Teaches About Culture – Page 5

Bounce Back

Zayd has been working hard to prove that he can lead his team to the playoffs. When he injures his ankle, he’s forced to watch from the sidelines. Zayd feels as if his basketball dreams will never come true. As Zayd watches from the bench, he struggles to figure out what his role is. Should he give his teammates advice or just cheer from the sidelines?

Zayd’s story focuses on Zayd’s basketball team as well as his Uncle Jamal’s upcoming wedding. The story shows basketball action and Zayd’s family life. Bounce Back gives readers a glimpse into the life of a large Pakistani family. Every member of Zayd’s family helps with Jamal’s wedding plans, and Zayd discovers that helping choreograph a dance is much like coaching basketball.

Bounce Back has less basketball action and focuses more on the changing dynamics of Zayd’s family. His father has a minor heart attack and has a difficult time finding the energy to exercise. Zayd and his sister think of a clever way to get their grandfather up and moving. The strong family bonds shine through and give the story more depth.

Even though Zayd cannot play, his parents make him support his team by attending practices and games. Zayd struggles with feeling jealous when he watches someone play in his position. Zayd says, “You don’t know how horrible it feels to sit there and watch and not play.” Despite the feelings of jealousy, in the end, Zayd learns the importance of helping his team despite his injury. Zayd’s coach is also portrayed in a positive light and leads his team to the playoffs without screaming or demeaning the players.

Readers can enjoy Bounce Back even if they have not read the previous books in the series. The easy-to-follow plot will engage readers. Zayd is a likable, relatable character that tells his story with humor and honesty. Bounce Back teaches the importance of helping others, even if it is from the sidelines. Some readers who enjoyed the Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream Series may also want to read The Contract Series by Derek Jeter.

Sexual Content

When Zayd’s uncle gets married, Zayd asks, “Dude, aren’t you supposed to, like, kiss the bride.” People laugh and then the imam says, “How about they. . . ahem. . . celebrate in private later.”

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

Zayd’s mother says, “Oh thank God. Then he sees her “mouthing a prayer.”
When Zayd’s grandfather becomes ill, his mother asks someone to “keep my father in your prayers.”
Zayd sees his grandmother. “She has her scarf on her hair and is praying. A worn copy of the Quran is sitting next to her.”

Ana María Reyes Does Not Live in a Castle

Ana María Reyes’s last name means “kings,” but she doesn’t live in a castle. Instead, she lives in a two-room apartment with too many people—her parents and her three sisters. When her parents tell the family that a new baby is on the way, Ana María isn’t thrilled. With so many people in the house, Ana María wonders why her parents would want another child.

To make matters worse, Ana María is given a chance to earn a scholarship for the Eleanor School, New York City’s best private academy. She is excited at the prospect, but in order to earn the scholarship, she has to amaze the judges at her piano showcase. Every time she tries to practice, something or someone gets in the way!

Then the family takes a trip to the Dominican Republic, and Ana María realizes that while she may not live in a castle, she isn’t as poor as she thought. When disaster strikes her family, Ana María must figure out what’s most important to her. Will following her dreams conflict with doing what’s best for others?

Ana María Reyes does not Live in a Castle follows the struggle of a large first-generation Dominican family living in New York City. Despite having a loving family, Ana María wants more—more space, more attention, and more nice things. She struggles with how her parents always help those in the community, even if it means putting Ana María’s needs aside. When she sees others struggle, Ana María thinks, “other people’s problems weren’t my responsibility. We should take care of ourselves.” However, in the end, she realizes the importance of helping those in need. Unlike many stories, Ana María does not Live in a Castle highlights the fact that giving to others doesn’t always make a person feel good. Sometimes helping others means making painful sacrifices.

Ana María’s story is realistic fiction that deals with the hard topics of substance abuse, child labor, and complicated family relationships. Because the story is written from Ana María’s viewpoint, the topics are covered in child-friendly terms. Ana María feels ignored, but later realizes that she has misinterpreted her mother’s actions. She thinks, “Maybe instead of being mad at Mami for hanging out with my sisters, I should have been thanking her for helping me concentrate on my practicing.”

Despite the fun cover, Ana María Reyes does not Live in a Castle is not a lighthearted children’s story. The number of characters, the tough topics, and the length of the story will be difficult for many readers. The story has some Spanish words, which also may confuse readers. Ana María’s story is interesting, but readers who are still used to illustrated children’s books may have a difficult time finishing Ana María does not Live in a Castle.

The themes of hard work, supporting your family, and giving to others are reinforced throughout the book. In the end, the reader will come away knowing, “That’s one of the great things about family. Nobody’s perfect, but we still love and support each other.” Ana María is a relatable character who learns some valuable lessons. The positive messages in Ana María Reyes does not Live in a Castle make it well worth the read.

