Frida: ¡Viva la vida!=Long Live Life!

Frida: ¡Viva la vida!=Long Live Life!  Carmen T. Bernier-Grand. Paintings by Frida Kahlo.  New York: Marshall Cavendish, 2007. 64 pages. $18.99 (Hardcover). ISBN 978-0-7614-5336-9. Grades 9-12. English with some Spanish.

The art and life of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo flows through the pages of Carmen T. Bernier-Grand’s Pura Belpré Honor Book Frida ¡Viva la vida! Long Live Life!. Twenty-six free-verse poems written from Frida’s point of view depict the pain, suffering, and joys of her tumultuous life. Her birth, bout with polio, horrible bus accident, marriage, miscarriages, and divorce are all included; with very few details left out. The lyrical poetry is perfectly matched with her self-portraits and other works to paint the story of her life. In addition the powerful poetry and artwork, Bernier-Grand offers a glossary of Spanish terms, an author’s note, chronology, and a list of additional resources. This artistic window in to Frida’s life is a resource worth adding to any young adult collection. Highly Recommended.

Esperanza Rising

Esperanza Rising. Pam Muñoz Ryan. New York: Scholastic Press, 2000. 262 pages. $16.95 (Hardcover). ISBN 0-439-12041-1. Grades 5-9. English with some Spanish.

As Esperanza looked down at her scarred and swollen hands she knew they would never again “look like hands of a wealthy woman from El Rancho de las Rosas.” Less than a year before Esperanza’s life of wealth and prominence in Mexico came crashing down when her Papa was murdered. Forced to flee to the United States, Esperanza and her mom began life over as migrant workers. This new life introduced strikes, poverty, and sickness, but Esperanza learned that although life is hard there is always hope. Pura Belpré and Americás Award winning author Pam Muñoz Ryan masterfully weaves her grandmother’s childhood experiences of growing up in Mexico and United States in the 1930s in to a heartwarming story for all ages. Ryan eloquently confronts the challenges of starting over, poverty, immigration and migrant work life all while emphasizing the importance of culture and hope. Highly Recommended.   

Dance of the Animals: A Puerto Rican Folk Tale

Dance of the Animals: A Puerto Rican Folk Tale. Pura Belpré. Illus. by Paul Galdone. New York: Frederick Warne and Co., Inc., 1972. 32 pages. $4.50 (Reinforced Binding). ISBN 978-0723260394. Grades K- 3. English with some Spanish.

Size and strength do not equal brains. Señor Dog and Señor Goat prove this fact in the Puerto Rican folk tale Dance of the Animals by Pura Belpré. Times were tough for the animals in their jungle and everyone was hungry. Señor and Señora Lion felt entitled to meat since they were the biggest and strongest. In order to snag their favorite meat invited their animal neighbors to a dance; with a fire pit conveniently placed near the dance floor. They hoped that their goat would ‘accidentally’ dance their way in to it. Señors Dog and Goat get suspicious and smartly foil the plan. This fun story of underdogs and wit introduces Spanish language and the traditional folk tale form to its readers. The simple, sketched illustrations of Paul Galdone capture the action without taking away from the tale. Although the text is date, the story is timeless. Recommended.

Crossing the Wire

Crossing the Wire. Will Hobbs. Recorded Books, 2006. 5 discs/ 6 hours. $34.85 (Audiobook - CD). Grade 5-9. English with some Spanish.

When corn prices in Mexico plummet fifteen-year-old Victor Flores knows what he has to do. He must illegally enter the United States to find work and support his family. He leaves the small village of Los Arboles full of uncertainty and fear. As he makes his way to the border he encounters smugglers, and gangs; braves harsh weather, and gets caught by border patrol. Will he be able to beat the odds and cross the wire to save his family? He MUST. Narrator Ramón de Ocampo captivates audiences as he naturally portrays the emotion, fear, and uncertainty of the characters in Crossing the Wire. This gritty, suspenseful and realistic tale will have audiences on then edge of their seats. Award winning author Will Hobbs offers an engaging introduction to the struggles of immigration, the necessity of work, and the social climate in the United States and Mexico. Highly Recommended  

Confetti Girl

Confetti Girl. Diana López. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2009. 198 pages. $15.99 (Hardcover). ISBN 978-0-316-02955-1. Grades 4-8. English with some Spanish.

Middle school is rough; just ask sixth grader Apolonia “Lina” Flores. Lina’s life seems to be turned upside down. She lost her mom to a terrible infection, she’s lost her dad to his books, she’s lost her best friend to Carlos, and she has lost her spot on the soccer team because she’s failing English. As Lina struggles with these problems she focuses on her love of science, crazy socks, and her crush Luís. Although at first Lina feels alone, she finds a way to fill the voids in her life through her mom’s wisdom, open communication, friendship, and family.  Diana Lopez’s Confetti Girl takes everyday problems and offers solutions in the form of dichos and therapy in the form of cascarones. This funny, culture rich story is relatable and will be immensely enjoyed. Highly Recommended.

Clatter Bash! A Day of the Dead Celebration

Clatter Bash! A Day of the Dead Celebration. Richard Keep. Illus. by Richard Keep. Atlanta: Peachtree Publishers, 2004. 30 pages. $15.95 (Hardcover). ISBN 156145322-6. Grades PreK-2.  English with some Spanish. 

Clatter Bash! A Day of the Dead Celebration is a colorful introduction to the traditional Mexican holiday that celebrates death. Richard Keep’s cut paper illustrations tell the story, while the text shares the sound track to the pictures. Skeletons knock out of their coffins, creak open the lids and have a big fiesta. Happy, not scary, skeletons cover the pages and perform the traditional activities of the holiday, like telling stories, having dinner in the cemetery, and cleaning tombs. Audiences can spend time taking in all the details of the artwork down to the traditional dress and papel picados while coming up with their own stories. The last few pages of the book offer an overview of el Día de los Muertos in English with Spanish mixed in. Keep does a great job of describing the holiday in terms appropriate for younger readers, while still including relevant cultural details. Highly Recommended.

Chato's Kitchen

Chato’s Kitchen.  Gary Soto. Illus by Susan Guevara. New York: The Putnam and Grosset Group, 1997. Unpaged. $6.99 (Paperback). Grades K-2. English with some Spanish

Chato’s Kitchen. Gary Soto. Weston Woods, 2002. 9 minutes 57 seconds. $18.95 (Book and Audio CD). Grades K-2. English with some Spanish

Chato is the coolest low-riding, food loving cat in his East Los Angeles barrio. He thinks he is in luck when he sees his next meal, a family of five mice, move in next door. After he initially frightens his new neighbors he cleverly invites them over for a dinner party. Chato realizes the joke is on him when the ratoncitos bring Chroizo, their own low-riding dog friend along. Chato’s Kitchen is a funny, detailed, and culturally rich story that portrays life in the barrio in a fun, yet realistic way. Cheech Marin does an excellent job narrating the text, giving each of Gary Soto’s award winning characters an authentic, colorful and attention-getting voice. Susan Guevara’s bright, intricate images give the flowing text even more life, and will have readers thoroughly engaged. This audio kit is a great addition to any collection. Highly Recommended