ASK ESME #3: BIOGRAPHIES WITH A LATIN AND HISPANIC FLAVOR

Dear Esme,

Thanks for the blog, it is awesome! Do you think you could profile some Hispanic/Latino biography type books? These seem VERY difficult to find. One of the few people I have had luck finding is Cesar Chavez. I would like to get a wider variety. Thanks for your blog. It's the first thing I check on the computer each morning!

Tiffany

Dear Gentle Reader,

I have to confess, my all-time favorite biograpy is about Cesar Chavez, one that can and should be read-aloud to every child in every grade:

HARVESTING HOPE: THE STORY OF CESAR CHAVEZ
by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Yuyi Morales (Harcourt). On a ranch in the Arizona desert was a family thriving on eighty acres, until the great drought drove them all to migrant work. Though their crops may have withered, a seed was germinating in young Cesar Chavez. The indignities he experienced as a shy Spanish-speaking student and the grueling conditions are honestly portayed. Children will be stirred by these indignities, and their hearts equally swelled by the huelga, Chavez's peaceful movement against threatening overlords. His three-hundred mile march from Delano to Sacramento was the longest in U.S. history, and resulted in the first ever contract for farmworkers. This is an extremely powerful book that underscores the bravery and resolve it takes to engage in non-violent protest, and rightly puts Chavez on the same scaffolding as Martin Luther King as a champion of civil rights. The lush illustrations roll across double-pages horizontally set, thoughtfully designed as to emphasize distance: how far the people had to travel both spiritually and physically to achieve the goal. A page-turning read-aloud about an important chapter of Latino history, this is a welcome and well done contribution to the shelves of children's biography. Viva la Causa!

But there are more out there, though not nearly enough...you're right, we need way more biographies, especially ones that deal with contemporary Latino and Hispanic lives in a way that can inspire the next generation! In the meantime, at least we have these:

A LIBRARY FOR JUANA: THE WORLD OF SOR. JUANA INÉZ
by Pat Mora,illustrated by Beatriz Vidal (Knopf)
This exquisite volume pays homage to the great poet of the seventeenth century and one of the greatest booklovers of all time. While children today still recite her poetry throughout the Spanish-speaking world and her face appears on Mexican currency, many North American girls will find a new and worthy heroine between these bindings. Juana Inéz is a child prodigy, her thirst for knowledge so great that she follows her sister to school when she is three years old and learns to read. So begins an unusual childhood for her time; though girls were not permitted at university, at ten years old she went to Mexico City where she was privately tutored, ultimately becoming a lady-in-waiting at the viceroy's palace and wowing the court and an assemblage of forty scholars. She ultimately left the palace and became a nun so that she could concentrate on her pursuit of knowledge and create one of the largest libraries in all of the Americas, and one glorious day, her own book of poetry would be added to those shelves. Children will be inspired by her cheerfulness and insistent spirit, and intruiged by how someone so long ago could have had such modern sensibilities. Nearly every page is graced with borders of delicate fruit and flowers, and the illustrations are crisp and elegant, painted using small brushes under a magnifying glass. A jewel of a book about a jewel of a woman. (7 and up)

FRIDA
by Jonah Winter, illustrated by Ana Juan
This phantasmagoric picture-book tribute to artist Frida Kahlo celebrates the imagination that helped her endure her troubled life, and allowed her spirit to endure after death. The author portrays the loneliness and misfortune that plagued Kahlo in brief and straightforward text, balanced by amazing illustrations in which everyday things seem to fly, and eyes and smiles peek out in unexpected places. The double-paged spreads are surreal, wild in color and splayed with motifs from Kahlo's work and Mexican folk art. Through it all, Kahlo's character eminates a calm in the fray. Her eyes are illustrated as sleepy, often closed, as if this story of her life was a dream she once had. This book is ambitious and accomplished, a fitting tribute to a woman who knew how to turn her pain into something beautiful. An outstanding picture book for older readers. (9 and up)