Sexual Content

One of the teen characters is pregnant and unmarried.
Gracie went to the apartment’s lobby to meet a boy. When she went, Gracie “was wearing lipstick and a white tank top, and she had rolled up the elastic waistband on her red shorts to make them even shorter.” When Ana María says she is going to the apartment lobby to meet Pedro, her little sister “made kissing noises.”
On Halloween, Gracie’s friends dress up. “Vicky was dressed as a ‘sexy cat,’ and Rebecca was a ‘sexy nurse.’”

Violence

When Ana María says something mean, her mother slaps her. Later her mother apologizes and says, “I shouldn’t have lost my temper like that.”
While driving drunk, Ana María’s uncle hits someone with his car. “The car slammed into Rosie and sent her flying up in the air. . . The car rammed into the streetlight, which tumbled to the ground with a vibrating clash. . . But Rosie was lying completely still in her ripped tutu on the edge of the sidewalk.” Rosie has a “concussion, a broken leg, and two fractured ribs.”

Drugs and Alcohol

Ana María’s uncle likes “to have a little drink ‘every now and then.’”
At a graduation party, Ana María’s uncle was “swinging around a beer.” Later in the story, he hugs Ana María and “he smelled like beer.”
Ana María’s father says that her uncle “drinks too much, and driving drunk is illegal and dangerous. It’s only a matter of time before he kills someone.”
When Rosie is injured, the doctors give her painkillers.
A mother of one of the characters is “addicted to drugs.” The mother “came home one day and the house was empty. She had sold everything for drug money. Even my little brothers’ shoes.”

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

Ana María’s family attends mass. The services are not described.
When Ana María’s aunt gets engaged, the aunt’s mother “looked at the ceiling in thanks to God.”
When Ana María gives a poor man some food, he says, “God bless you.”
When Rosie is injured, her Abuelita says, “God will protect her.” Later Abuelita “took her rosary out of her purse. Then she closed her eyes and prayed.”
Abuelita says that “God knows how to take care of us.”

Ghosts

Caterina doesn’t want to move. But moving to the coastal town Bahia de la Luna, with its cool, salty air, will help her little sister Maya’s cystic fibrosis. When the two sisters start exploring their new home, they meet their neighbor, Carlos. According to Carlos, Maya isn’t the only one that likes the cool, salty air—so do the ghosts who visit Bahia de la Luna.

As the town prepares for El Día De Los Muertos, Maya is determined to meet a ghost. But Cat doesn’t want to have anything to do with the celebration, and she certainly doesn’t want to meet a ghost. Will Cat be able to put aside her fears? Will Maya fulfill her dream of a ghostly encounter?

Ghost focus on Cat’s fear of losing her sick sister, who has cystic fibrosis. The story shows Maya’s treatments in a fun, illustrated format. Even though Maya is sick, she remains adventurous and inquisitive. Maya is curious about what will happen to her after death.

The beautiful color pictures help tell Cat’s story. Cat is also fearful of the ghost and wants them to leave her family alone. Cat doesn’t want to learn about the Día De Los Muertos or think about her sister’s illness. The illustrations portray Cat’s varied emotions—fear, worry, embarrassment, and love. Even though Cat’s fear is a central part of the story, the ghosts are not portrayed in a frightening manner.

This easy-to-read story gives readers a glimpse into the life of someone with cystic fibrosis. The traditions of Día De Los Muertos come alive through the illustrations. For readers who want to learn more, the end of the book contains more information about Día De Los Muertos and cystic fibrosis.

Ghost is a simple story told through both illustrations and text. Each page contains seven or fewer sentences. The easy vocabulary, simple sentences, and fun pictures make Ghost accessible to all readers. The story contains some Spanish words, but most readers will be able to understand the meaning through context clues. The message and the plot will be interesting for readers in elementary and junior high.

Sexual Content

Cat kisses a boy on the cheek.

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

“Oh my gosh” is used several times.

Supernatural

The story focuses on the Day of the Dead. “It’s a day to welcome back the spirits of the loved ones we’ve lost.”
The town’s mission is “a doorway to the spirit world.” Later in the story, someone takes Maya and her sister to the mission because “It’s where the ghosts’ world and ours most closely overlap. . . so heading up there is our best chance of making contact.”
When Cat and Maya see a ghost, the ghost hurts Maya because “ghosts just get a little overly excited by kids. Their energy is like a breath of fresh air.”
On the day of the dead, ghosts come to the town and interact with the living. “Some of them can speak, and some of them can’t.” One of the ghosts grabs Cat’s hand and flies her home.
A character thinks that “keeping seashells in your house is bad luck. . . unless you want to lure the discontented dead.”
At the end of the story, traditional Mexican foods magically appear on Cat’s family’s table.

