Stories

Gary Soto's Personal Website to find out more information about him as well as more books he has written

Lesson to use with Short Stories

Dizzy in Your Eyes: Poems about Love - Pat Mora

Dizzy in Your Eyes: Poems about Love - Pat Mora

Bibliography: 

Mora, P. (2012). Dizzy in Your eyes: Poems about love. Ember.

Plot Summary: 

An original collection of poems, each with a different teen narrator sharing unique thoughts, moments, sadness, or heart's desire: the girl who loves swimming, plunging into the water that creates her own world; the guy who leaves flowers on the windshield of the girl he likes. Each of the teens in these 50 original poems, written using a variety of poetic forms, will be recognizable to the reader as the universal emotions, ideas, impressions, and beliefs float across the pages in these gracefully told verses.

Critical Analysis:

Pat Mora writes this book of poetry about all different types of love. Mora writes a letter to her readers and explains that she "started out writing free-verse without counting syllables or stresses."I read that her editor recommended to her that she add a Haiku or Sonnet to show readers some challenges that this types of poems can create. Mora ends up writing a Clerihew as her first poem and uses her own name as the first line. She explains to the reader what a Clerihew is.

Her poems tackle common themes of love and includes the Spanish language uniquely woven into them. She writes about pets, family, first love and an encounter with someone that does not speak Spanish as a non-English speaker and their desired attempt to communicate. It was very cute. She also writes a poem about her grandmother and grandfather's courting experience.

As a lover of poetry when I was in my middle school experience, I would have loved to have read this book. I remember writing a lot and often checked out books on poetry. Often, I found poems that were a bit more serious or mature for my age and I feel that this book tackles a commonly felt feeling in a suitable way for teenagers!

Review Excerpt: 

Booklist

Mora writes in free verse, as well as a wide variety of classic poetic forms--including haiku, clerihew, sonnet, cinquain, and blank verse--and...the tight structures intensify the strong feelings in the poems.

Kirkus Reviews 

The poet's voice is multifaceted: tender, humorous and joyful but also profound ... The author employs an extraordinary diversity of poetic forms.

School Library Journal

Peppered with Spanish, the selections define the emotion in countless ways...Teachers in need of a fresh new avenue for teaching poetic form...and teens in search of a broader definition of love will find it here.

Connections:

Pat Mora Website with background to a few poems

Poetry

Emotions and Feelings