BREAKING THROUGH
by Francisco Jiménez (Houghton Mifflin) The sequel to THE CIRCUIT: STORIES FROM THE LIFE OF A MIGRANT CHILD stands solidly on its own. Told in a straightforward, genuine style, this book continues the Mexican author's memoirs through middle and high school. The voice has an unusual dignity as the author candidly reveals his own innocence and growing ambition in the face of "the American Dream." In Jiménez's world, school is not a right but a privilege, and Jiménez describes a heroic effort working as a teenager both in the fields and cleaning offices to help his family while trying to succeed at school in such a matter-of-fact manner that it is humbling to read. Jiminez's frustrated relationship with his unhappy father is surprisingly tender; indeed, family relationships even in the bleakest situations are rife with humor, patience, and optimism. There is precious little available for Spanish-speaking children to relate to in children's literature, and this book fills that niche, but it is also is far more universal than that. Jiménez is a model and inspiration for all children who have obstacles to overcome, and he is a great champion of mutual respect between races and classes. I can't imagine a better book to share with someone who sees high school on the horizon, and it is also a must-read for all English-as-a-Second Language teachers. Viva Jiménez! (12 and up)

Also of interest:
CELIA CRUZ, QUEEN OF SALSA by Veronica Chambers, illustrated by Julie Maren (Dial)
BEISBOL! LATINO BASEBALL PIONEERS AND LEGENDS by Jonah Winter, illustrated by Bruce Markusen Rodriguez (Lee and Low)

Hope these help!

Madame Esme

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DIZZY (NONFICTION)

PICTURE BOOK
DIZZY by Jonah Winter, illustrated by Sean Qualls (Scholastic)

Dizzy Gillespie started out as a roughneck, lashing ut after the outrageous slings and arrows that his father delivered. "Then one day, his music teacher gave himn a trumpet. he picked it up/and blew that thing as hard as he could. That felt GOOD! He took all the anger he felt inside and blasted it out through the end of his horn. IT WAS REALLY LOUD!" What started out as musical retaliation becomes a joyful noise, as young Dizzy practices his way down the path of a young musician, making notes that soared like birds, blew like a fire extinguisher over a fire, notes so high, so fast, so low, diddly diddly bop...brick by brick, creating a house of bebop, and a nation of appreciative listeners.

"If melody was like a rule, jazz was like breaking the rules,
like inventing new rules.
Jazz was like getting in trouble--
it was FUN!"

This true story of an American original has musical language that plays on the tongue in a way that children will find a pleasure to hear. The illustrations are folksy and retro, geometric and flowing, blues and mauves, oh so cool; listen to Gillespie's "Salt Peanuts" while you look at the pictures, because that's what the illustrator listened to while he painted them! In every way, this book hits the high note. (7 and up)

Also of interest:
JAZZ ABZ: AN A TO Z COLECTION OF JAZZ PORTRAITS by Wynton Marsalis, illustrated by Paul Rogers(Candlewick) This collection of poetic biographical "singles" by one of our country's most enthusiastic music educators is too beautiful to keep on a shelf; put it on the coffee table. A great gift for anyone who loves the kind of music that gets your fingers snapping. (8 and up)

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.

CLEMENTINE (FICTION) and LOVE LETTER TO MARLA FRAZEE

FICTION
CLEMENTINE by Sara Pennypacker, illustrated by Marla Frazee (Hyperion)

Spectacularful ideas are always sproinging up in Clementine's head, and she follows up on every one of them...perhaps that is why her best friend has no hair left, or her own skull is decorated with marker, or the first pair of bologna eyeglasses had to be invented. This exuberant little girl might exasperate her parents and her principal, but she will delight readers with the spunk of Junie B. Jones and Ramona Quimby. Short, action-packed chapters will have kids making high-pitched noises, screeching "yes, do it, do it!" and "no, don't! Stop!" in every chapter. Though Clementine may not always use the best judgement, she is a true blue friend from the bottom of her heart, and one that readers will be happy to have (especially with the distance of the written page). Spunk with a capital "S" makes this perfect pick for second and third graders. (7 and up)

And. May I just say. Marla Frazee. Is. PERFECTION. Every spot illustration. Oh, have mercy! So hilarious! So nuanced! So expressive! I have gone through this book just to look at the pictures three times? Four times? I love these drawings, they are so timeless. Can they give a Caldecott for a chapter book? That would make up for the other times her picture books might have been honored. For example:



WALK ON: A GUIDE FOR BABIES OF ALL AGES (Harcourt), a how-to for how to walk and persevere, which is equally meaningful for anyone of any age who needs to pull themselves up and move forward after a bad time (encouragement a la Seuss's OH, THE PLACES YOU'LL GO)(and yes, I know she's still eligible for awards on this one);
MRS. BIDDLEBOX by Linda Smith (HarperCollins), in which a spirited biddy wrangles with a bad day and manages to put it in its place;
ROLLER COASTER (Harcourt), of particular illustrative power, deftly following the highs and lows of everyone riding on a rollicking route.
On a personal note, Marla, are you out there? You're a genius. Can we do a book together? I heart you. XOXO.