Spiritual Content

None

My Vida Loca

Seven-year-old Sofia turns everyday life into a grand adventure. In the first short story, Sofia gets the perfect Christmas gift, a Superstar Sing Box. Sofia loves showing off her singing voice, but she needs to find an audience that appreciates her. In the second short story, Sofia and Abuela make a batch of rice pudding. However, she soon learns there’s more to cooking than she thought. The final story involves Sofia’s cousins, a car, and a muddy mess.

Sofia Martinez: My Vida Loca is written for beginning readers. Each story contains three easy-to-read chapters. Beginning readers will appreciate the many pictures that are scattered throughout the story and the large print. Readers will be able to relate to the topics in each story. Spanish words and phrases are printed in pink and appear throughout the text. Although many of the words are understandable because of their context, a glossary is included at the end of the book.

Sofia’s story shows her cultural heritage through her stories. In each of her stories, her large family is portrayed as a positive influence. Her cousins add humor to the story. The illustrations are another positive aspect of the book. The illustrations are full of color and portray Sofia and her family as warm and stylish. The characters’ facial expressions will help younger readers decipher the emotions of the characters.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

On Point

Zayd worked hard to get on the gold basketball team. He was looking forward to a winning season and playing on the team with his best friend Adam. Zayd’s dream season is not close to reality. The team struggles to work as a team and keeps losing. To make matters worse, Adam decides he does not want to be on the team, even though he’s team captain. When the coach tells Zayd to take point, Zayd is not sure he has the skills to play the position. Zayd wants to lead his team to victory, but he wonders is he will be able to step up.

Readers will be drawn into Zayd’s daily life and his struggles on the basketball court. On Point has less basketball action than the first book of the series. Instead, the story focuses more on Zayd’s family life and the changing relationship between he and his best friend. Even though book one develops the characters, On Point can be read as a stand-alone.

Zayd faces typical dilemmas including how to deal with pressure, changing friendships, and insecurities. One dilemma Zayd faces is when a friend tells him to sign a behavioral slip for his parents, but Zayd knows that he needs to be honest. However, he does think “I suddenly realize that when I got into trouble for skipping violin practice to play basketball it was also Adam’s idea.” Through Zayd’s story readers will learn the importance of speaking up for yourself.

Zayd has a big extended family that love and support each other. The relationship between Zayd’s family members bring humor as well as show the complicated, but positive aspects of family life. Through the family’s daily life, the reader gets a glimpse into the Pakistani culture. Urdu words are scattered throughout the story; however, more context into their meaning would be helpful. The chapters are short, dialogue breaks up the paragraphs, and the word choice makes the text easy to read. On Point would be a good book for sports lovers and the relatable plot would be accessible to reluctant readers.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

“Oh my god” is used once as an exclamation.
Zayd’s sister calls him and his friends “dorks.”

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

Power Forward

Zayd wants to take the basketball world by storm. In order to make his dreams come true, he’s going to have to overcome many obstacles. He knows he’s just a scrawny fourth-grader who weighs fifty-six pounds, but he’s convinced that size won’t get in his way. Zayd needs to step up his game to advance to the gold team. He’s prepared to practice, but his parents want him to focus on practicing the violin. Can Zayd convince his parents to let him pursue his passion?

Power Forward has a straightforward, easy-to-follow plot that is perfect for younger readers who are looking to transition into chapter books. The story focuses on Zayd’s desire to play basketball, but also includes glimpses into Zayd’s family life and integrates the Pakistani culture into the story. Zayd’s family adds humor and depth to the story.

Through Zayd’s experience, readers will be exposed to lessons about family, truthfulness, and the importance of perseverance. Many readers will relate to Zayd because he deals with the difficulty of being small for his age. He shows that one does not need to be at the top of the growth chart in order to be successful in sports. For those looking for a simple sports story, Power Forward is a slam dunk.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

“Oh my God!” is used as an exclamation three times in the book.
A character tells Zayd to explain why he skipped violin practice. “Maybe they’ll understand why you did such a boneheaded thing.”

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

A character tells someone that she is going to “the mosque to plan the fund-raiser.”

Enchantment

As a child, Ivan stumbled across a slumbering princess in a forest clearing. Terrified by the beast that guarded her, he fled. But years later he is compelled to return by the need to determine if his princess was a childhood fantasy. Unfortunately for him, she was not.

Ivan is thrown into a world a thousand years in the past. Despite the fact that he is already engaged to a simple American girl, Ivan discovers that he is expected to marry the princess. If he fails to do so, the kingdom will become forfeit to the evil witch, Baba Yaga. However, Ivan must prove to himself and to the kingdom’s subjects that he truly is worthy of their princess.

