The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora by Pablo Cartaya

 

-from Penguin Random House

This was a great book!  It is Realistic Fiction, and perfect for middle grade readers. It is set in sunny Florida, and centers around a Cuban family that run a restaurant in their community, Canal Grove.  Arturo is the central character and narrator, and he is a great guy!  He loves his food and family dearly, especially his Abuela.💓 

I love this book for several reasons. There is a smattering of Spanish throughout the story, and I love learning/relearning bits of another language.  I also love the strength and love that the Zamora family has for each other. There is also a little romance between Arturo and his long-time friend, Carmen. Don't worry- it's sweet and innocent, totally age appropriate for young readers.  

This book deals with the loss of loved ones. There are a couple of different scenarios within the story, and they are heart wrenching.  The author does not dwell too long on the sadness, but there are some realistic descriptions of the struggles that loss brings.  I think books like this can be very helpful to kids. They can normalize the strong feelings young people have when going through hard things like death or loss.  It also presents and offers healthy coping strategies to the readers as well.  

I highly recommend this book!  In fact, this will be our Spring book club selection at our library!  I am looking forward to reading through it again with our kids.  

The Lightning Dreamer: Cuba's Greatest Abolitionist by Margarita Engle

 

-from Margarita Engle's website

A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Engle, Margarita. 2013. THE LIGHTNING DREAMER: CUBA’S GREATEST ABOLITIONIST. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 978-0-544-54112-2.

B. PLOT SUMMARY
Enslavement can come in many forms. Tula is heartbroken for the slavery in the sugar fields surrounding her, but she is also heartbroken from the bondage she feels in her own life as a young woman. These woeful verses recount the struggles of a young and rebellious advocate, as well as those in her immediate circle.

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)

Tula sees the world through the lens of justice.  Whether it is slaves, or orphans, or herself, she wants fair and equal treatment for all.  This seems to be her goal- freedom for all.  However, this is not the goal for all of the speakers. Her mother wants wealth. Caridad wants freedom. Sab wants love. Most do not attain what they desire.  Struggle and want are cultural themes in this novel in verse. 

One of Tula’s main sources of discontent is the exclusion of women from education. In her nineteenth century Cuban world, women are seen as second-class citizens. They are expected to be wives and mothers. Not writers. The opening metaphor, “Books are door-shaped portals carrying me across oceans and centuries..” is so enchanting.  Engle uses many metaphors and similes to convey the intense power of emotions felt by the characters.  Tula compares herself to many things, a growling beast, an ox or mule to be sold, and a bird longing to be freed.   

Two other prevailing Latino literature themes within this work are the importance of story and oral tradition and fantasy. Tula’s stories are not just a lifeline for her, but they also bring hope and joy to the orphans. Her fantastical animal stories are what finally inspire Caridad to live free! For Tula, her writing is her freedom. It is the only way for her to feel completely free from the oppressive gender role expectations of her mother and others.  

D. AWARDS & REVIEW EXCERPTS
ALA Notable Children's Books, 2014

Booklist starred, February 2013: “Engle’s richly evocative verses conjure up a time when women, like slaves, were regarded as property to be sold into loveless marriages. This is the context for a splendid novel that celebrates one brave woman who rejected a constrained existence with enduring words that continue to sing of freedom.”

Horn Book Magazine, May 2013: “Brief, lyrical observations from others -- Mamá, a beloved brother, the nuns who nurture Tula's creative gift -- add dimension to Tula's own voice and the nineteenth-century Cuban setting. "Words / can be as human / as people, / alive / with the breath / of compassion," says the eloquent former slave Caridad. In Engle's able hands, they are just that.”

Kirkus Reviews, February 2013 “Engle's clear, declarative verse animates the impassioned voice of Tula as well as other major figures in her life-- Fiery and engaging, a powerful portrait of the liberating power of art.”

Pura Belpre Author Honor, 2014

E. CONNECTIONS

This Young Adult novel in verse could be included in several different units of study. To integrate it with other books about Cuban life, Engle’s books The Surrender Tree, The Poet Slave of Cuba, and Rima’s Rebellion: Courage in a Time of Tyranny. Other notable contributions to a Cuban study would be a quality Cuban American story, Cuba 15: a novel by Nancy Osa.