Review: Diane Gonzales Bertrand's Cecilia & Miguel

Title: Cecilia and Miguel Are Best Friends / Cecilia y Miguel son mejores amigos

Author: Diane Gonzales Bertrand

Illustrator: Thelma Muraida

Publisher: Arte Público / Piñata Books

Age Range: 4+

My parents are celebrating their 47th wedding anniversary today, and everyone knows that the traditional gift for a 47th anniversary is a children's book review from the couple's weird PhD student daughter, so here you go, Mom and Dad!

(According to this website, the "modern" gift for 47 years is books, so this is working out better than expected.)

This week, I'm reviewing a sweet book that reminds me of my parents, who met in first grade, grew up together, dated in high school, broke up when they went to different colleges, reunited a couple of years later, got married, and eventually wound up with me.

Cecilia and Miguel Are Best Friends / Cecilia y Miguel son mejores amigos, a dual language picture book by San Antonio natives Diane Gonzales Bertrand and Thelma Muraida, presents a similar story.  In third grade, Cecilia and Miguel begin a friendship that weathers various challenges and frustrations.  Readers watch as the duo grow up and remain close, even when Cecilia excels at fishing while Miguel tangles and breaks his line, Miguel wins a bike race and Cecilia has to quit due to flat tires, and they play for different teams in high school.  Eventually, the two go off to different colleges, but even distance can't keep them apart -- they marry and later have twins, who love to look at their parents' photographs and hear the story of the friendship that created a family.

Everything in this book just fits.  I love how Thelma Muraida frames her warm, gentle illustrations in jagged photograph borders so that each page becomes an entry in the scrapbook that Cecilia and Miguel share with their children.  I love how Miguel gives Cecilia bunny ears in their third grade class picture, only to get bunny ears himself in their formal wedding portrait.

That's what you get, Miguel ;)

I love how Diane Gonzales Bertrand includes several common Mexican-American cultural practices that remind me of growing up in Texas -- piñatas, cascarrones, quinceañeras.  And I love how the story emphasizes how friendship is important in relationships, whether romantic, familial, or platonic.  When I have kids, I'll definitely be reading this one to them at bedtime.

Furthermore, teachers of English and/or Spanish learners can use the dual language text to help their students build vocabulary and grammar skills.  The words on each page follow the same pattern: "Cecilia and Miguel are best friends, even when... / Cecilia y Miguel son mejores amigos, aun cuando..."  Reading these repetitive phrases throughout the book can allow children to internalize these words and grammatical structures, making it easier to understand them and even use them in conversation and writing.

So if you're looking for a last-minute holiday gift for a child or teacher, consider Cecilia & Miguel -- it's the perfect addition to a home or classroom library.  Enjoy!

KidLit in DC-Land: Part Two

Another activity I particularly enjoy when I visit different cities is exploring independent bookstores, and if I'm especially lucky, I stumble upon great independent children's bookstores.  Last summer, I found a lovely shop in Boston, and I was pleasantly surprised to discover another in Alexandria, VA, on my way home from DC last week.

Hooray for Books is a fantastic store filled with books and more for children of all ages, from little tinies to teenagers.

So cute!

I had an incredibly easy time finding favorite classics and popular new titles in several different genres.  The staff are kind and knowledgeable, and they wrap holiday gifts for free!

While the store doesn't have a separate multicultural section, I did notice several excellent books by and about people of color:

 Sharon Flake's new novel

 A picture book by Arun Gandhi, political activist and Mahatma Gandhi's grandson

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry and One Crazy Summer

Scorpions by the incomparable Walter Dean Myers

One of my favorites!  Read it!

I've never seen so many diverse titles prominently displayed in a bookstore before.  How wonderful that, instead of segregating the multicultural titles into their own section, the staff not only put all of the books together but also took the time to emphasize great works by authors and illustrators from different backgrounds.  This setup shows customers that diverse books are important and deserve to be included alongside popular books by White authors -- and it publicizes titles that customers might not know about otherwise.

The only disappointing feature at Hooray for Books is their bilingual and Latin@ book selection.  After searching the shelves, the only Latin@ books I could find were Pat Mora's Tomás and the Library Lady and Yuyi Morales' Niño Wrestles the World.  Meanwhile, the bilingual and Spanish-language books consisted of some board books for babies and a few translations of popular English-language picture books.