Filled with culture, magic, and an interesting look into how modern people would fare in ancient times, Enchantment is a joy to read. However, some adult themes make this novel appropriate for a more mature audience than Card’s most famous book, Ender’s Game. Nevertheless, this is an intriguing story that will draw you in for an enjoyable tale.

Sexual Content

When Katerina meets Ivan and knows they are destined to get married, she thinks, “And in the marriage bed, wouldn’t he lie more lightly upon her than any of the hulking knights who had looked at her with covert desire?”
When the king meets Ivan, the king makes, “a reference to the presumed consummation of their marriage.”
Baba Yaga thinks about her husband, who is also a god. “He was the only male she’d ever slept with that she couldn’t kill no matter how much she sometimes wanted to.”
Baba Yaga tells a bear that if he betrays her with another woman, “your balls fall off.” She then tells him to, “Stick to swans and heifers or whatever it was that Zeus had a taste for. Or she-bears. But as far as humans go, you’re mine.”
When Ivan and Katerina are married, Ivan thinks that he had hoped to marry out of love. When he thinks of his marriage night he is concerned. “To bed a woman who was only doing it because her people were being held hostage. How is this going to be distinguishable from rape?” In a book that Ivan had tried to read, the author “had written that ‘all women love semi-rape . . . But the idea seemed so loathsome to him that even if it were true, he did not want to know it . . . To sleep with an unwilling woman—Ivan was not even sure he would be able to perform.”
At the wedding, Ivan is unsure what to make of the guest’s behavior. “The crude comments about how he was going to keep the princess turning on the spit longer than a suckling pig gave him a new appreciation for the Jewish ban on pork. And the children who asked if they could come play in the tent that his erection would make of the bedcovers left him speechless.”
When Ivan’s fiancé finds out that he married Katrina, she is upset. One of the reasons she is upset is because she and Ivan never had sex and people teased her saying he was gay or had a childhood injury. “They kept thinking up some new malady to explain his lack of sexual drive. ‘He has elephantiasis of the testicles’—that was a favorite—‘his balls weigh thirty pounds each.’”
When Ivan and Katerina consummate their marriage, the act is not described in detail, but Katerina thinks about what she had been told. The advice is told over a page and includes, “Most of them spoke of the casual brutality of men, like dogs that mounted bitches, boars on sows. It will hurt. . . One took her aside warned her not to cry out in pain—some men will think it should always be like that, they’ll come back for more of your pain instead of for your love . . . If you don’t make him welcome, he’ll find someone else who will. Other told her to be grateful when he found someone else, because then he’d only bother her when it was time to make babies.”

Violence

Baba Yaga used magic to turn her husband into a bear. “Yaga found her husband tearing at a human thigh. It was disgusting, the way he let blood drool onto his fur, making a mess of everything. One the other hand, the ligaments and tendons and veins stretched and popped in interesting ways.”

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

Profanity is used rarely throughout the book, including bitch, damn, and shit.
Katerina tells Ivan, “Not everyone is as tall as you. . . I don’t imagine you could even lie down straight in a regular house. Not without sticking your head out the door and your ass in the fire.”
The king calls the witch a “great bitch.”
Shit is used several times. One example is when the bear tells Baba Yaga that when he kills men, he doesn’t need a sword, “I roar at them and they shit themselves and run stinking into the woods.”
Ivan thinks he wasn’t worthy of Katerina and that, “the only men who tried to date such women were the arrogant assholes who thought every woman wanted them to drop trou and let the poor bitch have a glimpse of Dr. Love.”

Supernatural

Time travel, magic, witches, and old Russian gods are integral parts of the storyline.
Baba Yaga is an evil witch who uses magic and spells to try to gain a kingdom.
Mikola Mozhaiski is the bear god. Some people thought Mikola Mozhaiski kept Baba Yaga in check.
A magical bear, who is a god, was watching over Katerina as she slept.

