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PORTRAITS OF HISPANIC AMERICAN HEROES

A worthy introduction to some of the Hispanic-Americans who have left their marks on the country and culture through their...

Short and engaging biographies of 20 inspirational Hispanic-Americans from fields as varied as sports, arts, sciences, politics, and teaching.

In his introduction, Herrera—the current poet laureate of California—says, “In a land of immigrants, it is an irony that Latino lives have been largely ignored.” It is this gap that he has set out to fill with his book. He includes several well-known figures, such as community organizers César Chávez and Dolores Huerta; artists Desi Arnaz, Rita Moreno, and Joan Baez; baseball player Roberto Clemente; and Supreme Court justice Sonia Sotomayor. He also makes plenty of room for the less-renowned but equally inspirational, such as teacher Jaime Alfonso Escalante, whose life story became the basis of the feature film Stand and Deliver; suffragist Adelina Otero-Warren, who fought for women and children; and astronaut Ellen Ochoa. The task the author has set out to accomplish is big, and the space allotted him is not big enough, but the very helpful recommended readings, bibliography, and source notes at the end of the book should help motivated readers seek out more information. Each profile is accompanied by a beautiful full-page portrait done in watercolor, colored pencils, and litho pencils, etched in Colón’s signature style to stunning effect.

A worthy introduction to some of the Hispanic-Americans who have left their marks on the country and culture through their commitment and dedication. (Biography. 8-12)

Pub Date: Aug. 7, 2014

ISBN: 978-0-8037-3809-6

Page Count: 96

Publisher: Dial Books

Review Posted Online: May 1, 2015

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WHAT JEWISH LOOKS LIKE

A celebration of progressive Judaism and an inclusive primer on Jews making a difference in the world.

This wide-ranging collection of short biographies highlights 36 Jewish figures from around the globe and across centuries.

Explicitly pushing back against homogenous depictions of Jewish people, the authors demonstrate the ethnic, racial, and gender diversity of Jews. Each spread includes a brief biography paired with a stylized portrait reminiscent of those in Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo’s Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls (2016). A pull quote or sidebar accompanies each subject; sidebars include “Highlighting Jewish Paralympic Athletes,” “Jewish Stringed Music,” and “Ethiopian Jews in Israel.” Kleinrock and Pritchard’s roster of subjects makes a compelling case for the vastness and variety of Jewish experience—from a contemporary Ethiopian American teen to a 16th-century Portuguese philanthropist—while still allowing them to acknowledge better-known figures. The entry on Raquel Montoya-Lewis, an associate justice of the Washington Supreme Court and an enrolled member of the Pueblo Isleta Indian tribe, discusses her mission to reimagine criminal justice for Indigenous people; the sidebar name-checks Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Elena Kagan. The bios are organized around themes of Jewish principles such as Pikuach Nefesh (translated from the Hebrew as “to save a life”) and Adam Yachid (translated as the “unique value of every person”); each section includes an introduction to an organization that centers diverse Jewish experiences.

A celebration of progressive Judaism and an inclusive primer on Jews making a difference in the world. (resources) (Nonfiction. 8-12)

Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2024

ISBN: 9780063285712

Page Count: 128

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: June 15, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2024

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THE BOY WHO FAILED SHOW AND TELL

Though a bit loose around the edges, a charmer nevertheless.

Tales of a fourth grade ne’er-do-well.

It seems that young Jordan is stuck in a never-ending string of bad luck. Sure, no one’s perfect (except maybe goody-two-shoes William Feranek), but Jordan can’t seem to keep his attention focused on the task at hand. Try as he may, things always go a bit sideways, much to his educators’ chagrin. But Jordan promises himself that fourth grade will be different. As the year unfolds, it does prove to be different, but in a way Jordan couldn’t possibly have predicted. This humorous memoir perfectly captures the square-peg-in-a-round-hole feeling many kids feel and effectively heightens that feeling with comic situations and a splendid villain. Jordan’s teacher, Mrs. Fisher, makes an excellent foil, and the book’s 1970s setting allows for her cruelty to go beyond anything most contemporary readers could expect. Unfortunately, the story begins to run out of steam once Mrs. Fisher exits. Recollections spiral, losing their focus and leading to a more “then this happened” and less cause-and-effect structure. The anecdotes are all amusing and Jordan is an endearing protagonist, but the book comes dangerously close to wearing out its welcome with sheer repetitiveness. Thankfully, it ends on a high note, one pleasant and hopeful enough that readers will overlook some of the shabbier qualities. Jordan is White and Jewish while there is some diversity among his classmates; Mrs. Fisher is White.

Though a bit loose around the edges, a charmer nevertheless. (Memoir. 8-12)

Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2021

ISBN: 978-1-338-64723-5

Page Count: 208

Publisher: Scholastic

Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2020

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