Also of interest:
If you like Clementine (which you will), you will also like these stories featuring girls with unforgettable personalities:
GOONEY BIRD GREENE by Lois Lowry (Houghton Mifflin) A born storyteller shares her gifts with the class, with mesmerizing results. Great read-aloud featuring a modern-day Pippi. (8 and up)
HENRIETTA, THERE'S NO ONE BETTER by Martine Murray (Scholastic) Who can resist a little girl with underpants on her head? Not me. Notably irreverent, this is an invitation for readers to join a wildly creative girl on a tour of her stream-of-conscious world ("even ants and beetles and cockroaches get lonely," "I said please, which always ups your chances," "kings can't fart,""my dad's like my dog," "I'm Henrietta, that's half a hen and half a Rietta". Sketches throughout add to the imaginative romp, and oh, it's a laugh-a-minute, like having the cutest little girl in the middle of the room putting on a show just for you. (7 and up)

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.

DEAR MAX (FICTION)

FICTION
DEAR MAX by Sally Grindley, illustrated by Tony Ross (McElderberry Books)

Fans of Beverly Cleary's DEAR MR. HENSHAW and Sharon Creech's LOVE THAT DOG will appreciate this reader/author friendship story, in which correspondence with a celebrated wordsmith both illuminates the process of pen to paper and helps a boy work through his problems. To avoid disappointment, children should be forewarned that such lengthy letter-writing connections between author and reader are largely fictitious, and that it often takes a while for authors to write back once; if authors spent so much time with correspondences, they would not have time to write their books! However, we can benefit from this imaginative relay, especially in appreciating the growth and value of Max as a character: a gentle, imaginative boy who is the unlucky target of a school bully, trying to get over the loss of a parent and his own health concerns. As the famous author values the Max's story by viewing it through the writerly eye, children can learn to value their own stories. (8 and up)

Also of interest:
WINNIE AT HER BEST by Jennifer Richard Jacobson, illustrated by Alissa Imre Geis (Houghton Mifflin) In this latest of the fetching series that features realistic girl situations, Winnie sees her friends being "the best" at things, and wonders at what her own special gift might be. (8 and up)

WRITING MAGIC by Gail Carson Levine (HarperCollins) The author of ELLA ENCHANTED and its recent sequel, FAIREST, shares some of her most valuable writing strategies for children (and the young-at-heart). (9 and up)

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.

THE EXTINCT FILES: MY SCIENCE PROJECT (PICTURE BOOK)

PICTURE BOOK
THE EXTINCT FILES: MY SCIENCE PROJECT by Wallace Edwards (Kids Can Press)

Good scientific inquiry starts with a hypothesis, and Wally has one as earth-shaking as a T-Rex! Wally believes that dinosaurs are not extinct, but rather, in disguise, hamming it up all around town...and Wally has the photos to prove it! Read Wally's observations (before the dinsoaurs eat his homework) and draw your own conclusions. This crazy mix of fantasy and school assignment is dressed up with saucy illustrations reminsicent of Mark Teague and maybe early Hudson Talbott. Be aware that part of the appeal for younger readers when it comes to dinosaurs is that they are extinct (and therefore not scary), but this is a dandy pick for high-energy dudes who have been around the block, or as a spirited springboard into science. With lots of angles for appeal, this title will not be extinct anytime soon! (7 and up)

On a personal note:
What are you reading aloud these days? Teachers, what are you excited to share with your class? You ideas help our ideas...

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DEAR MR. ROSENWALD (NON-FICTION)

I know prayer is not part of the secular circles in which I generally work, but Hallelujah! Whenever the start of school rolls around, I have to give thanks to a higher power. What a great gift to be a teacher in America. What a great gift to be able to freely teach girls and women. What a great gift to be able to work in racially integrated classrooms. What a blessing to raise a child at a time and place in which this is taken for granted. Though we still have so far to go towards fully realizing the end of "separate but equal," especially in terms of intergrating our schools by socioeconomic class, children's literature is a powerful source of hope; remember, a great book is the same in the hands of an economically poor child as it is in the hands of a wealthy child, and every time you read aloud or promote literacy, you are working towards equalizing eduaction in America.

