The Christmas Coat: Memories of My Sioux Childhood

 

Bibliography

Sneve, V. D. H., & Beier, E. (2011). The Christmas Coat: Memories of My Sioux Childhood. Holiday House. 

Plot Summary

Virginia is badly in need of a new coat. When a new delivery comes in, she hopes for a beautiful coat that fits her, but it’s taken up but someone else in need. While Virginia is not happy about this turn of events, she learns that everything works out in the end. 

Critical Analysis

Virginia’s Sioux background is mostly implied through the illustrations, names of some of the characters such as Mrs. Little Money and Mrs. High Bear, and some events of the story. She lives in South Dakota on a reservation and dreams of one day having a coat that fits. All of the children are looking forward to the box from “Theast”, a name they’ve given the donations Virginia's father, the priest of the village, received every year from church congregations in New England. The author does a good job at implying at poverty in the village as Virginia desperately wants a coat that fits her and accepts a larger coat that will need to be hemmed before having to give it up to another child that is also in need. 

A mix of customs is shared within the book as Virginia’s family celebrates Christmas. The church congregation gathers for the scene of the baby Jesus with Mary and the Wise Men. When the Wise Men enter, they come in wearing headdresses. Their Christmas Eve supper is that of “corn soup, fry bread, and wojape, or chokecherry pudding…” And Santa comes by to visit with small gifts. 

The illustrator, Ellen Beier, does an excellent job at providing warm tones throughout the books pages that reflect on the feeling of togetherness during the holiday season. Not to mention the feeling of ickiness of having to walk out in the snow in the “gumbo” - which a reader from the South may need help defining. 

In the end, Virginia learns that good things come to those who wait when she receives a new red coat with a hood. This book is an excellent way to begin introducing indigenious titles in K-5 grade classrooms, talk about patience, and helping your fellow man when you have the opportunity. 

Review Excerpt(s)

American Indian Youth Literature Award for Best Picture Book (2012)

"Virginia's personality shines through in this poignant story that entertains and informs without recourse to stereotypes.” - Kirkus Reviews

Connections 

-Activities

• Use this book for a theme activity 

• Using StoryJumper, have students design a picture book about their own memory of either a time when they learned to be patient or a memorable holiday. 

• Organize a clothing drive for the nearest reservation or peoples in need. 

• Foreshadowing example at the beginning of the book when Virginia wishes for a red coat that fits. In the end, that’s exactly what she gets. 

• A discussion on how different people celebrate holidays could take place. Not everyone celebrates Christmas and even those that do celebrate differently from one another. Have students share what may be considered different.

Code Talker

 

Bibliography

Bruchac, J. (2006). Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two. Speak.

Plot Summary

A Navajo grandfather tells his grandchildren about his experiences as a Navajo Code Talker in the Marines during World War II.

Critical Analysis

The book begins with the main character, Ned Begay, leaving the home he has known for his entire six years of life for boarding school. It is jarring to read about how the teachers treated the Navajo children and their disrespect for the culture. “Navajo is no good, of no use at all!’ Principal O’Sullivan shouted at us every day. ‘Only English will help you get ahead in this world!’” (pg 18) Not only were the children separated from their native language, but they were also shorn of their hair. “Cutting your hair was believed to bring misfortune to you. But at  mission school they had other beliefs” (pg 19). Then their names were taken from them. They were given names of past presidents and other political leaders or names that sounded like their response when asked their name. “Because that white teacher could not really understand our language, he did not realize that Biye’ in Navajo just means “son of.” So he made Biye’ my last name, although he wrote it as he heard it - Begay.” (pg 22). 

After the attack at Pearl Harbor and America joined the war, an announcement was made that Navajo men that spoke both English and Navajo fluently could join the Marines. At fifteen, Ned knew he wanted to serve. However, the starting age was seventeen, and his parents requested that he wait a year before joining up. And wait a year he did. When the recruiters came the next year, Ned was just as willing, if not more so. This time, his parents agreed to his joining the war efforts. 

The Navajo language was used during the war to exchange messages that the Japanese couldn’t decipher. The code was to never be written down and the Navajos part in the war effort was kept top secret. “The code went with us everywhere, but only in our memories.” (pg 76)

The remainder of the book describes Ned’s time training and then traveling around the world, fighting the enemy. Even though it is fiction, the book reads more like a nonfiction book and this could be a testament to the amount of research Bruchac put into this novel. Because of this, some spots are a bit dry with reminders that this is a fictional story with the narrator saying something to his grandchildren. However, this is an excellent book to have in the classroom that offers a different perspective on the war on the Pacific front. 

