by Sandra Cisneros
”Tell me a story, even if it's a lie...Did I dream it or did someone
tell me the story? I can't remember where the truth ends and the talk
begins." — Caramelo
The relationship between truth, lies, history, and storytelling is
important to Celaya, the Reyes family's self-appointed historian and
storyteller. Celaya's tale weaves Mexican social, political, and military
history around intimate family secrets and the stormy and often mysterious
relationships among multiple generations of family members. The characters
are spirited, likeable, and at times almost mythological, yet intensely
human in their flaws and emotions. They all play a part in Celaya’s
odyssey to connect with her roots and carve her future.
Born the seventh child and only daughter to Zoila and Inocencio Reyes,
Celaya spent her childhood traveling back and forth between her family's
home in Chicago and her father's birth home in Mexico. Celaya's
intimidating paternal grandmother dominates these visits, and Celaya dubs
her the Awful Grandmother.
Celaya's story begins in Mexico when she was a little girl, then segues
back to before she was born to her grandparents' history. Celaya traces
her Grandmother's lonely and unhappy childhood in a Mexico ravaged by the
Mexican revolution of 1911; her marriage to Celaya's grandfather; and the
birth of their first and favorite son, Celaya's father, Inocencio.
Inocencio moves to the U.S. as a young man and meets Zoila, a
Mexican-American woman with her own colorful mixed-Mexican parentage.
Celaya develops the portrait of her parents' love-based, but volatile,
marriage and the growth of their Mexican-American family. Through her
grandmother's history, Celaya discovers her own Mexican-American heritage,
ultimately enabling her to carve out an identity.
Sandra Cisneros was born in Chicago in 1954, the only daughter among
seven children. She often felt homeless and displaced, because her
father's homesickness for his native country and devotion to his mother
caused her family to frequently move between the United States and Mexico.
Cisneros began to read extensively, finding comfort in works like Lewis
Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and periodically wrote poems
and stories of her own.
In the 1970s she realized her experiences were unique and outside the
realm of dominant American culture and decided to write about conflicts
directly related to her upbringing: divided cultural loyalties, cultural
suppression, self-identity, feelings of alienation, and degradation
associated with poverty.
The author of numerous books, including the highly acclaimed The House
on Mango Street and a children’s book, Hairs/Pelitos, she is
internationally acclaimed for her poetry and fiction. Cisneros emphasizes
dialogue and sensory imagery over traditional narrative structures and
creates characters who are distinctly Latina/o and out of the mainstream.
She has received numerous awards and fellowships for her work.
In 2003, Cisneros visited Boise as part of the Log Cabin Literary
Center’s popular series Readings and Conversations.
By Helen Recorvits; Illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska
Starting a new school can be a daunting experience for most children. But
imagine if you didn’t speak the same language as your new classmates.
Yoon is from Korea and she already knows how to write her name. In Korean,
Yoon’s name means Shining Wisdom and when she writes it, the Korean
characters look as if they are happily dancing off the page. But when Yoon
learns to write her name in English, it takes on the persona of a lonely
child. Now, she is determined to be called anything but Yoon.
Reading Helen Recorvits’ My Name is Yoon, provides a glimpse into the
frustration and joy of a young girl’s journey to find her place in a new
life.
Helen Recorvits is the author of two other books for older readers.
Gabi Swiatkowska studied at the Lyceum Of Art in Poland and was awarded
the Ezra Jack Keats’ Best New Illustrator Award in 2004 for this book.
by Robert C. O’Brien
Meet Mrs. Frisby: a single mother, a widow, and a mouse. Like most
single parents, Mrs. Frisby is struggling to provide for her children.
When her son falls ill during the time of year when the mouse family must
migrate from its winter home to a new summer home, Mrs. Frisby doesn’t
know where to turn. Her husband met an untimely death at the paws of the
farm cat and any day now the farmer’s plow will leave her family homeless.
Mrs. Frisby seeks the advice of the wise old owl, who in turn suggests she
contact the rats of NIMH.
The rats have a reputation among the farm animals—they are said to be a
bit odd. As Mrs. Frisby enters their home, she can see that she has
embarked upon a whole new world. The rats eagerly agree to help Mrs.
Frisby. But by doing so, Mrs. Frisby discovers a secret that she is
unprepared to learn.
What is this secret? Why do the rats feel some strange obligation to
help Mrs. Frisby? Who are these Rats of NIMH? Pick up this book and embark
upon a fantasy-filled journey of friendship, loyalty and intrigue.
Robert C. O’Brien was born in 1918. He worked as editor for National
Geographic and has written for many newspapers. He won several awards for
his works, including the Newbery Medal for this book in 1972.
by Roland Smith
“They had chosen the name Zach because it sounded like ‘Jack.’” —
Zach’s Lie
How do you get used to answering to a name that’s not your own? What do
you do when your whole life is a lie?
Twelve-year-old Jack Osborne was a regular boy in what he thought was a
normal life. Then came the night that three masked men broke into his
house and threatened his family; they were followed the next day by the
Drug Enforcement Agency. The airline Zach’s dad owned was a front for
illegal drug trafficking. Now his “business associates” want to keep him
from talking.
For their own protection, Zach, his mom, and his sister are placed in
the Witness Security Program. Jack Osborne of Texas is dead, but Zach
Granger of Elko, Nevada, is alive even if his life is a lie.
Zach starts out his new life at Elko Middle School where he meets the
mysterious custodian Sam, with secrets of his own, and Caitlin, a girl who
might just make his new life worthwhile. But just as Zach begins to settle
into his new life, danger threatens once again. What Zach decides to do
now will either save or hurt those that he cares for most. Zach had to
give up his whole life once; will he have to do it again?
Roland Smith is a research biologist turned novelist. Visit his website
at http://www.rolandsmith.com.
- Return to Read the
Same Book main page -
Last Updated:
06/26/2006