I understand that stocking bilingual and/or Latin@ titles can be somewhat risky for booksellers, especially those who own independent stores -- they need to meet customers' demands and provide books that will sell well in order to make a living.  Unfortunately, I assume there's not much demand for bilingual/Latin@ books from the people who typically shop at indie bookstores (White, middle-class, monolingual English speakers) unless their children are enrolled in a dual language school, so booksellers don't want to waste money stocking books that won't sell.  That's too bad, but it makes sense.

My experience in this shop makes me wonder what indie bookstores can do to draw customers' attention to bilingual and Latin@ books and create more demand for the wonderful, diverse titles out there.  I imagine that displaying these types of books more prominently (like they did with several works by African-American authors) would help.  Or maybe booksellers can set up special displays that endorse winners of different book awards, like the Pura Belpré Award, the Américas Award, or the many other literary prizes that celebrate various cultural groups.  Here's an article describing more successful strategies that independent booksellers can use to promote diversity on their shelves.  It can be done!

So yes, go to Hooray for Books if you visit or live in the DC area -- it's a great place with an obvious commitment to multicultural children's literature.  But when you drop in, let them know that you'd like to see more diverse titles.  Let's create even more demand!

KidLit in DC-Land: Part One

A week ago, I made a quick visit to our nation's capital for a conference.  Washington, DC, is one of my favorite cities because of its history and endless museums, and fortunately, I had a couple of minutes to play tourist.

One place I always look forward to visiting is the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI), which opened in 2004 and houses several exhibitions on Native American history and current events.  Next time you're in DC, check it out -- it's packed with information typically left out of history textbooks and has plenty to teach everyone about the diversity and accomplishments of contemporary Native American people.

Also, sweet architecture.

And a ridiculously yummy cafeteria.

So you know I beelined it to the gift shop to check out their children's literature selection, right?  Yeah, of course.  I was so pleased to see books by wonderful Native authors from various nations and backgrounds: Joe Medicine Crow, Maria Williams, Gerald Dawavendewa, Joseph Bruchac.

However, I was surprised to see some more problematic books on the shelves.  Ever since I began studying multicultural children's literature, I have encountered multiple resources warning about offensive and harmful elements present in so many children's books about indigenous people and cultures.  So I was confused when I saw several books containing these elements in a museum that affirms indigenous people's cultures and experiences.

For example, the experts at Oyate -- a "Native organization working to see that [Native] lives and histories are portrayed with honesty and integrity" in literature -- have created a list of criteria for readers to look out for when choosing books about Native Americans.  This list includes warnings against:

• Stereotypes of Native people as primitive / savage / romantic / at one with nature
• Oversimplification or generalization of Native cultures (i.e., assuming that all nations dress, speak, act the same; tell the same stories; have the same experiences)
• Inaccurate portrayals of cultural practices
• Insinuations that Native people are all dead and gone, or that those who remain are not a "viable people"

Several of the pieces of children's literature I found in the NMAI gift shop -- "classics" that are very popular and abundant in classrooms and libraries around the country -- contained these elements.  Below are pictures of some of these books and links to reviews that point out their questionable features.

Brother Eagle, Sister Sky

Corn is Maize

and

Mama, Do You Love Me?

One of Joseph Bruchac's books in front of a more 

problematic title, The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses

After I finished browsing, I left the museum wondering about what I had seen.  Why do the folks at the NMAI stock these books?  Do they not consider them offensive?  Are they just trying to meet customer demands by selling what's well known and popular?

Honestly, I'm not quite sure what to make of this situation.  What are your thoughts?

Review: Manlio Argueta's Magic Dogs of the Volcanoes

Title: Magic Dogs of the Volcanoes / Los perros mágicos de los volcanes
Author: Manlio Argueta (El Salvador)
Illustrator: Elly Simmons (US)
Publisher: Children's Book Press
Ages: 4+

Imagine a picture book that can be a powerful, entertaining, and appealing educational tool for preschoolers and high schoolers alike.  Drawing from the folklore of his native El Salvador, renowned author and political activist Manlio Argueta delivers with Magic Dogs of the Volcanoes / Los perros mágicos de los volcanes.  In this book, Argueta introduces readers to cadejos, mythical Central American creatures with the looks of a wolf and the grace of a deer.  According to legend, cadejos live around volcanoes (who are their great-great-grandparents), eat the seeds of morning glory flowers, and protect the local people from harm.