Review Excerpt(s)

"With its multicultural themes and well-told WWII history, this will appeal to a wide audience." —Kirkus Reviews

 

"Bruchac's gentle prose presents a clear historical picture of young men in wartime, island hopping across the Pacific, waging war in the hells of Guadalcanal, Bougainville, and Iwo Jima. Nonsensational and accurate, Bruchac's tale is quietly inspiring..." —School Library Journal

Connections 

-Activities

• Pair with Secrets of the Code Talkers lesson plans provided by PBS: https://www.pbs.org/wned/warrior-tradition/classroom/secrets-of-the-code-talkers/ 

• Create a class glossary of the Navajo terms defined in the book. 

• Map out Ned’s adventures during his time as a Marine and create a timeline. 

• Use the article Finding Nemo Aims to Help Navajo Language Stay Afloat to introduce the book. Discuss reasons for why it was difficult to cast a Navajo Nemo, and why it’s important to continue sharing the language of different cultures.
  Axelrod, J. (2015, July 19). “Finding Nemo” aims to help Navajo language stay afloat. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/finding-nemo-aims-to-help-navajo-language-stay-afloat/ 

• Watch the video VOA about the young Navajos learning English after the discussion above. Ask if students have heard about the Navajo contributions during WWII.

VOA Learning English. (2015, October 11). Young Navajos Study to Save Their Language. VOA. https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/navajos-study-to-save-their-language/2999599.html

If I Ever Get Out Of Here

 Bibliography

Gansworth, E. (2013). If I Ever Get Out of Here. Arthur A. Levine Books.

Plot Summary

In 1975, Lewis struggled to make friends as he lived within two worlds: that of his Tuscarora Reservation home and his mostly white school. When seventh grade starts, he meets George, but continues to struggle with sharing the realities of his home life to this new friend. 

Critical Analysis

The audiobook narration does not provide the reader with the images or playlist found in the physical copy of the book. However, the narrator of the audio version does an excellent job of drawing in the reader to Lewis’s perspective of life on the reservation and at his predominately white school. 

Lewis is about to start seventh grade and in preparation, cuts off his braid. This is an important beginning to the novel because it reflects on his want to fit in at his white school. In fact, it’s a bit reminiscent of Eddie Murphy’s character in Coming to America when his character cuts off his rat tail to assimilate into American culture. The beginning of the novel goes on to describe Lewis’s failed attempts at making friends and moves on to him meeting George, a new kid at school. 

As Lewis and George’s friendship deepens over shared interest in music, Lewis becomes more aware of how different they are. He is mindful of his home and refuses to allow Lewis to see where he lives. Unlike George with his nice, clean house and bedroom all to himself, Lewis shares a bedroom with his uncle with girly posters all over the walls. He tends to refuse rides home or asks to be dropped off far away from his actual home because he doesn’t want them to see the poverty his family experiences.

Being one of the few Native Americans at his school and on top of that, the only one in the “smarter” classes, Lewis endures a lot of bullying. Most of the bullying comes from one student in particular. Finally, Lewis gets to the point where he no longer feels safe at his school and refuses to attend. As the reader (and a teacher) it is upsetting how the administration treats Lewis and his concerns. Since the other student’s father contributes so much money to the school, nothing is done until George gets into a physical altercation with the other boy. The other boy is then expelled and Lewis can return to school. But now everyone blames him for getting the bully kicked out of school. 

Lewis and George’s father bond over music as well. When Lewis learns that George’s family once taught at a boarding school, Lewis has a negative reaction. He has heard the stories of how those boarding schools operated. It’s not until he finally asks Mr. Haddonfield about it that his issue is resolved. 

Gansworth has shared a story about identity, belonging, taking a stand, and a strong friendship across cultures with an emphasis on the power of music. 

Review Excerpt(s)

American Indian Youth Literature Award for Best Young Adult Book (Honor Book) (2014)

"Readers will appreciate the teenager's sharp insights into being an outsider and Gansworth's intimate knowledge of the prejudices and injustices inherent to Lewis's life." -- Publishers Weekly

"Gansworth, himself an enrolled member of the Onondaga Nation, explores the boys' organic relationship with generosity and tenderness and unflinching clarity, sidestepping stereotypes to offer two genuine characters navigating the unlikely intersection of two fully realized worlds.... And although Gansworth manages the weighty themes of racism and poverty with nuance and finesse, at its heart, this is a rare and freehearted portrait of true friendship." -- Booklist

Connections 

-Activities

• Music classes can do a study over the music of The Beatles, Queen, Wings, or Paul McCartney. 