Spiritual Content

Katerina is a Christian. She believes in Mikola Mozhasiski and the Holy trinity. “. . . unlike God, you couldn’t pray to Mikola Mozhaiski, you couldn’t curry favor with him, he asked of you neither baptism nor mass.”
Ivan is a Jew who practices his religion. When Katerina first meets him she wonders why a wolf hasn’t sent him on to heaven. Then she thinks, “Well, not heaven. He was a Jew.”
Katerina’s father would like her to choose another husband, even if it means they will have to fight to keep the kingdom. Katerina said, “Father, I am a Christian . . . But the armies of Rome have been defeated many times since they converted to Christianity. Maybe when God has some great purpose, like converting an empire, he gives victory to is follows. But Christians can die.”
Katerina prays. “And in that moment, she had prayed, O Mikola, O Tetka Tila, O Lord Jesus, O Holy Mother. . . then she realized that she had prayed to Jesus third, not first, and when she spoke to the Holy Mother, it was not so much the Blessed Virgin as her own dead mother to whom she prayed. No doubt this was damnation, and she sank down into sleep, into despair.”
Baba Yaga asked the bear to kill someone and she reminds him that he is immortal. Baba Yaga mocks him saying, “You’ve lost faith in yourself. Isn’t that rich? A good who has become a self-atheist!”
When Baba Yaga told bear he should have remained a weather god, he said, “Weather god was never my option. This people didn’t need a sky god. They needed a god to keep winter under control. Like any good king, we respond to the needs of the people. We become what they need us to be.”
One of the characters, Dimitri, has a dream and thinks the Winter Bear has determined that he should marry the princess. Even though the priest has forbidden him to perform the old rites, Dimitri still performs them because the “Christian God had not replaced the old gods. Father Lukas was full of lies. And the Winter Bear was full of promises.”

The Serpent’s Secret

Kiran’s parents are just a bit odd, and she has never really fit in. Even so, she thought she was just a regular sixth grader living in New Jersey. Then, on her twelfth birthday, her parents disappear and a rakkhosh demon crashes through her house to try to eat her.

When two princes show up, trying to rescue her, she realizes that her parents’ stories are really true—she really is a princess that comes from another world. With the help of the two princes, Kiran is taken to another dominion, one with magic, winged horses, moving maps, and annoying talking birds. Before she can save her parents, she must fight demons, unlock riddles, and avoid the Serpent King of the Underworld.

The Serpent’s Secret is an interesting and action-packed retelling of Indian mythology. Filled with riddles, jokes, and a talking bird, the story will entertain middle school readers. Black and white illustrations will help readers visualize the characters. As Kiran learns about her cultural background, she also learns to accept herself. Although there is violence, the scenes are appropriate for younger readers because they are not described in detail and much of the action is running away from demons instead of battling them.

Kiran and the two princes talk like stereotypical teenagers. The main character’s dialogue is filled with slang and idioms such as when Kiran looks at the prince and thinks, “While I got my fill of Lal-flavored eye candy.” There is a lot of creative name-calling throughout the story, which does not involve cursing.

A dynamic story with a strong heroine, The Serpent’s Secret will delight those who like a good adventure story. For readers interested in adventure stories or India’s mythology, Aru Shah and the End of Time is a must-read.

Sexual Content

The king has multiple wives.

Violence

A rakkhosh, or demon, swallows Kiran’s parents and then tries to swallow her. When Lal tries to help, the rakkhosh knocks him out. “I shrieked as the monster’s fist managed to connect with Lal’s head. The prince slumped forward, unconscious, and then began to slip off the rakkhosh’s neck.” The fighting takes place over several chapters.
A teenager spits at Lal. “The goober hung on a lone blade of grass, shimmering like a disgusting jewel.”
The Demon Queen attacks Kiran. “. . . The rakkhoshi ripped a handful of her own hair from her head and threw it at me . . . As soon as the magical hair hit me, I couldn’t move at all.” Neel saves Kiran, but not before the Demon Queen turns Neel’s brother and friend into spheres. The battle lasts over several pages.
When Kiran and Neel try to steal a stone that is being protected by a python, the “snake grabbed a hold of Neel, wrapped itself around him, and began to squeeze. . . Neel’s face got redder as the snake squeezed.” The battle scene takes place over a chapter. In the end, the python is defeated. “The python’s giant body lay still, oozing dark blood on the cavern floor. Trying to reach the jewel, it had instead split itself in two on Neel’s sword.”
A baby rakkhosh wants to eat Kiran, her parents, and Neel. “That snot-nosed newborn demon transformed himself into a whirlpool.” When the rakkhosh “eats” them, they end up in a cave with a seven-headed snake, who “wrapped Ma, Baba, and even poor terrified Tuntuni in his coils. As a last flourish, he slapped his nasty tail over all their mouths.”
The serpent king imprisoned Neel in a flaming sphere. “The prince screamed in pain—a sound that made my blood run cold. He writhed around within the glowing orb, his body twisting in unnatural contortions, as if he were being tortured.”
Kiran and the Serpent King battle. “He shot bolt after bolt of green fire, but I met them all with the shimmering, diamond light of my own.” Kiran’s moon mother shows up, and “as he launched the cracking lightning from his hands, the moon shot a white-hot beam at the Serpent King. He glowed an incandescent green, but then began to writhe and decay, his energy going from green to brown to gray to black.” The Serpent King disappears and everyone is safe.

Drugs and Alcohol

A rakkhosh sings a song, “Hob, gum, goom, geer! Pass the blood! Pass the beer!”
A “band of drunken demons” chase Kiran and Neel.
Kiran sees a warning sign that reads, “After whisky, fighting demons risky.”

