Informational Resources:

Author Information:

Ernesto Cisneros Website:

https://www.ernestocisneros.com/

Activities & Resources:

About the Book:

Efrén Divided behind the book (3:55): https://youtu.be/JM0_wzeYabI

Read Ernesto Cisneros’s letter to readers: https://harperstacks.harpercollins.com/blog/a-letter-from-ernesto-cisneros-author-of-efren-divided/

Immigration:

Create a poster for the school, your home, or the community that promotes inclusivity.

Find out your learners’ prior knowledge of immigration by using the iceberg strategy: https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/teaching-strategies/iceberg-diagrams

Here the stories of real kids who have recently immigrated to the US: http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immigration/young_immigrants/

Learning for Justice’s Ten Myths About Immigration: https://www.tolerance.org/magazine/spring-2011/ten-myths-about-immigration#

Faces of America lesson from PBS (Grade Level 5-7): https://www.pbs.org/wnet/facesofamerica/for-educators/lesson-overview/16/

When discussing topics related to immigration in the United States use the Three Whys strategy: https://reimaginingmigration.org/three-whys/

Family:

Create a “Who am I” chart to share their personal identity. Use categories like family role, hobbies and interests, and their background to help kids brainstorm words or phrases that describe who they are. Use an editable identity chart provided by Facing History and Ourselves: https://www.facinghistory.org/chunk/identity-chart

Learn how to make Efrén’s favorite meal his mom makes, sopes (3:17): https://youtu.be/QZxXyvNhgc4

MakerSpace Activities:

Make paper flowers to represent “eres una semilla” or “you are a seed” (p 145). https://www.pre-kpages.com/how-to-make-tissue-paper-flowers/

Using the glossary of in the back of the book, create an online Spanish tutorial for fellow readers.

Create a campaign ad using iMovie, Animoto, or another video app to help Efrén win the ASB president election.

Using Canva or Adobe Spark, create an infographic of Teaching Tolerance’s Ten Myths of Immigration.

Make a short animation or stop motion video using Toontastic app or iStopMotion app based on the proverb “they tried to bury us...they didn’t know we were seeds.”

Discussion Questions:

Why does Efrén escape to the bathroom to read?

Efrén says reading a book is “like visiting an old friend” (p 3). What do you think Efrén means when he describes reading that way?

Why is Efrén staying up late waiting for his mother to get home from work? Why is he concerned for her safety?

Amá makes milagros or miracles every morning. What are some of his mom’s miracles? Why are they seen as miracles by Efrén?

Why is walking to school by himself such a big deal for Efrén? Why do you think his mom is so protective of him?

Is David serious about running for ASB president? Do you think he would take the responsibility seriously?

Mr. Garrett’s attitude and teaching style changes when he finds out about Efrén’s mother being deported? Why?

What do Amá and Apá do to try to get Efrén to stop worrying about his mother? Does it work?

How have things changed at home? What other pressures besides his mother being deported is Efrén facing?

What does Efrén tell Max and Mia about their mom being deported? Do they believe Efrén?

Why is being ASB president so important to David?

Why does Efrén keep his mother’s deportation a secret from David?

Jennifer quotes a well known proverb, “they tried to bury us...but they didn’t know we were seeds.” What does this proverb mean to you? Why is it so important to Jennifer and her mother?

Why does Jennifer send Efrén the text of the flower drawing and “eres una semilla” (p 145)?

Why did Efrén decide to run for ASB president knowing it would hurt his friendship with David?

Why does Efrén convince Apá that he should be the one to get money to Amá?

Why are Efrén and Apá nervous about their trip to Tijuana?

Why does Apá keep asking Efrén if he has all of his documentation and money?

What does Lalo tell Efrén about Tijuana? Why is Tijuana’s nickname “the land of the forgotten?”

What mistake did Efrén make when he stopped to help the young boy and girl?

What did Efrén see when Lalo took him to the Muro?

Why will getting Amá back home be difficult?

Book Talk Teasers:

Watch the book trailer for Efren Divided.

Read the Reader’s Theater for Efren Divided.