• Pair with The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian. Compare and contrast the experiences of the two boys. 

• A Socratic seminar can take place to discuss bullying, students and teachers parts in helping to prevent bullying, and student’s thoughts on how the administration handled Lewis’s solution to the harassment he received at school.

In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse

  

Bibliography

Marshall III. J., & Yellowhawk, J. (2015). In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse. Amulet Books. 

Plot Summary

One summer, Jimmy and his grandfather go on a road trip inspired by the tales of Crazy Horse, the famous Lakota.

Critical Analysis

Each chapter starts off with a black and white illustration inspired by indigenous culture. Throughout the book, Grandpa Nyles gives Jimmy some background knowledge of the important event that occurred at whatever historical site they are at and then the time period flips to the time of the actual event. By switching time periods, the reader is able to become immersed in what Light Hair/Crazy Horse experienced. 

The road trip is inspired by Jimmy’s frustration at constantly being teased for his light skin and blue eyes by the other Lakota children at school. His last name of McClean doesn’t do him any favors either. His mother is Lakota and his father is white which makes Jimmy 75% Lakota and 25% white - Scottish to be exact. In order to help his grandson, Grandpa Nyles decides to take him on a trip to help change his view of things. To help Jimmy connect even more with Crazy Horse, Grandpa Nyles points out that while Crazy Horse didn’t have blue eyes, he did have light skin as well and was called Light Hair before he became the warrior we know today as Crazy Horse. 

The whitewashing of history is mentioned when Jimmy and Grandpa Nyles visit the Fort Phil Kearny State Historic Site. The Lakota’s called the battle that took place at the site the Battle of the Hundred in the Hands while the whites called it the Fetterman Battle or the Fetterman Massacre. A plaque claims that there were no survivors. “‘They got it wrong,’ Grandpa Nyles said. ‘There were survivors of this battle: hundreds of Lakota and Northern Cheyenne.’” (pg 65) By adding this information into the book, it creates an awareness to think of both sides of a battle, and it also demonstrates the need for sharing stories of marginalized communities.  

This book serves as an important piece of literature about indigenous culture. Not only does it focus on a well-known warrior that will help draw in readers, but it introduces readers to important battles that show the strength and determination that these groups shared in trying to defend their land. There is a lot of action without glorifying war, a lot of research was put into portraying Light Hair/Crazy Horse, and the conversations between grandfather and grandson help provide a lot of background to the stories that are shared. 

Review Excerpt(s)

Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee (2018)

American Indian Youth Literature Award for Best Middle Grade Book (2016)

"This powerful introduction to a great warrior and leader invites readers to ponder the meaning of 'hero.'" ― Kirkus Reviews

"As Jimmy and his grandfather’s journey comes to an end, the boy has gained much more than a history lesson—he learns a great deal about courage, sacrifice, and the ties that connect him to his ancestors. VERDICT A moving narrative that should be required reading for all students of American history." ― School Library Journal

Connections 

-Activities

• The back of the book provides a glossary of terms. Before beginning the book, have students create a In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse dictionary. This way they are better informed when beginning the novel. 

• Use the map provided in the book to help track Jimmy and his grandfather’s journey 

• Use Google Earth to show students some of the memorials Jimmy and his grandfather visit. 

• Discussion question: Why is it important to be aware of a culture’s past? 

Share the following video about the Crazy Horse Memorial: CNN. (2015, January 12). Crazy Horse memorial bigger than Mount Rushmore. [Video] YouTube. https://youtu.be/zLFB1Ic1PMk

Soaring Earth

 

Bibliography

Engle, M. (2019). Soaring earth : a companion memoir to Enchanted air. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Plot Summary

This verse memoir focuses on Engle’s life from 1966-1973. During this time in her life, she misses her homeland of Cuba and must figure out what to do post-high school. 

Critical Analysis

The Cold War has made travel to her mother’s homeland of Cuba illegal in the late 1960s. So Margarita dreams of traveling anywhere else. Anywhere that will take her away from her American home in Los Angeles, California.