Language

A bangle seller says her bracelets are for “generously proportioned and the skinny-butt offspring of slimy snake creatures alike.”
The Demon Queen calls Kiran a “snake in the grass” and “cobra dropping.
When Kiran is fighting a python, she thinks, “Holy serpent poop.”
Kiran thinks that Neel’s “Granny still had some chutzpah left in her.”
Kiran calls Neel a “Royal Pain-in-the- Heinie.”
Crap is used twice and heck is used once.

Supernatural

The story focuses on Indian mythology, including mythological monsters and demons.
Kiran’s parents are “swallowed by a rakkhosh and whisked away to another galactic dimension.”
Kiran’s father was a serpent king and her mother was a moon maiden. Her adoptive parents found her “in a clay pot floating down the River of Dreams.”
Kiran’s biological mother exiled her to New Jersey and put a protection spell over her and her adoptive parents. “Anyway, an expired spell also makes everything around it unstable—in this situation, the boundaries between the various dimensions . . . which is how the rakkhosh came into your world.”
Kiran’s tears have healing properties. “I remembered how Tuni had seemed dead, but how he’d come to life in my arms.”
Kiran can understand horses. “And then, as clearly as if the horse were speaking to me, I heard his voice in my mind.”

Spiritual Content

Kiran explains that her “Baba always tells me we’re all connected by energy—trees, wind, animals, people, everything. . . He says that life energy is a kind of river flowing through the universe.” Neel continues the thought and says, “When our bodies give out, that’s just the pitcher breaking, pouring what’s inside back into the original stream of universal souls . . . so no one’s soul is ever really gone.”

Listen, Slowly

The beach. Friends. Boys. Mia planned her summer around fun. Then her father drags her to a small village in Vietnam where Mia is to watch over Bá (her grandmother). However, Mia doesn’t want to learn about her roots—she’s a California girl, who has no desire to meet relatives, travel to Vietnam, or give up the comforts of her life.

As Mia struggles with mosquitoes, lack of privacy, and a language barrier, she learns about her family heritage as well as what is really important in life. However, the story isn’t just about Mia; it’s also about Bá and her need to find out what happened to her husband in the Vietnam War.

As Mia tells her story in Listen, Slowly, the reader is entertained with funny stories as well as introduced to Vietnamese culture. Another positive aspect of the book is Mia who is a realistic and likable character. She worries about regular teenage things, but also comes to realize that the people in her life are more important than things, cell phone included. This book is suitable for younger readers because the story is told from a teen’s point of view. Although the story contains some adult issues, they are adjusted to fit the maturity level of a younger audience.

Sexual Content

Mia thinks about her best friend who has large breasts and a bow on the butt of her bikini. Mia is afraid a boy that she likes will be interested in her best friend because of the bikini. When Mia goes on Facebook, she sees a photo of her friend in a bikini. She thinks, “Did she Photoshop to make her boobs look extra big? How big do they need to be? I don’t want her boobs, but I have to confess I do want the attention they get her . . . There HE is, just as I suspected, standing right behind her butt bow.”

Violence

A soldier recounts a story about when he was in the war. The soldier and a prisoner, who viewed each other as equals, spent time digging a tunnel. Then helicopters came and dropped bombs. The prisoner died. When the soldier recounts the story, Bá slaps him because the prisoner was Bá’s husband.
Mia’s father tells her about when he left Vietnam. “I looked out my airplane window and saw a boy not much older than I was dangling from a helicopter. I watched him hang, then drop into the sky.”

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

None

The Lightning Queen

Eleven-year-old Teo lives in the Hills of Dust, where not much happens. His life is dull and there is not much hope of things changing in the future. Then a gypsy caravan arrives. The caravan’s Mistress of Destiny tells Teo his fortune–Esma, Queen of the Lightening, will be his lifelong friend. Once Teo and Esma know their fortune, they band together to make it come true.

Teo tells his own story in The Lighting Queen. Teo and his companions, a duck, a blind goat, and a three-legged skunk, bring the story of rural Mexico to life. However, what ultimately drives the story is Esma. She is a plucky heroine who believes that anything is possible, and her optimistic attitude brings inspiration to both Teo and the reader.

The Lightning Queen has plenty to love for readers of all ages. The characters (including the animals) are loveable. The story is engaging and sprinkled with humor. The storyline shows the harshness of life without going into graphic detail or adding unneeded violence. Through the story, the reader sees the importance of looking beyond the physical appearance of people and finding friendship in unlikely places.

Sexual Content

Teo and Esma kiss goodbye once. “Our lips touched like two bird wings brushing against each other for the tiniest of moments, then flying apart on their own separate journeys.”