Read-Alikes:

Family:

Kim, Patti. I’m Ok. a Korean American boy, tries a get rich quick scheme of starting a hair braiding business and winning the school talent competition to hide the fact that he is struggling with the loss of his father and the financial hardships he and his mother must now bear. (Novelist Plus)

Warga, Jasmine. Other Words for Home. Sent with her mother to the safety of a relative's home in Cincinnati when her Syrian community is overshadowed by violence, Jude worries for the beloved family members who were left behind and forges a new sense of identity shaped by friends and changing perspectives. (Novelist Plus)

Immigration:

Alvarez, Julia. Return to Sender. After his family hires migrant Mexican workers to help save their Vermont farm from foreclosure, eleven-year-old Tyler befriends the oldest daughter, but when he discovers they may not be in the country legally, he realizes that real friendship knows no borders. (Novelist Plus)

Cervantes, Angela. Gaby, Lost and Found. Gaby enjoys working at the local animal shelter and wants to adopt a cat but is unsure of her own living situation when her mother is deported back to Honduras. (Novelist Plus)

Diaz, Alexandra. Santiago’s Road Home. Fleeing abusive relatives and extreme poverty in Mexico, young Santiago endures being detained by ICE while crossing the border into the United States. (Novelist Plus)

Salazar, Aida. The Land of the Cranes. A story in verse of nine-year-old Betita, a young Latinx girl who learns to hold on to hope and love even in the darkest of places: a family detention center for migrants and refugees. (Novelist Plus)

Yang, Kelly. Front Desk. After emigrating from China, ten-year-old Mia Tang's parents take a job managing a rundown motel, despite the nasty owner, Mr. Yao, who exploits them, while she works the front desk and tries to cope with fitting in at her school. (Novelist Plus)

Reviews:

Cisneros, Ernesto. Efrén Divided. Harper/Quill. 2020.

Efrén Divided (Starred)

Cisneros, Ernesto (author)

Mar. 2020. 272p. Harper/Quill Tree, $16.99 (9780062881687). Grades 3-6.

REVIEW. First published February 1, 2020 (Booklist).

Efrén Nava has a tight-knit family—Max and Mia, his younger twin siblings; his hard-working father, Apá; and his mom, Queen of the Best Sopes, Amá (otherwise known as “Soperwoman” in Efrén’s mind), who is the glue that keeps the family together. Efrén is happy with the way his life is going—he’s working hard at school, spending time with his best friend David, and visiting his school library. But one day, Efrén’s world comes crashing down when his beloved Amá gets deported. Now he must do his part in supporting his family, which means helping take care of his siblings, managing money, and being strong for his father, all while keeping up at school and helping David become class president. How long, he wonders, can the family go on without Amá? With matter-of-fact storytelling from Efrén’s point of view, Cisneros’ debut offers a vivid glimpse into the difficult, tenuous lives of immigrant families, succinctly communicates the heartbreaking impact of deportations, and demonstrates the resiliency of those affected, all grounded in the perspective of a relatable protagonist. This timely middle-grade novel will not only open dialogue with children on the issue of immigration but also encourage conversations on the subjects of kindness, empathy, and activism. A moving novel perfectly pitched to its audience. — Esmeralda Majors

Reprinted with Permission of Booklist https://www.booklistonline.com/

School Library Journal Xpress (February 28, 2020)

Gr 5-7-A timely story of one boy's fight to reunite his family, save a friendship, and stand up for justice. Efrén's favorite spot to read is the bathtub-when he wants to hide from his twin siblings, that's where he retreats, though the smell of Amá's delicious sopes always has a way of drawing him out. To Efrén, Amá is a Soperwoman! Living undocumented in the United States, Amá and Apá both work hard to provide a better life for their children. Although their apartment is small and money is tight, Efrén knows he has a lot to be thankful for. But one day everything changes. When he arrives home from school, Amá is gone. She has been deported. Stepping in to care for his siblings while Apá works overtime, Efrén tries to channel Amá's superpowers. But when teachers and friends notice something is wrong, will Efrén find the courage to share the truth? Efrén's story is not uncommon. In the last few years, the news has become saturated with headlines about deportations and separated families. Cisneros provides a heart-wrenching and evocative glimpse of what one family's life might look like on both sides of the border. Using down-to-earth characters and authentic scenarios, he tells a story of resilience, strength, and love. VERDICT In a time full of divisiveness and unknowns, this resonant title will inspire young readers to make a difference, no matter the hardships they face.-Rebecca Redinger, Lincoln Park Branch, Chicago Public Library © Copyright 2020. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Reprinted with permission from School Library Journal, 2020. http://www.slj.com.