They Call Me Güerro: A Border Kid's Poems
by David Bowles
Informational Resources:
Author Information:
David Bowles’ website:
David Bowles’ biography:
Activities & Resources:
Activities:
Rio Grande Valley:
History of the Rio Grande Valley
https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/ryr01
To travel to Mexico Güero and his father must cross the Rio Grande River. Learn about the 5th longest river in North America.
https://www.britannica.com/place/Rio-Grande-river-United-States-Mexico
On page 10, Güero describes all of the types of plants and vegetation that grow in the Rio Grande Valley. Research the native plants of the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
http://www.quintamazatlan.com/docs/Native%20Plants%20Brochure.pdf
Learn:
Ms. Wong, Güero’s English teacher, read Aztec and Maya myths with her students. Learn about the Aztec and Maya civilizations’ history, daily life, and mythology.
https://www.ducksters.com/history/aztec_maya_inca.php
Mr. Gil and Ms. Wong teach Güero and his classmates about Masks, specifically Masks from Mexico and Korea. Learn about the history and cultural significance of different types of masks from Mexico and Korea.
http://www.korea.net/NewsFocus/Culture/view?articleId=121401
https://www.mexican-folk-art-guide.com/Mexican-masks.html#.Xh9DH8hKg2w
Güero’s family has a Tamalada to make tamales for the holidays. Learn about this holiday family tradition:
https://folklife.si.edu/magazine/tamalada-christmas-tamale-tradition
Listen to the song Güero played on the accordion at his sister’s Quinceañera.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO8f_s27mJU
Create:
Güero describes an anacua tree that shades his bedroom with all of his favorite things. Think about a spot that is special to you and write a poem describing the spot and why it means so much to you.
Organize a comic book club like Güero y los Bobbys. The members of the club can meet and discuss their favorite comic books, or create their own comic books.
Write a sonnet about a friend or someone you care about.
MakerSpace Activities:
Güero shares his love for his hometown in each poem. Using a green screen app like DoInk, students can create a video explaining what makes their town special.
After learning about the history of masks in Korea and Mexico, students can papier-maché a mask (2:36):
https://safeshare.tv/x/ss5e3322f8048e8#
Find an example of figurative language or a descriptive passage and create a 3D representation.
Using old newspaper articles, magazines, or old book pages create a blackout poem. Make the poem interactive by using Scratch coding and Makey Makey:
https://makeymakey.com/blogs/how-to-instructions/blackout-poetry-with-makey-makey-and-scratch
Discussion Questions:
Güero loves his hometown and loves that there are things you can do in a border town that you can’t do anywhere else. What makes your hometown special? How would you describe your town?
Food is an important part of Güero’s family gatherings. Do you have a favorite food or meal you like to share with your family?
Güero’s dad makes him feel better after the sight of the border fence upsets him. What does he say to make Güero feel better?
What does “it’s like a bit of our souls has fused with the block and wood” mean (p. 13)?
The author writes, “Humans are drawn to colors, sounds, and smells like a swarm of bees to blooming flowers” (p. 15). Do you think this is true? What smells, sounds, colors are you drawn to?
Güero learns about myths and folklore through his abuela’s stories and lullabies. What stories or lullabies does your family share with you?
When Uncle Joe tells Güero about the nagual he dreams of having the freedom and joy of shifting into a fabled animal. Why does he want that kind of freedom?
Why is Güero excited to start middle school?
Why are Güero y los Bobbys such good friends? How are they similar?
Why do the Bobbys and Güero go to the library everyday during lunch? What does the librarian, Mr. Soria, do to make them feel welcome?
How does Güero feel about his nickname?
Why is Ms. Wong different from his other teachers? What does Ms. Wong teach that “opens up a whole new world” to Güero(p.32)?
Why does Güero want to make a mask of the Feathered Coyote? Why does the Feathered Coyote represent Güero?
Güero and his family share a love of music, but all of them have very different tastes. What kind of music do you like? Do you and your family like the same type of music?
Why does Güero leave his friends in the cafeteria to sit with Andrés? Why is it important to make new kids feel welcome?
What does Güero realize after hearing Andrés’s story of leaving Honduras?
Güero’s family comes together on Christmas Eve day for a tamalada. The family spends the day making tamales for the holidays. Güero describes the day spent with family as “history, hard work, great fun, and family magic” (p. 59). What does Güero mean by family magic? Do you have family traditions you would consider magic?
Güero uses his words to face Snake, the school bully. How did Güero feel after reading his rap to the class?
Why is Joanna different from other girls at Güero’s school?
How does Güero’s feel when his sister asks him to play the accordion at her Quinceañera?
Book Talk Teasers:
Present the readers theater for They Call Me Güero: A Border Kid’s Poems.
Play the book trailer for They Call Me Güero: A Border Kid’s Poems, found on the Texas Bluebonnet Award YouTube channel:
Read Alikes:
Family and Home:
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)
Oh, Ellen, ed. Flying Lessons & Other Stories. From basketball dreams and family fiascos to first crushes and new neighborhoods, this anthology, written by award-winning children's authors, celebrates the uniqueness and universality in all of us. (Novelist Plus)
Medina, Meg. Merci Suárez Changes Gears. Thoughtful, strong-willed sixth-grader Merci Suarez navigates difficult changes with friends, family, and everyone in between. (Novelist Plus)
Perez, Celia C. The First Rule of Punk. Twelve-year-old María Luisa O'Neill-Morales (who really prefers to be called Malú) reluctantly moves with her Mexican-American mother to Chicago and starts seventh grade with a bang--violating the dress code with her punk rock aesthetic and spurning the middle school's most popular girl in favor of starting a band with a group of like-minded weirdos.(NoveList Plus)
Ryan, Pam Munoz. Becoming Naomi Leon. When Naomi's absent mother resurfaces to claim her, Naomi runs away to Mexico with her great-grandmother and younger brother in search of her father.(NoveList Plus)
Torres, Jennifer. Stef Soto, Taco Queen. Mexican-American Stef Soto is hoping to break free from her overprotective parents and embarrassing reputation from her family's taco truck business, but she soon learns that family, friendship, and the taco truck are important and wonderful parts of her life. (NoveList Plus)
Yang, Kelly. Front Desk. Ten-year-old Mia Tang's parents--recent immigrants from China--take a job managing a rundown motel in Southern California, even though the owner, Mr. Yao exploits them. While her mother (who was an engineer in China) does the cleaning, Mia works the front desk and tries to cope with demanding customers and other recent immigrants, as well as being one of only two Chinese people in her fifth grade class--the other student being Mr. Yao's son, Jason .(NoveList Plus)
Novels in Verse:
Alexander, Kwame. The Crossover: A Basketball Novel. Fourteen-year-old twin basketball stars Josh and Jordan wrestle with highs and lows on and off the court as their father ignores his declining health. (Novelist Plus)
Holt, K.A.. Rhyme Schemer. A novel in verse about Kevin's journey from bully to being bullied, as he learns about friendship, family, and his talent for poetry. (Novelist Plus)
Lai, Thanhha. Inside Out & Back Again. Through a series of poems, a young girl chronicles the life-changing year of 1975, when she, her mother, and her brothers leave Vietnam and resettle in Alabama. (Novelist Plus)