Hispanic/Latinx Literature Book Review: Yum! Mmmm! Que Rico! Americas' Sproutings by Pat Mora

 

Yum! Mmmm! Que Rico! Americas’ Sproutings by Pat Mora 

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Mora, Pat. Yum! MmMm! Que Rico! Lerner Publishing Group, 1 Jan. 2018.

 

PLOT SUMMARY:

This beautiful book is a collection of haikus describing 14 foods that are native to the Americas. You are able to learn about these foods and their origins. It is a nice contrast to read the artistic and descriptive haiku, but then to also read real facts about these native foods and how they’re used.  

 

CRITICAL REVIEW:

The illustrations by Rafael Lopez are amazing. They fill the whole page and create interest in the food item. Each page is filled with colorful, geometric pictures that create interest through their whimsy. The title is interesting and refers to the foods that are unique and native to the Americas;  Americas’ Sproutings. Many of the foods are linked back to the Aztec’s and the author describes how they were used by these people. This book is like a cultural food celebration.

 

AWARDS:

Americas Award

ALSC Notable Children's Books

Best Children's Books of the Year

Texas Bluebonnet Award Shortlist

Best of the Best Books

"This inventive stew of food haiku celebrates the indigenous foods of the Americas. Each of the 13 poems appears on a gloriously colorful double-page spread, accompanied by a sidebar that presents information about the origin of the food. . . this will provide lots and lots of lip-smacking fun that teachers can use to supplement social studies and language arts units; they can also share one poem at a time, between other subjects." - Booklist

 

CONNECTIONS: 

Students could mimic the structure of this book to make their own collection of foods that represent themselves and their families.

 

Book Review by Barbara Jean Thompson

Hispanic/Latinx Literature Book Review: I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sanchez

 

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sanchez

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Sánchez, Erika L. I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter. 2017. New York, Ember, 5 Mar. 2019.

 

PLOT SUMMARY:

 After a tragic accident Julia’s older sister, Olga, is killed. Then, Julia is expected to fill the role of the primary daughter which includes many responsibilities. But Julia is struggling to grieve her sister’s loss and live up to her sister’s role. Julia has hope and dreams and aspirations. Does she have to put these aside to fulfill her new role? This book is a beautiful read about a family’s experiences during one of the hardest days of their lives.

 

CRITICAL REVIEW:

This book is colorful, descriptive and paints a vivid picture of this family’s story. There are specific cultural issues that transpire in this book relating to this character. These issues are unique to a Mexican daughter’s role in a family. There are specific cultural markers in this book like how this family interacts and spends time with each other (like braiding hair), food they eat (like Mexican cookies) and there is Spanish interspersed throughout this book.

 

AWARDS:

2018 Tomas Rivera Award Winner – Young Adult

2018 YALSA Teens’ Top Ten Winner

International Latino Book Awards – 2^nd Place Winner 2017

2017 National Book Award Finalist for Young People’s Literature

SLJ Best Books of the Year

Best Fiction for Young Adults Selection

 

CONNECTIONS: 

This book is a masterpiece of expectations and realities of families. This book is specific to a Mexican family. Students can reflect on how this issue affects them in their lives. This could be a good way to see someone else’s perspective or a way to validate our own struggles and experiences.

 

Book Review by Barbara Jean Thompson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hispanic/Latinx Literature Book Review: Viva Frida by Yuyi Morales

 

Viva Frida by Yuyi Morales 

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Yuyi Morales, and Tim O’meara. Viva Frida! New York, Scholastic Inc, 2015.

 

PLOT SUMMARY:

This book is about the life of the artist Frida Kahlo. The text is minimal in a way to inspire the reader to think about what their meaning is. The words on each page are in English and Spanish. In the back of the book there is additional information about Frida Kahlo and her life’s work in English and Spanish.

 

CRITICAL REVIEW:

The engaging images by Tim O’Meara are colorful and captivating. There are various animals that are incorporated into the illustrations that create interest. There are cultural markers like the bright colors used in this book, decorations like papel picado, Frida’s flower crown and clothing. This book is bright and engaging just like the self-portraits she painted of herself. This is an excellent way to show Frida’s Mexican heritage.

 

AWARDS:

2015 Pura Belpre Illustrator Award

2015 Caldecott Honor Book

Horn Book Fanfare Award

NPR Best Book of the Year Award

LA Time Best Book of the Year Award

Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year Award

School Library Journal Best Book of the Year Award

ALA Notable Children's Book Award

Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year Award

CCBC Choice Award

 

CONNECTIONS: 

This is a great book to use as a different perspective on the life of Frida Kahlo. This could be used while researching important artists. Could students write a book like this, with limited thought-provoking text about a person they are researching?

                                                                                                                                 

Book Review by Barbara Jean Thompson

 

Hispanic/Latinx Literature Book Review: Barely Floating by Lilliam Rivera

 Barely Floating by Lilliam Rivera

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Rivera, Lilliam. Barely Floating. Penguin, 29 Aug. 2023.

PLOT SUMMARY:

You follow Natalie (Nat) through this coming-of-age story. She is immature and rough

around the edges as she experiences youth and growing up. As many young people do,

she comes to a point where she wants to take steps in a direction where her parents do

not agree with her. She is a great swimmer but becomes obsessed with a synchronized

swimming team. Her activist parents believe this sport is too body conscious. Against

her parents’ judgement and permission, she joins the team without their consent. You

follow this pre-teen as she navigates body issues, parent issues, classist issues and

anger issues.

