The lyrical text is complemented by sumptuously detailed illustrations, rich in symbolism. It’s a story about family, and it’s a story to remind readers that all are dreamers, each bringing unique gifts. It’s drawn from the personal story of Yuyi Morales, who left her home in Xalapa, Mexico, in 1994 and came to the U.S. “Dreamers” is a celebration of what migrantes bring with them when they leave their homes. In addition to the Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award, “They Call Me Güero: A Border Kid’s Poems,” has also received a Pura Belpré Author Honor Award, a Walter Honor Award and the Claudia Lewis Award for Excellence in Poetry from the Bank Street College of Education. Bowles is the recipient of awards from the American Library Association, Texas Institute of Letters and Texas Associated Press. He is the author of “Feathered Serpent and Dark Heart of Sky: Myths of Mexico,” as well as “The Smoking Mirror,” which received the Pura Belpré Honor. Trusting in his family’s traditions, his accordion and his bookworm friends, Güero faces the school year with book smarts and a big heart.īowles is a Mexican American from deep South Texas, currently an assistant professor at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. He’s a reader, gamer and musician who runs with a squad of misfits like himself, Los Bobbys. “They Call Me Güero, A Border Kid’s Poems,” tells the story of 12-year-old Güero, a red-headed, freckled Mexican-American starting seventh grade. ʻThey Call Me Güero: A Border Kidʼs Poemsʼ The Rivera Award also promotes literacy by promoting high quality children’s and young adult literature, in addition to encouraging authors to write about the Mexican American experience. The award, established at Texas State University in 1995, is designed to encourage authors, illustrators and publishers to produce books that authentically reflect the lives of Mexican American children and young adults in the United States. The awards will be presented this fall at Texas State University with additional events to be scheduled in cooperation with the Texas Book Festival. “Dreamers,” written and illustrated by Yuyi Morales, was honored in the “Works for Younger Readers” category. “They Call Me Güero: A Border Kid’s Poems,” written by David Bowles, was honored in the “Works for Older Readers” category.
The dramatic black and white illustrations by Jonathan McNaughtt enhance the book.The books “They Call Me Güero: A Border Kid’s Poems” and “Dreamers” have been named the Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award recipients for works published in 2017-2018.
This is perhaps more an adults’ than a children’s book – but even quite young children will respond to the plight of the animals and their stories. But although this is a fable, it is not preachy the raw emotion of the eagle deprived of flight, the lioness parted from her cubs and the children’s loss of their people is immediate and heart-rending. They comment on the events of the war and the nature of humans and how they distort everything for their own ends. It feels entirely natural when the animals begin to speak. The plight of the two children and their baby sister is incredibly moving, and the older reader will guess at the terrible events waiting to be revealed at the heart of the story. Sonya Hartnett’s writing is beautiful, often surprising, yet always clear and simple – particularly when drama and emotion are at their height. The entire story takes place during the course of this one moonlit night, and explores the nature of freedom, of captivity, and of our responsibility to one another. At night they come to a bombed town, where nothing but rubble remains and all the people have gone, and there they find a small zoo where the animals are still trapped in their cages, without food or water. The youngest boy carries on his back a sack containing their baby sister, only a few weeks old and entirely dependent on her brothers. In an unnamed East European country, during World War II, two young Roma brothers wander through a devastated landscape, looking for food and shelter.
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