Throughout the memoir, Engle struggles with her Cuban heritage. One poem, Identity, speaks of her struggles and her attempts to connect. “Even though I can’t feel/like a real cubanita anymore,/I still fill my room with colors from the tropics,” (Engle, 19). Another way Engle struggled with her identity was in the way she attached herself to different male figures (Army M. and Rebel M.) Rebel M. contributes to her dropping out of Berkley with his protest - the Third World Strike. “He assumes I’m Chicana, with ancestry/from Mexico…” (Engle, 63). “Black, Chicano, Asian, Native American/ I don’t fit any of the four categories/of ethnic classes demanded/by strikers, but I’d be eager to sign up/for any courses that teaches forgotten history” (Engle, 64). When she admits to him that she is cubana, he becomes upset. 

Rebel M. also idolized Che Guevara. But Margarita Engle has a different opinion of him. “He was also a medical doctor/who joined my ancestral island’s revolution/ and then chose to kill people instead of healing them./He shot my relatives after they fought/with him/not against him” (Engle, 67). This is an important distinction because many people admire Che Guevara and his war tactics. However, because she is from Cuba, Engle's provides a different perspective that may inform readers of what Che Guevara wrought upon the people of Cuba. 

Eventually, she finds a way to belong at college when she volunteers to tutor migrant farmworker children. She is accepted as a cousin despite being cubana. In her tutoring, she wonders why there aren’t bilingual stories to help the whole family. The parents of the migrant farmworker children ask Engles what “Cuba” means. “Un isla del Caribe, I answer, wishing/that my mother’s Caribbean island hadn’t vanished/from so many emotional/maps” (Engle, 73). 

Later, at community college, Engle once again becomes involved in a protest. But this time she is more accepted than before. “Poor people don’t care if I’m a bit different,/as long as we’re united for the same/causes” (Engle, 137).

Gender equality is touched upon within the memoir in a poem titled Women’s Liberation. Her mother had to quit school and find a paying job at the age of 14 because her mother could only afford to send one child to school. Her mother was meant to earn money until she was old enough for marriage while Engle’s uncle received an education. 

Another important theme in this memoir is that sometimes it takes a while to learn who you are. She attempted a four-year-university straight out of high school, but it wasn’t for her. So she went back home and attended community college before transferring. She lost and found her love of writing. Even though there were times she didn’t feel Cuban enough, she held on tight to her heritage. 

Review Excerpt(s)

School Library Journal Best Nonfiction Book of 2019

“Engle shines a light on the uncertainty and restlessness of the time period—the Vietnam War; civil, women’s, and labor rights movements; the rise of hippie and drug culture; and more—with raw, painful, but always poignant honesty. . . . An unforgettable peek into an important and relevant time period brought into perspective by a masterly poet. A must-have for every collection.” School Library Journal

“Contemporary youth will find parallels with Engle as she seeks connection with a peer group, a close friend, or a lover—someone with whom she can make sense of her context. This companion to her award-winning Enchanted Air packs a historical wallop. . . . The memoir ends on a positive note, as she finds her place with nature, poetry, and a life partner.” -- Booklist

Connections 

-Activities

• The book is divided into different sections and time periods of her life. Have students analyze each section and determine how the events in the section relates to the title it was given. Not only that, but each poem has its own personal title. 

• As a pre-reading activity, arrange the sections and poem titles together. Have students make predictions on what each section will be about with this information. 

• Despite being proud of her Cuban heritage, Engle is constantly assumed to be Mexican or within another culture. Why is it important to be aware of someone's distinctive culture or ethnicity? 

• Create a visual timeline of important events within the memoir. 

• Provide students with background knowledge on Che Guevara, the Cold War, and the Vietnam War. These all play a major role in Engle memoir. 

• Engle ends up majoring in agronomy which is crop production. She also takes a class on arthropods. The poems could be used in an introduction to botany. It could also be used for students to understand the importance in knowing the science behind crop production. 

• Students could also research the different issues in crop production (drought, pests, fertilizer, etc.). 

• The book can be used for a unit in memoirs/autobiographies/personal narratives. Not only does it serve as a memoir, but it is in poetry format which shows students that narratives don’t only have to be in prose. 

The First Rule of Punk

 

Bibliography

Pérez, C. (2018). The first rule of punk. New York: Puffin Books.

Plot Summary

When Malú has to make the move from Florida to Chicago, Illinois, with her mom the only thing she can bring of her dad is their love of all things punk. She decides to prove herself by creating a band and rocking out at the talent show. What started as a fun activity soon leads Malú to learning more about her culture and what it really means to be punk. 

Critical Analysis

First of all, the character of Malú jumps off the page. There is most certainly a Malú in every middle grade classroom whether they are into punk or anime. Students will relate and/or admire her need to be herself, even if that includes being dress coded for too much eyeliner. 