CRITICAL REVIEW:

This book is a reflection of a girl’s life. It describes two sides of what a girl wants to do

and the question of if society will accept her in it. This girl, Nat, fights for everything she

has which is an aspect of Latinx literature. She deduces that society and even her own

parents don’t feel like she belongs in the role that she desires, becoming a

synchronized swimmer. There are factors of body issues that are explored in this book

which is such a pivotal issue for girls this age growing up in any culture. Nat is growing

up in a Hispanic family with brothers. She has very progressive parents that are living

their lives to support specific causes, it is confusing to this character that she is not one

of their causes. In this book Nat has to balance so many things: school, friends, sports,

parent approval, religion and body issues. This is a book about a young person

struggling to find their place in the face of adversity but also growing at the same time.

AWARDS:

Booklist Best Books of 2023

Kobo Best Books of 2023 – Kids

2024 Rise: A Feminist Book Project List

2024 Bank Street Best Children’s Book

The Latinidad List Best Latino Books 2023

2025 Rhode Island Latino Book Award Master list

2025-2026 Land of Enchantment Book Award Nominee – New Mexico

Pura Belpre Honor Award

CONNECTIONS:

You can have students reflect on their lives and their parents’ aspirations are for them.

Do they relate to Nat or no?

Book Review by Barbara Jean Thompson

African American Literature Book Review: Sit In

 

Sit In by Andrea Pinkney

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Pinkney, Andrea. Sit-In. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 3 Feb. 2010.

 

PLOT SUMMARY:

This book tells the story of 4 college friends completing a sit in protest at Woolworth’s in the 1960’s. This book uses information and a metaphor to link the experience of freedom and equality with that of food. It is an interesting way to tell this difficult story. This event takes place in Greensboro, North Carolina during the height of the civil rights movement. This book make you feel disgusted with the choices that people made at this time in history. To reflect on how these 4 young people felt so compelled to stand up for their freedom is inspiring.

 

CRITICAL REVIEW:

The book is factual and shows the true experience these people endured during these sit-in protests. Taking place in the South, it is indicative in the book through the clothes the students wore and the general theme of the diner. This was an ugly event, though rewrote in history through the bravery of these young people. It is interesting to experience their moment. The illustrations are very informative of the story. They are almost sketch style which invokes emotion from this situation. The author writes in a clear, succinct way that conveys the message of the book.

 

AWARDS:

Carter G. Woodson Book Award

Jane Addams Children's Book Award Honor for Younger Children

 

CONNECTIONS:

This book could be used to teach events that occurred during the Civil Rights movement. What other peaceful protests existed?

 

Book Review by Barbara Jean Thompson

 

African American Literature Book Review: The Sun in Also a Star

 

The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Yoon, Nicola. The Sun Is Also a Star. 2016. Toronto, Delacorte Press, 2019.

 

PLOT SUMMARY:

This novel is about two young people falling in love, but it is so much more than that. You follow them as they experience life through an immigrant lens. Their experiences with their parents are different based on cultural aspects.  You follow Natasha through her immigration journey to gain legal citizenship. And you follow Daniel through the struggle to make his parents proud but to also pursue his passions. It is interesting to watch these two unique people as they seek a fleeting relationship. It shows that life isn’t easy, and we all want to have our happy story, but it doesn’t always work out.

 

CRITICAL REVIEW:

This book displays a true and authentic experience of these characters. There are specific languages and dialects that are used. They include details of specific music like Bob Marley. The author uses specific details about the characters’ life, surroundings and experiences which paint a vivid picture, and you feel like you are there with them. This is such a culturally specific story. Natasha is Jamaican and Daniel is Korean. You experience cultural pressures on Daniel to become a doctor, which he is against. But Natasha on the other hand just wants to be able to stay in the US legally. This book reminds us that even with major differences in our lives, we can connect.

 

AWARDS:

The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Named one of the best young adult novels of 2016 by Chicago Public Library, Kirkus  Los Angeles Public Library, New York Public Library, Publishers Weekly

ALA Top 10 Books

Made into a film by Warner Brothers Studios

 

CONNECTIONS:

This book would be a shining example of the struggle of immigrants. This is an important topic but highly unaddressed.

 

Book Review by Barbara Jean Thompson

 

African American Literature Book Review: I Have a Dream: Martin Luther King Jr.

 

I Have a Dream: Martin Luther King Jr Illustrated by Kadir Nelson

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Luther, Martin. I Have a Dream. New York, Schwartz & Wade, 2012.

 

PLOT SUMMARY:

This  is a book featuring the words from Dr. Martin Luther King’s I Have a Dream Speech from August 28^th, 1963 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. This is an important piece of history for African Americans and Americans. It isn’t common that readers have read the entire speech, this book is necessary and a beautiful read.

 

CRITICAL REVIEW:

It is valuable to have this speech in its entirety. The illustrations are exceptional and show what Martin Luther King would wear and his facial expressions. You’re left reflecting on his pensiveness during this time. There is a good amount of symbolism in the illustrations like joined hands to show unity and doves being released to signify freedom. There are many inspiring images of white and black children playing and black and white hands joined. The illustrations support the speech in a powerful way. They take up the space of the entire page with vivid colors and detail.

 

AWARDS:

Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book

Parent’s Choice Silver Honor Book

 

CONNECTIONS:

This book is a necessary resource when teaching about Martin Luther King and his contributions to history. It’s interesting to hear the speech in its entirety. Students could then write a speech about their hopes and dreams.

 

Book Review by Barbara Jean Thompson