My Name is Celia/Me llamo Celia

My Name is Celia/Me llamo Celia: The Life of Celia Cruz/la vida de Celia Cruz

Written and Illustrated by: Monica Brown

Elementary Grades

"Honoring the unique rhythms of Celia Cruz music, My Name is Celia pays tribute to the life and music of the famous Cuban singer. In combination with vivid illustrations, this book is an exceptional picture book that will keep the memory of la reina de la salsa (the queen of salsa) alive, recognizing her legacy of artistic works and musical contributions." — Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP)

Online Resources:
http://www.monicabrown.net/books/celia.html
http://www.lindakreft.com/Americas/celia.html

Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories

Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories

Written by: Sandra Cisneros

Junior High and High School Grades

"In this collection of Mexican-American stories, Cisneros addresses the reader in a voice that is alternately buoyant, strong, funny, and sad. The brief vignettes of the opening piece, "My Lucy Friend Who Smells Like Corn," are tiles in a mosaic. Taken together, these vignettes give a vivid, colorful picture of life on the Texas/Mexico border. Family ties are strong: aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents are all present. The stories are often about the romantic dreams of young girls longing to escape stifling small-town life who discover that things are not much different on the other side of the border. Cisneros has an acute eye for the telling detail that reveals the secrets and the dreams of her characters. She writes with humor and love about people she knows intimately."

Library Journal Review

Web Resources:
http://www.enotes.com/woman-hollering

Baseball in April and Other Stories

Baseball in April and Other Stories - Available in English or Spanish

Written by: Gary Soto

Junior High and High School Grades

"In this collection author Gary Soto tells 11 short stories about everyday problems of growing up as a latino adolescent. Latinos in central California are the focus of the stories, but the events are typical of young teens anywhere in the United States. The main characters try out for Little League teams, take karate lessons, try to get the attention of the opposite sex, and are embarrassed by their grandparents' behavior. These day-to-day events reveal the sensitivity, humor, and vulnerability of today's young people. The descriptions and dialogue are used to advantage, helping to create and sustain the mood. A glossary of Spanish terms is included. Young readers should easily identify with the situations, emotions, and outcomes presented in these fine short stories."

School Library Journal Review

Web Resources:
http://litplans.com/titles/Baseball_in_April_and_Other_Stories_Gary_Soto.html

Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai

Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai

Written and Illustrated by: Claire A. Nivola

Elementary Grades

"Kenyan activist Wangari Maathai was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for her environmental and human rights achievements. Founder of the Green Belt Movement, she has encouraged people to repair their economy, land, and health with simple, environmentally friendly acts, such as planting more trees. This beautiful picture-book biography echoes the potent simplicity of Maathai’s message with direct, spare prose and bright, delicate watercolors. An author’s note offers more about Maathai’s inspiring story."

Booklist Review

Web Resources:
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/takingroot/classroom.html

A Little Piece of Ground

A Little Piece of Ground

Written by: Elizabeth Laird

Junior High and High School Grades

"Written by Elizabeth Laird, one of Great Britain's best-known young adult authors, A Little Piece Of Ground explores the human cost of the occupation of Palestinian lands through the eyes of a young boy.

Twelve-year-old Karim Aboudi and his family are trapped in their Ramallah home by a strict curfew. In response to a Palestinian suicide bombing, the Israeli military subjects the West Bank town to a virtual siege. Meanwhile, Karim, trapped at home with his teenage brother and fearful parents, longs to play football with his friends. When the curfew ends, he and his friend discover an unused patch of ground that's the perfect site for a football pitch. Nearby, an old car hidden intact under bulldozed building makes a brilliant den. But in this city there's constant danger, even for schoolboys. And when Israeli soldiers find Karim outside during the next curfew, it seems impossible that he will survive."

Publishers Synopsis

Web Resources:
www.haymarketbooks.org/laird_teaching_guide.pdf

http://www.haymarketbooks.org/product_info.php?products_id=1576

The Composition

The Composition

Written by: Antonia Skarmeta
Illustrated by: Alfonso Ruano

Upper Elementary and Junior High Grades

"In a village in Chile, Pedro and Daniel are two typical nine-year-old boys. Up until Daniel's father gets arrested, their biggest worry had been how to improve their soccer skills. Now, they are thrust into a situation where they must grapple with the incomprehensible: dictatorship and its inherent abuses. This sensitively realized story touches a nerve and brings home the uncomfortable fact that some children do encounter issues of this magnitude. Here, deft realism is brought to the page by Antonia Skarmeta's story and the edgy drawings of Alfonso Ruano, portraying a child's view of a repressive society. The Composition is a winner of the Americas Award for Children's Literature and the Jane Addams Children's Book Award."

Publishers Synopsis

Web Resources:
http://www.lindakreft.com/Americas/composition.html

Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak

Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak

Written by: Deborah Ellis

Junior High and High School Grades

"This collection of accounts from young people between the ages of 8 and 18 portrays the sapping toll of war on their lives. Instead of looking toward their futures, these kids are watching their backs. Instead of playing games of pick-up ball in the street, they're lobbing rocks at soldier's and dodging tear gas and bullets. Israeli students are pressed into military service. In Palestine, the scanty settlements are overcrowded and unsafe. Each narrative is prefaced with a short historical or personal background description providing a point of reference for the sentiments expressed. Ellis effectively remains absent, serving as chronicler for these ordinary kids in traumatic circumstances who are tinged by varying degrees of anger and despair."

School Library Journal Review

Web Resources:
http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/authors/experts/dellis.asp