Malú is biracial which means that her mother is Mexican and her father is (most likely) white. She thinks of her mother as “SuperMexican” because she is constantly trying to teach Malú about their culture and wears embroidered dresses, skirts, and wraps (rebozos). But Malú relates more to her father and enjoys spending her time in his record shop and making zines - self-published booklets that can be about any topic. Since she connects so much with her father, she finds it hard to connect with her mom and be who she imagines her mother wants her to be. Malú believes that her mother wants her to be the perfect señorita - a daughter who wears pretty dresses and embraces her culture. But that just isn’t Malú. 

The move to Chicago not only rocks her world, taking her out of sunny Florida, but it introduces her more to her Mexican culture than she would have expected. On the first day she is met with what seems to be a microaggression - “‘What are you? You’re not Mexican, right?’ What are you? I was used to getting some version of that question, especially when people heard my name. I wasn’t always sure how to answer” (Pérez, 49). Not long after, she is called a coconut which is an insult meant to say that she is brown on the outside but white on the inside. 

Right away, Malú and her mother find a coffee shop, Calaca Coffee, that becomes an important setting within the book. The shop is decorated with “colorful skulls, marigolds, and dancing skeletons. . . Inside we were greeted by a life-sized paper-mâché skeleton that looked like Frida Kahlo with her blackbird eyebrows” (Pérez, 33). The pastries offered have both Spanish and English signs and promote several Mexican breads and pastries. The shop is run by Ms. Hidalgo, the mother of one of Malú’s new friends and the daughter of their neighbor, Señora Oralia. In fact, Señora Oralia is the one who introduces Malú to Lola Beltrán and the idea that there might be punk Mexican bands. It is also due to Calaca Coffee that Malú learns what an ofrenda is and about the tradition involved with Día de los Muertos. 

Due to a Spanish assignment that requires Malú to trace back two generations of their family tree, she begins to learn more about her mother’s side of the family. Her grandfather - abuelo - came to Mexico for the Bracero Program. “‘The government made arrangements with Mexico to bring in laborers to work on American farms’” (Pérez, 109). And her grandmother left Mexico alone at the age of sixteen. Inspired mostly by the story of her grandfather, she creates a zine about the Bracero Program. 

In retaliation to a bully, Malú decides to form a band for the school talent show. She and three other “misfits” join together to form the Co-Co’s, short for the Coconuts. Joe and Malú take the slur that Selena, another character, used against Malú into something positive. They decide to sing a punk version of a Lola Beltrán song. But when they aren’t selected to perform in the talent show because they’re “too loud”. Not to be discouraged, the band plans a Alterna-Fiesta talent show which ends up taking place after the talent show. The Alterna-Fiesta allows anyone denied performing at the talent show a voice. 

Ultimately, this is a beautiful tale of a young girl embracing a part of herself that she had previously shut out. The best part about Malú is that she doesn’t ever shy away from who she is, but she allows herself to grow more into herself and her identity. Malú’s story is important for biracial students and those students that may not feel as Mexican or Latinx as their parents may want them to be. The zines offer another way to present information in a fun way, and the sprinkling of Spanish is authentic to the story. 

Review Excerpt(s)

2018 Pura Belpré Author Honor Book

2018 ALSC Notable Children’s Book

2018 Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award Winner

Kirkus Reviews Best Fiction of 2017

School Library Journal Best Books of 2017 

"A charming debut about a thoughtful, creative preteen connecting to both halves of her identity."  Kirkus Reviews

"Those who enjoy vivacious, plucky heroines... will eagerly embrace Malu." School Library Journal 

Connections 

-Activities

• José Guadalupe Posada and other notable Mexican artists are mentioned throughout the book. Provide a list of influential Mexican artists for students to research. They will create a presentation and then their own artwork inspired by their artist for a gallery walk. 

• Go into more detail about the Bracero Program and how it affected immigration into the United States from Mexico. Pair with information about Chinese immigration and the transcontinental railroad. 

• Malú creates a zine about the background of her name and her “pie chart”. The pie chart represents what makes Malú Malú. Students can create a zine of the origin of their own name and their own pie charts. They can even create a pie chart on what they believe their own parents want of them. This can be a good introduction to the book and zine creating.

• Once students have had the experience of creating a zine (see above), they can then create a zine on a topic of their own choosing that they research. In theory, students could look more into Mexican culture or complete their zine over a topic in the book such as Día de los Muertos, Mexican punk bands, Mexican breads and pastries, etc. 

