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Tonatiuhs narrative and expressive illustrations are very much influenced by Mayan hieroglyphs and beautifully combine to tell an important story that is often overlooked in our nations history. From cover to cover, the two-dimensional artwork conveys the injustices Sylvia and her family experienced. The easy-to-follow narrative teaches children they hold the power to make a change in their communities. Furthermore, Tonatiuh includes an authors note that details Sylvias life and the change her parents ignited, pictures of Sylvia, her parents and the schools in the story, as well as an index, bibliography, and glossary. He also mentions that the inspiration for the dialogue came from an interview with Sylvia, making this book a perfect addition to discussions about public policy and social justice issues in education. Reviewer: Jasmine Gutierrez
(PUBLISHER: Abrams Books for Young Readers (New York:), PUBLISHED: 2014.).

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Listen!

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1. Overcoming of prejudice against things and people and ideas that are different.

On page 26, the school superintendent said that they sent Mexican children to Mexican schools because, essentially they are dirty and have poor hygiene. This is such a blanket statement and he believes Mexican people specifically the children are vile and dirty and should be segregated away from white clean students. I think including this in the story showed how people were prejudice against other races and heritages without understanding how hurtful and incorrect they are/have been.

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1. Solving emotional problems nonviolently, so that a child may learn from his experience what is involved in the problem, what his responsibility is toward it, and how it can be handled with increasingly satisfactory results for all concerned.

I think that this story did a great job of incorporating this piece of criteria. Sylvia's parents decided to nonviolently solve the problem that was stopping their children from attending the school that was closest in proximity to their house. On pages 19 and 20, Sylvia's parents create a petition for other parents of Mexican-American children to sign to shed light on how many Mexican-American families are negatively affected by this rule of where their children can and cannot attend school. I think that having parents resort to creating a organization and petition was really powerful since it demanded real changes in a nonviolent way.

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1. Overcoming of prejudice against things and people and ideas that are different.

Sylvia wondered why the school secretary, school superintendent, and county superintendent were being prejudice against her brothers and her. Why could her cousins who were Mexican but looked white and had a French last name be allowed to attend school?

I personally was deeply upset to see how multiple members of the school district treated the Mendez family and would not give them an explanation on why their children must attend the Mexican school. Even referring to the school as a Mexican school did not sit well with me when I was reading this story.

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1. Breaking down of suspicion and fear.

Sylvia did not want to go back to school because the kids were 'mean' to her after they told her that she belonged in a Mexican school (pg 5).

Sylvia's mom did not want Sylvia to fear going to school because they (meaning her father and her) fought so hard for Sylvia to be able to attend there. I think it was more that Sylvia did not like being bullied which no kid likes, but having her mom try to build up her confidence to tell her that "you belong there" was really powerful.

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Leave a comment below if you have heard about this book before? If not, are you interested in reading it after reading this Padlet?

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Leave a comment below if you have heard about this book before? If not, are you interested in reading it after reading this Padlet?

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This story is about Sylvia Mendez and her parents fight for Sylvia to attend a "white only" school district. Sylvia is an American citizen but is Mexican and Puerto Rican and battles with the school district to be treated as an equal to the white students that are enrolled in the school district. Sylvia and her parents file a lawsuit which sparks commotion in the community, will Sylvia be able to attend the "white only" school or will her heritage keep her segregated in a different school?

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1. Reconciling opposite viewpoints.

2. Solving emotional problems nonviolently, so that a child may learn from his experience what is involved in the problem, what his responsibility is toward it, and how it can be handled with increasingly satisfactory results for all concerned.

3. Breaking down of suspicion and fear.

4. Overcoming of prejudice against things and people and ideas that are different.

5. Understanding of destructive impulses: fear, greed, jealousy, treachery, deceit, and insecurity which breeds them.

6. Approaching life constructively through sympathy, understanding, and security.

*Criteria found on website

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The Jane Addams Children’s Book Award annually recognizes children’s books of literary and aesthetic excellence that effectively engage children in thinking about peace, social justice, global community, and equity for all people. A national committee of members with passion for and expertise in children’s literature and social justice is responsible for making the choices each year.

https://www.janeaddamschildrensbookaward.org/book-award/

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Tonatiuh, D. (2014). Separate is never equal : Sylvia Mendez & her family's fight for desegregation / Duncan Tonatiuh.