About: This book is a picture book that utilizes its simplistic words and multifaceted illustrations to bring awareness to communities and environmental issues that affect these populations. Specifically this book focuses on many native communities that are rising to together to bring awareness to the negative effects of pipelines and the contamination of water sources as a result.

Awards: (No Awards)

About the Authors: Both author and illustrator have native ties. Carole (author) is apart of the Ojibwe tribe and Michaela (illustrator) grew up in Southeast Alaska close to the Tlingit tribe.

Cultural Authenticity

1. Authenticity of Cultural Beliefs and Values from that Group -

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2. Accuracy of Cultural Details -

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3. Integration of Culturally Authentic Language -

4. Power Relationships Between Characters -

5. Perspective and Audience -

6. Balance Between Historic and Contemporary -

7. Adequate Representation of any group within Collection -

Evaluation:

Check above in August for Evaluation of the Text

About: Dear Primo is a picture book that highlights the life of two boys who are cousins, one lives in the United States and the other in Mexico. This book takes both lives of the boys and shows the audience a glimpse of each of their lives by talking about the foods they typically eat, the holidays they celebrate, and their favorite pastimes.

Awards: This book won the Pura Belpré honorary award. This specific accomplishment is awarded to Latino/a artist or illustrators that highlight latino culture and experiences.

About the Author(s): Duncan Tonatiuh is a Mexican American who was raised in San Miguel, Mexico. He is also the illustrator for this book and his illustrations are influenced by traditional Mexican art including Maya and Aztec art. Check out his personal site!

Cultural Authenticity

1. Authenticity of Cultural Beliefs and Values from that Group -

   • The author of this text is a Mexican American who had the opportunity to experience both American and Mexican culture growing up. He is writing from a personal perspective when he created this story and could be considered an author who is a #OwnVoices Insider.

2. Accuracy of Cultural Details -

   • Tonatiuh shows many details of the culture portrays throughout his book. Diving deeper into food culture, school, and leisure activities of a Mexican and Mexican-American child. He takes both identities and compares and contrasts them against each other, paralleling them for the audience to see.

3. Integration of Culturally Authentic Language -

   • Throughout "Dear Primo", Tonatiuh utilizes diverse language of the culture being represented. He does this in a culturally authentic way by highlighting various vocabulary, customs, and experiences of the Mexican culture. Throughout the book, he even highlights specific words that are specific to Carlito's specific world. Tonatiuh demonstrated the use of language elements that were "strategically and skillfully cultural sensitive" and "create[d] powerful bilingual images of characters, settings, and themes" (Short and Fox, 2004).

4. Power Relationships Between Characters -

   • Both Charlie and Carlitos have voice and are not in competition to see whose life is better but are highlighting everyday experiences that are unique to the boys. Both boys have ownership and pride over their own environments.

5. Perspective and Audience -

   • This book is unique because it highlights both cultures and is a first-hand account of both Mexican and Mexican American identities. This book is both a way for children to relate to other children from that culture or a way to connect to a culture that they identify with but may not have many experiences of first hand.

6. Balance Between Historic and Contemporary -

   • This book is a contemporary text of Mexican and Mexican-American culture. It is just one perspective of two individuals that can be a mirror for children who identify as either Mexican or Mexican American but it can also be a window for other children who do not have that experience or expertise of that culture. The story can easily be associated with children who live in the present day from both cultures and thus I would considered it to be a contemporary piece of literature.

7. Adequate Representation of any group within Collection -

   • Since the author uses his prior knowledge and experiences (by being a Mexican-American himself) to create the narrative in this story, it does provide an adequate and appropriate representation of Mexican and Mexican-American Culture.

Personal Evaluation:

• At first glance, I was not sure if I would enjoy this book but after reading this particular picture book, I was wildly entranced by the story and its structure. As mentioned in my tweet, I was very engaged with this text and it has left a lingering impression on me since I read it a few days ago. I really like the way that Tonatiuh paralleled the boys' stories and made me think this text would serve as a great mentor text for students when discussing their own personal identity. Ultimately, I think I would use this text as a way for students to further explore their own and their family history/culture by comparing and contrasting the life they live currently and what life was like in a ancestor's, current family member's , or their own country.

About: This is the second book in the Stella series and this time Stella is making change. Stella is a courageous girl who loves the ocean and all the creatures who live in it. Join Stella as she learns how to protect the ocean by through friendships and collaboration.

Awards: (No Awards) but the first book in the series, "Stella Has Something to Say" received the 2019 Sid Fleischman Award

About the Authors: Angela is a Mexican-American who grew up in Texas. She has a diverse Latina background and uses her background knowledge and experiences throughout her stories. Her family migrated to El Salvador from Italy and then made their way to Mexico City and then to the U.S.

Cultural Authenticity:

1. Authenticity of Cultural Beliefs and Values from that Group -

   • As described before

2. Accuracy of Cultural Details -

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3. Integration of Culturally Authentic Language -

4. Power Relationships Between Characters

5. Perspective and Audience

6. Balance Between Historic and Contemporary

7. Adequate Representation of any group within Collection

Evaluation:

This book can provide teachers and students with many talking points. There is so much content that is so relatable to many students and classrooms. Something that made this book different than other books like this one, is that it brought the issue to life by including the audience. It also was very relevant to today's time. (Many events and experiences that can be related to life in 2020). I would definitely include this book in my classroom library.