In celebration, introduce this generation to the work and heart that paved the way with these stories of how we got over:

REMEMBER: THE JOURNEY TO SCHOOL INTEGRATION by Toni Morrison (Houghton Mifflin)
This is one of the best books for introducing children to the Brown vs. Board of Education decision. Powerful black and white photographs from the period focusing mostly on children are captioned with rambling, stream of consciousness captions that mirror the way a child might have felt (actual events depicted are described in notes at the back of the book). This unusual approach is impressively effective. This is a book that raises so many questions that will connect children to this chapter in our history. How did if feel in those days? How would I have felt in that situation? How did the problem get solved? How can we keep the problem from ever happening again? Children will remember their own power to do the right thing after walking this pictoral timeline. Pair with SEPARATE BUT NOT EQUAL by Jim Haskins (Scholastic), LINDA BROWN, YOU ARE NOT ALONE: THE BROWN VS. BOARD OF EDUCATION DECISION by Joyce Carol Thomas, illlustrated by Curtis James (Jump at the Sun)(stories, memoirs and poems from people who remembered when it happened) and THROUGH MY EYES by Ruby Bridges ( or watch the movie if you want tears through your eyes!). (All ages)

And new on the shelves:
DEAR MR. ROSENWALD by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie (Scholastic)
Inspired by the leadership of Booker T. Washington, Julius Rosenwald, the president of Sears, Roebuck and Company donated millions of dollars as matching grants to build schools in the rural, reconstructionist South. Based on this true unfolding of events, here is a rendering of an honest-to-goodness "school raising" from the point of view of a girl from a sharecropping family ("this school is the first new thing I ever had to call my own"). From the new school rally at the church to the box party (great fundraising concept!) to the cutting of the lumber ("those trees about to make history"), the excitement is palpable, just look at the illustration of those smiling faces of the whole community as the blueprints are laid out! More than history, more than lovely, thoughtful prose, this is a poignant book that will remind children of all races what a wonderful gift it is to be able to go to school.

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.

BACK-TO-SCHOOL READ-ALOUD REDUX, PART II

Hope everyone had a lovely Labor Day, sans too much labor! Before we dive back into a continuation of our back-to-school celebration, I have an important announcement for teachers, librarians, bloggers and book groups! A very limited supply of VIVE LA PARIS advance readers copies are left for people who want to share and/or review (i.e. with your local independent bookseller, on Amazon, on your blog, in a classroom or library booktalk) before publication next month! VIVE LA PARIS is the companion novel to SAHARA SPECIAL, and is appropriate for ages 10 and up. Send your request to esmeatripcodotcom, subject heading "Vive la review copy"! Please feel free to share this offer with appropriate listservs and friends. Also, if you signed on for the VIVE LA PARIS round robin earlier this summer and for some reason never got your copy, now's the time to let me know! While supplies last. And many, many thanks for those of you who have been so kind in helping me get the word out so far. This book is very important to me and I want it to find its audience.

Now, raise your hand if you're ready for some not-so-oldies and still-very-goodies that you'll want to add to your school supply list:

STAND TALL, MOLLY LOU MELON by Patty Lovell, illustrated by David Catrow
Molly Lou is the shortest girl in first grade, has a voice like a boa constrictor, buck teeth like a beaver, and the grace of a left-handed gorilla, but Molly Lou also has a secret weapon: her loving grandmother's good advice, which helps her shine like the star she is, even when she attends a new school. This is easily the most encouraging back-to-school book that I know. Besides a formalistically flawless story, David's Catrow's illustrations are hilarious, imaginative and perfectly married to the text. Molly emanates a cuteness that is first-cousin to Dr. Seuss's "Cindy Lou Who." The illustration of Molly Lou standing in the middle of a paper snowflake that is exponentially larger than she is is breathtaking, the image of Molly Lou barreling past the school bully to make a touchdown will illicit cheers and the close-up of Molly Lou's smile is completely contagious. On the last page, Molly Lou writes a letter to her grandma telling her how it's going, and wait until you see grandma! Children will laugh out loud and cherish this book until they have grandchildren of their own. Take my advice and don't miss this winner! (6 and up)

MILLICENT MIN, GIRL GENIUS by Lisa Yee (Scholastic)
It is very rare to find a book in which you cannot manage to turn a page without laughing, but this meets the laugh-a-page challenge. Millicent's tentative, earnest steps toward achieving every pre-teen girl's dream--making and keeping a real best friend--loom larger even than Millicent's goal to win the Field's Medal, the highest mathematical honor a person under forty can achieve. ("It would be great to do all this by age twenty but I don't want to put too much pressure on myself. Therefore, if it doesn't happen until I am, say, twenty-three, that's fine with me.") As Millicent tutors a jock named Stanford, survives her first sleepover, spikes a point for her volleyball team and tries valiantly to hide her genius from her ebullient friend Emily, she learns that there are book smarts and people smarts, and both are important. It's nice to have a heroine who is more concerned with learning curves than body curves, and her character's development is gradual and convincing and a pleasure to read. Millicent is the valedictorian of the intermediate reading list (no Field's Medal, I know, but it will have to do for now). Fans will also enjoy the companion novel, STANFORD WONG FLUNKS BIG TIME, in which basketball camp becomes a distant dream for our floundering hero. (11 and up)

