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Xochitl and the flowers -
story, Jorge Argueta ; illustrations, Carl Angel = Xóchitl, la niña de las flores / cuento, Jorge Argueta ; ilustraciones, Carl Angel.
San Francisco, Calif. : Children's Book Press, c2003.
31 p. : col. ill. ; 29 cm.
Annotations:
- In Spanish and English.
Xochitl and her family, newly arrived in San Francisco from El Salvador, create a beautiful plant nursery in place of the garbage heap behind their apartment, and celebrate with their friends and neighbors.
Best Books:
- Growing Up Latino in the U.S.A., 2004 ; ALSC American Library Association; United States
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
- Americas Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature, 2003 Commended United States
Independent Publisher Book Award (IPPY), 2004 Finalist Multicultural Fiction-Juvenile/Young Adult United States
Horn Book Guide:
- Spring 2004 Picture Books Rating 3, Recommended, satisfactory in style, content, and/or illustration.
Reading Measurement Programs:
Accelerated Reader
Interest Level Lower Grade
Book Level 4
Accelerated Reader Points 0.5
Reviews:
- Julie Kline (Booklist, Dec. 1, 2003 (Vol. 100, No. 7))
Xochitl misses El Salvador, especially her family's flower business. She and her mother start selling flowers in the U.S., but Xochitl doesn't feel that she really belongs until her new community comes to the rescue to save the family livelihood. Basing his bilingual picture book on a true story, Argueta (A Movie in My Pillow, 2001) infuses his work with Salvadoran culture, writing of life in poetic language: days move like turtles, smiles bloom like flowers, and snails, like immigrants, carry their homes upon their backs. The Spanish text, likely the original, is particularly expressive. Although the story's conflict is far too easily resolved, the message about community is strong, and this is one of only a few books that deal with the Central American immigrant experience. Angel's rather flat depictions of the characters weaken the story; but his background images, including photo collages that often recap Xochitl's memories of El Salvador, are striking and very colorful. Category: Books for the Young--Fiction. 2003, Children's Book Press, $16.95. K-Gr. 3.Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, July 1, 2003 (Vol. 71, No. 13))
Angel's expressive and teeming illustrations warmly complement the sweet temper of Argueta's tale of an El Salvadoran family-daughter, mother, and father-living in San Francisco. While daughter Xochitl remembers the family flower business back home and thinks about the occasions for which they provided flowers-weddings, quincea-eras, the funerals of pets-Angel displays her thoughts like billboards on the buildings across the street. Soon her father is able to secure an apartment with a yard-once full of junk, but now to be a small nursery. As they joyously celebrate their grand opening, however, the landowner angrily appears, demanding they close shop: the apartment is residential, not business. Will their dream come true be shattered as soon as it begins? Xochitl employs a matter-of-fact voice in her narration, giving the events and her feelings of nostalgia the feel of a memoir. Full of love for family and community, this bilingual story embodies the belief that positive action can overcome the negatives of circumstance. 2003, Children's Book Press, $16.95. Category: Picture book. Ages 6 to 9. © 2003 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.Horn Book (The Horn Book Guide, Spring 2004)
Based on a true incident in San Francisco's Mission District, this bilingual story is written by Salvadoran-American poet Argueta. The acrylic, colored-pencil, and photo collage illustrations bring this long story about the dreams of one Salvadoran-American family to life. This is a fine example of what a book with a bilingual text can and should be. Category: Picture Books. 2003, Children's, 32pp, $16.95. Ages 4 to 9. Rating: 3: Recommended, satisfactory in style, content, and/or illustration. Subjects:
- Salvadoran Americans Juvenile fiction.
Salvadoran Americans Fiction.
Gardening Fiction.
Neighborliness Fiction.
Immigrants Fiction.
Spanish language materials--Bilingual.
San Francisco (Calif.) Fiction.
| Language | Call Number | LCCN | Dewey Decimal | ISBN/ISSN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English (eng) | PZ7.A6865 Xo 2003 |
2002067720 |
[Fic] |
0892391812 9780892391813 |