• In addition to providing an instruction manual on creating a zine, the author also provides a playlist for The First Rule of Punk. Play this for students to help them better understand what punk is. http://celiacperez.com/playlist

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter

 

Bibliography

Sanchez, E. (2017). I am not your perfect Mexican daughter. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children's Books.

Plot Summary

After her seemingly perfect sister, Olga’s, death, Julia struggles to process her grief. At a party, she runs into one of Olga’s old friends and learns that Olga had a secret. Soon she learns that Olga may not have been as perfect as everyone thought.   

Critical Analysis

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter tackles depression, grief, family, and identity in the form of Julia, the first generation daughter of illegal immigrants from Mexico. Before Olga died, Julia already felt like she wasn’t enough for her parents. Olga went to community college in order to stay close to home, had a part time job, didn’t get into trouble, and took care of their parents. Whereas Julia cannot wait to get out and go to college far away from home to be a writer. Julia’s feelings of inadequacy only heighten after the death of her sister. In order for her mother to process her grief, she tells Julia that they will be planning a quinceañera for her despite the fact that Julia is going to be 16 in only a few months. Her mother’s reasoning is that they were never able to give Olga a quinceañera - “‘I never got to give Olga a quinceañera. It’s something I always regret’” (Sanchez 16). 

After a chance meeting with one of Olga’s classmates, she learns that Olga may have had a secret relationship. When she sneaks into Olga’s room, she finds evidence of a secret life that Olga may have had. However, she is caught before she can locate her sister's laptop in order to try and find more evidence. It isn’t until some time later when she realizes where her mother has hidden the bedroom key that she is able to find the laptop and learn of Olga’s secret relationship with a married man and her pregnancy. 

Due to her parents status of being in America illegally, her mother works as a housekeeper. At one point Julia joins her mother at work and sees what she has to go through, cleaning other people's homes. Then she comes to their home and cleans there. She begins to realize some of the sacrifices her parents made for her and Olga.

Throughout the novel, Julia suffers through depression even though it is never really given a name. “In the mornings, I’m a shred of a person. There are days I feel like I’m being held together by string. Other times I feel entirely unstitched or unhinged. I can barely keep my head up, let alone get good grades so I can get the hell out of here and go to college. I have only a year and a half left, but it feels eternal” (Sanchez, 118). 

After an attempted suicide, her mother sends her to live in Mexico for a little bit. “Some people think that shipping their children back to the motherland when they get out of control will solve everything. It’s happened to some of the kids from my school, mostly gangbaners and girls who are ripe for pregnancy. Usually, they come back exactly the same. Or worse. Maybe parents think their kids have lost their values, that they’ve become too Americanized. So is Mexico supposed to teach me not to have sex? Is it supposed to teach me not to kill myself?” (Sanchez, 228). Once there though, she begins to fall into a steady rhythm of life in Mexico. Sanchez does a good job of portraying the good as well as the bad in the ways of life in Mexico. While in Mexico, she learns more about her parents. Her father was an artist who gave the practice up in order to provide for his family. And she learns the awful truth of how her mother suffered at the hands of the coyote that brought them over the border. 

When Julia returns from Mexico, she has a heart to heart with her mother. They both admit to faults and some healing of their relationship slowly begins. In the end, Julia decides not to tell her family about everything she learned about Olga, choosing to let her family still believe in the perfect Mexican daughter they had raised. 

Review Excerpt(s)

Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award (2018)

 National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature (2017)

“An earnest and heartfelt tale.” —Booklist

 

“A timely and must-have account of survival in a culturally contested world.” —School Library Journal

Connections 

-Activities

• Discuss the importance of name pronunciation. The main character pronounces her name huh-lia, not juh-lia and is ignored by at least one of her teachers. Some students may have had issues in the past with their names being pronounced and facilitating a discussion on this topic may help them see the importance in advocating for themselves. 

• Build a Socratic Seminar based on themes of family, culture, and mental health. 

• Pair some scenes from Real Women Have Curves with some parts of the book. The film shares many of the same themes as I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter as the main character struggles with her identity and, with the help from a teacher, manages to leave home for school with writing as the goal. Real Women Have Curves was adapted from a play by Josefina López that could be used for comparison as well. 

• It was recently announced that America Ferrera will have her directorial debut with a film adaptation of this novel. In the future, the film can be used for comparison. 

• Complete a character study on Julia, her mother, and her sister. Analyze what they say and the actions they take to see how it contributes to their characterization. 

Cardoso, P. (2002). Real women have curves. HBO Films, Newmarket Films, LaVoo Productions.