THE BEST CLASS PICTURE EVER by Denis Roche (Scholastic),
deals interestingly with the common situation of being in-between teachers. Here it is, picture day, and the class pet is missing and the children don't even have a substitute. No wonder Olivia can't gather the gumption to grin! It's up to Mr. Click the photographer and Olivia's classmates to find a way to turn that frown upside down, and in doing so, Mr. Click discovers some competencies he didn't know he had. Listeners will have fun locating Elvis (the guinea pig) in each of the rowdy pictures, and smile at the surprise ending whether or not they say "cheese!" (6 and up) If you like this, you'll also love Stephanie Calmenson's THE TEENY TINY TEACHER also illustrated by Denis Roche (Scholastic), which is a teeny-tiny bit spine-tingling for your teeny-tiniest storytime listeners. (4 and up)

RATTLESNAKE MESA: STORIES FROM A NATIVE AMERICAN CHILDHOOD by Ednah New Rider Weber, photographs by Richela Renkun (Lee & Low)
Almost as soon as Ednah adjusts to life at the Navajo reservation, she is sent to a strict government-run school where the authoritaian teachers try like gangbusters to get these kids wise to the ways of white folks. Luckily, the pulse of her own culture beats too hard within her own veins to be shanghaied. In her first book, Ednah New Rider Weber has what so many authors dream of: an authentic and original voice, and it's put to good use here, sharing a recollection of childhood that is hilarious and chilling in turn, and always honest. This book puts into first person perspective a dark chapter of American history in a way that both chilren and adults can appreciate. I savored her beautiful language, realistic and lively dialogue and knack for pulling together her chapters like the last threads of a perfectly woven cloth. Wether sharing the haunting descriptions of watching boys get punished or the fond reminicences of a little girl named "Old Thunder" passing gas as a form of rebellion, you'll look forward to reading this book aloud to children. Subtle descriptions of children bonding together to preserve a thing that they can't name but deeply value tell so much about the human condition, and is hard to find outtside these pages. Besides having a school theme, it is highly recommended as a must-read for anyone interested in Native American history or memoir-writing. (7 and up)

SWIMMING UPSTREAM: MIDDLE SCHOOL POEMS
by Kristine O'Connell George,
illustrated by Debbie Tilley (Clarion)

George's pithy free verse is a pass in and out of the hallways of a tricky 'tween year. What is really special about the point of view presented here is that it is not particularly edgy, but more realistic in it's tentative, self-conscious quality, captured in the lines, "So, where is she,/this amazing/Other Me?" Whether it's the harmless rebellions like wearing a rubber pig snout to lunch, clumsiness in the band room or a first crush, this book of poems reads more like finding a secret insider's binder full of small distractions and successes. Any middle-schooler reading this will feel less alone, and any adult reading this will remember the days. A graceful gathering of thoughts, and booklovers, don't miss the tiny treasure of a poem "School Librarian" tucked inside! You can also check out more of George's work at her Children's Poetry Corner, which happens to be my favorite poetry website. (9 and up)

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.

THE NEW GIRL (PICTURE BOOK)

PICTURE BOOK
THE NEW GIRL by Jacqui Roberts, illustrated by Matt Phelan (Atheneum)
When the teacher suggests the class make Shakeeta feel at home, observant Mia can’t help wondering if Shakeeta could possibly feel that way being so far from her pet iguana (whatever that is…Mia speculates its some kind of dinosaur), where boys tease and call names (Shakeeta threatens to punch the perpetrator in the head, which only makes it harder for Mia to approach her) and where kids leave other kids out of soccer games. In a quiet moment, shy Mia gets up the gumption to bring Shakeeta into the classroom family fold. This realistic picture book naturally depicts a lively multicultural school environment, and the light sketchy line nicely matches the tenuousness of the friendship unfolding. A sensitive story sans saccharine. (6 and up)

Links are provided for informational use. Don't forget to support your local bookseller.