Everyone loves the cadejos and their kindness, except for Don Tonio, a rich landowner, and his thirteen brothers, who employ – or overwork, rather – the townspeople.  These men believe that the cadejos’ care makes the people weak and lazy, so they call upon some “lead soldiers” to get rid of the kindly creatures.  Fortunately, the cadejos have the power of invisibility, which helps them evade the soldiers at first.  However, when the men begin killing the morning glories, the creatures’ only food source, the cadejos’ volcanic ancestors must come to the rescue.

This book has something to teach students of all ages.  Younger children will enjoy the magical story, experiencing the folklore of El Salvador, and learning how another culture values and respects the natural world.  They’ll also love Elly Simmons’ detailed, earth-toned pastel illustrations, which clearly convey the candejos’ friendly mischief and bring the massive volcanoes to life.

Meanwhile, Argueta’s tale is also perfect for older students interested in Latin American history and politics.  Written during the final years of the Salvadoran Civil War – during which oligarchs and the military oppressed and terrorized rural civilians – Magic Dogs of the Volcanoes / Los perros mágicos de los volcanes mirrors this turmoil with its portrayal of conflict between the elitist Don Tonio, his lead soldiers, and the townspeople who must rely on their (super)natural surroundings for help.

Moreover, the book’s side-by-side bilingual format makes it a helpful text for Spanish and English learners of any age.  Argueta’s inclusion of words unique to Central America, such as cadejo, cipote (child), and the local names for two volcanoes (Tecapa and Chaparrastique) gives the language a distinctly Salvadoran flavor. 

Ash cloud over Chaparrastique

I’m so grateful that I stumbled across this multifaceted tale in my local public library, and I recommend that you run out and borrow or buy a copy – you won’t regret it.  Also, for more information on the author and teaching this book, check out the following links:  

• Interview with Manlio Argueta

• Teaching guide

Review: Samuel Caraballo's Estas manos / These Hands

Title: Estas manos: Manitas de mi familia / These Hands: My Family's Hands
Author: Samuel Caraballo (Puerto Rico, US)
Illustrator: Shawn Costello (US)
Publisher: Arte Público / Piñata Books
Ages: 4+

In my children's literature courses, my professors, classmates, and I have talked a lot about how picture books can be just as beneficial for adults as they are for kids.  While I've always smiled and nodded during these discussions, the truth of that statement never really hit me until I read Estas manos: Manitas de mi familia / These Hands: My Family's Hands, Samuel Caraballo's gentle poem about the importance of loving and supporting your family.

During the first half of the book, the narrator, a little girl, describes how her family members' hands give her strength.  Her mother's hands, which she compares to rose petals, soothe her.  Her father's hands, mahogany trees, catch her when she falls.  Her siblings' hands, blooming oak trees, pat her on the back and give her encouragement.  Her grandmother's hands, magical lilies, tickle her and teach her to dance.  Her grandfather's hands, ceiba trees, show her how to care for the earth.  Then, after expressing her thanks to her family for their love and guidance, the little girl acknowledges that she will provide the same kind of support for them as she and they grow older.

Full disclosure: I teared up as I read this book.  It's sweet and loving without being heavy-handed or cheesy, and it reminded me that, during a stressful semester's end amidst papers and conferences and deadlines, my family and friends are supporting me.  And I'm in love with Shawn Costello's soft, swirling pastel illustrations that precisely capture the warm, colorful relationships presented in the text.

But enough about me.  This book is also great for children!  The dual language format makes the text accessible to both young Spanish and English speakers, and teachers can draw on Caraballo's simple yet rich language to help their students learn about poetry and effective literary devices -- repetition, strong imagery, onomatopoeia.

However, the most striking feature of Caraballo's poem is his consistent use of symbolism.  As I mentioned above, he compares family members' hands to different plants and flowers, and in an afterword, he explains the special meaning each plant holds in Latin America.  Roses represent tenderness; mahogany trees, strength; oak trees, friendship; lilies, happiness; and ceiba trees, life and wisdom.  Because of the clear parallels Caraballo draws between these natural objects and the warm feelings family members elicit, Estas manos / These Hands is ideal for introducing children to the use of symbols in writing.

A ceiba tree on Vieques Island,

where Caraballo grew up.

If you're interested in using this book to teach poetry, check out the following helpful links:

• Scholastic's Writing with Writers

• Using Symbolism to Deepen Comprehension (for younger kids)

• Using Children's Literature to Teach Symbolism and Allegory (for older kids)

And if you've read this book, tell me what you think!  Wishing you a happy December!