Violence

Teo tells the story of when his father was hit by a car. “There was a screech and a thump . . .I remember blood and tears on his eyelashes . . . I remember the driver standing over my father, talking to another driver. Calmly. Too calmly. And most of all I remember their words . . . ‘It’s just an indio.’ Then the other man shrugged and said, ‘What’s one less indio?’ They dragged my father to the side of the road. They wiped his blood from their shirts with handkerchiefs. Then they got back into their cars and drove off.”
When Teo’s uncle sees the gypsies giving fortunes, he becomes angry and, “flipped the table over. Cards scattered . . . other Romani woman gasped and skittered backwards with the toddlers. My aunts pulled away, against the wall, holding their own children. My uncle lunged toward Uncle Paco, trying to restrain him.”
The schoolteacher hits a boy’s hand with a ruler. “Tears streamed down his cheeks and he cried out. Twice. Now the boy was sobbing, trembling. Three times. Snot and tears covered his face, and his eyes were wide with fear.”
The schoolteacher hits Teo’s hand with a ruler. “There was a crack, a bolt of pain like fire that shot through my entire body. My hand wanted, more than anything, to pull away.”

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

The gypsies tell fortunes. At the beginning of the story, a gypsy tells Teo’s fortune—that he and Esma were destined to be friends for life. The two decided to do everything they can to make the fortune come true.
Esma puts a “pretend” curse on the schoolteacher in order to make the teacher kinder to the students. Teo’s grandfather tells the two that he doesn’t like curses, even pretend ones.
Teo dies. In death, he sees his sister, father, and grandfather. Esma comes and sings to Teo’s dead body. Teo, “felt the strain of the silvery thread pulling me towards my body. At the same time, I felt the tug of the other world, so easy and glittering and colorful, the promise of an eternity playing with Lucita [his sister], basking in the warmth of Grandfather and Father . . . My soul string was stretched to a single, quivering delicate strand.” When Esma sings, Teo “floated downward” and comes back to life.
When Esma sings, people say they can feel their dead loved ones. “I can almost feel my grandmother here with me, as though Esma’s song has opened a path to somewhere hidden.”

Spiritual Content

Teo and Esma find a statue that looked like, “a raccoon wearing a giant crown of corncobs.” Teo tells Esma, “We call them diositos—little gods. People say they’re good luck. Most of us have one or two at home. But don’t tell the priest about it.”
Teo’s grandfather gives his uncle a “limpia to clean his spirit. That meant spitting on him with cactus liquor and beating him with bundles of herbs.”

Inside Out & Back Again

Despite the war, Hἁ loves her home in Saigon. She loves going to the market, her friends, and family traditions. Best of all, Hἁ has her very own papaya tree. When Saigon falls, Hἁ’s family is forced to move to America. But once they get to America, adjusting to a new culture, a new language, and new traditions are more difficult than Hἁ imagined.

Told from Hἁ’s point of view, Inside Out & Back Again is a story that gives the reader a glimpse of life in Saigon during the Vietnam War. Hἁ’s conflict with other people and with her own feelings shows the confusion of adapting to a new culture. Written in poetry format with beautiful descriptions, children will enjoy this engaging story.

Sexual Content

When Hἁ’s neighbor hugs and kisses a man, Hἁ thinks, “only husbands and wives do that when alone.”

Violence

The story takes place during the Vietnam War. On TV, “a pilot from South Vietnam bombed the presidential palace downtown that afternoon. Afterward the pilot flew north and received a medal.”
When South Vietnam loses the war, a “woman tries to throw herself overboard, screaming that without a country she cannot live.”
When they get to America, someone throws a brick through the family’s window “along with a note. Brother Quang refuses to translate.”
A teacher shows pictures of “a burned, naked girl running, crying down a dirt road/of people climbing, screaming, desperate to get on the last helicopter out of Saigon.”
At school, Hἁ is teased. When a boy threatens to beat up Hἁ, she hits him. “A thud. Pink boy writhes on the pavement.”

Drugs and Alcohol

None

Language

None

Supernatural

None

Spiritual Content

When Hἁ’s mother discovers that those whose visa applications say “Christians” get sponsored quicker, her mother “amends our faith, saying all beliefs are pretty much the same.”
In order to be more accepted into the American community, Hἁ and her family get baptized.

Love Sugar Magic: A Dash of Trouble

Leo wants to be able to help her family prepare for the Dia de los Muertos festival. Leo’s family owns a bakery in Rose Hill, Texas. Every year, her family spends days preparing for the big celebration. This year, when Leo is told that she is once again too young to help, she sneaks out of school and into the bakery. She soon discovers that her mother, aunt, and four older sisters have been keeping a secret from her. They’re brujas—witches of Mexican ancestry—who pour a little bit of sweet magic into everything that they bake.

