THE OTHER SIDE

A perceptive documentary portraying three Mexican-born children, Pedro and Francisco Tapia and Cinthya Guzman, and their community in Chula Vista, between San Diego and the border. All fluently bilingual (Cinthya is considering medical school), they describe learning English in an American school and how they use two languages in their daily lives, the advantages of living in the US (cleaner, better education), and reasons for frequent visits back to Tijuana (to see family and get cheaper medical treatment; it's also safer). Though Krull mentions problems faced by Latino immigrants (one of several sidebars discusses stereotypes) and describes their customs and culture, she emphasizes the stable, disciplined family life these three young people enjoy and what they have in common with other American kids. The lively, thoroughly detailed account is well served by the candid color photos on every spread. A fine resource. Also in the new A World of My Own series: City Within a City, about NYC's Chinatown (ISBN: 0-525-67437-3). Further reading; index. (Nonfiction. 8-12)