Leo is determined to test her magical abilities, even when her sisters tell her to wait until she is older. When her best friend Caroline has a problem, Leo is confident that she can craft a spell to solve Caroline’s problem.

A Dash of Trouble is the first book in a series about a Mexican-American family that lives in a diverse Texan town. The fantasy includes Spanish vocabulary that is easy to understand in the context of the book. The story brings the Mexican traditions for Día de los Muertos to life.

Even though Leo doesn’t always feel appreciated by her family, her family clearly loves her and wants what is best for her. Readers will be able to relate to Leo’s desire to be treated more like an adult (even when she doesn’t act like one) as well as her desire to help her friend.

Leo spies on her family, makes promises she does not intend to keep, and practices magic against her family’s wishes. When Leo accidentally shrinks a boy from her class, his mother is frightened and calls the police. When Leo is able to reverse the spell, her family is proud of her for figuring out how to solve the problem. The boy covers for Leo, saving the family’s magical secret. Leo’s story is entertaining and filled with humor. A Dash of Trouble would lead to a good discussion on the importance of honesty.

Sexual Content

None

Violence

None

Drugs and Alcohol

On the Day of the Dead, some people put alcohol on their family’s shrines.

Language

None

Supernatural

The females in Leo’s family are witches, and they have a spellbook that has been handed down for generations. Leo’s sister explains, “But we’re not just any kind of witch. Brujería is practiced by lots of people in lots of different ways, and our special family power comes from the magic of sweetness; sweetness from love and sweetness from sugar.”
In Leo’s family, “each group of sisters gets magical talents based on the order in which they were born. Second-borns, like Mamá and me have the power of manifestation, which means we can produce objects—small ones, for the most part—whenever we need them.”
Another one of Leo’s sisters has the power of influence. “They make . . . suggestions. They can change a person’s feelings, make you happy or sad for no reason.” In one part of the book, she tries to influence Leo’s feelings.
Leo uses a spell to make pig cookies fly. They fly around and make a mess out of her room.
Leo’s sisters have the power to channel the dead, which they do during the Day of the Dead. “Belén spoke again, but it wasn’t her voice that came out. It was a man’s voice, and it came out of Belén’s throat.” Leo thinks, “. . . Day of the Dead was invented as a way to talk to people who have passed away, to remember them and show them that you still loved them. If messages helped people do that, they couldn’t be so scary.”
Leo’s sisters explain, “We can see and talk to any of the ghosts who are hanging around, no problem. It’s calling them, or channeling them so other people can hear, that takes extra effort.” The twins can see their abuela, or grandma, who hangs around because “she still has so much love tying her to the world of the living. The older ghosts get a little more . . . scattered, and then sometimes they stop showing up altogether—“
Leo’s sister, Marisol, tells her not to mess with magic, especially “big spells. They can have terrible consequences . . . And the more complicated the spell, the more one tiny experiment can mess things up, big-time.”
Leo makes cookies with a spell in the hopes of making a boy named Brent like her friend, Caroline. The spell does not work correctly. Instead, Brent begins writing love notes to all the girls in his class. He also tells several girls that he loves them “more than anything in the world.”
Leo accidentally shrinks Brent. “Inside the jar was a person. A tiny person unmistakably. The person was curled up and suspended in the honey, eyes closed and hands folded as if he were enjoying a nice nap.” With the help of her sisters and her dead grandmother, Leo is able to reverse the spell.
Leo’s abuela appears. “Sitting—no, actually, standing in the center of the bed, her body from the waist down disappearing through the mattress, was Abuela.”

Spiritual

None

My Family Adventure

Sofia Martinez is a seven-year-old girl who wants to be noticed. My Family Adventure contains three short stories about Sofia’s daily life. In the first story, she tries to gain her family’s attention through a photo swap. In story two, Sofia and her cousins want to make a surprise gift for their abuela’s, or grandma’s, birthday. In the third, a class pet goes missing and Sofia needs to figure out how to get the pet back into its box.

Sofia Martinez: My Family Adventure is written for beginning readers. Each story contains three easy-to-read chapters. Beginning readers will appreciate the many pictures that are scattered throughout the story and the large print. Readers will be able to relate to the topics in each story. Spanish words and phrases are printed in pink and appear throughout the text. Although many of the words are understandable because of their context, a glossary is included at the end of the book.

Sofia’s story shows her cultural heritage through her stories. In each of her stories, her large family is portrayed as a positive influence. Sofia often relies on her family members to solve her problems. In one story, her father lovingly tells her, “There are a lot of people here. Not everyone can pay attention to you.” The illustrations are another positive aspect of the book. The illustrations are full of color and portray Sofia and her family as warm and stylish. The character’s facial expressions will help younger readers decipher the emotions of the characters.

Sexual Content