Multicultural Book Review: Mexican-American

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Culture:  Mexican American

Book:  Martinez, Victor.  (1996). Parrot in the Oven: mi vida.  New York:  HarperCollins.

Level/Age: YA (ages 12-20)

Synopsis:  The protagonist of this book is fourteen year old Manny Hernandez.  The reader is presented with a look at his life at home, his family dynamics, his neighborhood, and the navigation of his social realm.  His father, an abusive, unemployed alcoholic, frequents the local pool hall, where he drinks away what little money the family does have.  We journey with Manny through life-shaping events of his adolescence, including the arrest of his father, an accident in the home involving a loaded rifle, bullies in his barrio, a sympathetic white teacher, the death of his grandmother, his sister’s teen pregnancy and subsequent graphic miscarriage, direct racism from white peers, and a gang initiation.  The most formative event of the novel involves the aftermath of a mugging that Manny is involved in.

Comparisons/Contrasts with traditional American/Western culture:  Locke writes (150), “Damaging stereotypes, such as Mexicans being lazy, passive, and failure-oriented, have been reinforced by society and the media.”  In this novel, Manny’s father and brother fit this stereotype, and as such perpetuate it.  In certain scenes however, the author paints a clear and accurate picture of the racism faced by Mexican Americans in the dominant American culture.  Locke writes (153):  “…they are the underclass on whom others look down; they are disproportionally underpaid, uneducated, unacculturated, and unwanted.”  In one scene, Manny and his brother Nardo take a day job picking chilies.  Immigration officials show up and do a sweep, taking many Mexicans into custody.  One man tottered back into the field after the sweep, and Manny thinks, “At first I thought maybe he’d gotten away, but then someone recognized him and laughed, “Hey Joe, you’re not a wetback.  You’re a bracero.””  (According to Wikipedia:  “Wetback is a derogatory term used in the United States for non-American foreigners, commonly Mexican citizens, especially to those who have illegal immigration status in the U.S….Generally used as an ethnic slur”  (www.wikipedia.org).  In contrast, a bracero is a Latin American migratory worker, with at least temporary legal immigration status.)

Response:  I felt that the character of Manny Hernandez was not fleshed out.  He never took on human form for me.  Each scene in his life seemed to happen to him, but he never happened to it.  There was a lack of reaction or internal dialogue in the character of Manny.  Many powerful events happened, such as his sister’s miscarriage, and he had limited emotional reaction.  This event, like others, was described in detail, but not brought to life.  The back cover synopsis describes Manny as wanting to be a vato firme, the kind of guy people respect, and wanting to decide what happens to his own life, and yet one could read the first 212 pages of this 216 page book and not come away with this conclusion, as he effectively comes across as a passive bystander in his own life story.

Suggested Extension Activities:  This could possibly be used for a study of character development, or a study of adolescent struggles in various cultures.  Even though I didn’t connect with the protagonist, I would definitely feature this book in displays for Hispanic Heritage Month (mid-September to mid-October), and start a dialogue with my patrons who check it out, to see if they can provide me perspective that I may be missing.

Writing a PTSA Mini-Grant

As a Media Specialist, it is vital to make yourself aware of all possible funding sources. This year, our wonderful PTSA has again offered "mini-grants" for the faculty. Last year, you could apply for up to $100, but this year you can apply for up to $250! Last year, I applied and received $100 to purchase books and bookmarks to use as incentives in the library program. I run many contests throughout the year in order to attract students into the library, and the books served as great prizes. This year, I decided I wanted to develop our collection through the addition of Batchelder Award books. Essentially, the PTSA asks for two basic questions to be answered: describe the project, and provide the budget for it. At the end of the year, you have to then provide a summary of the project's implementation and how it impacted the student body. Writing a grant such as this takes some research, which takes time; however, it is well worth it in the payoff of exposing your students to excellent literature from around the world. Here is my grant application for this year:


Description of Project:

I would like to develop Orange Grove’s collection of Batchelder Award books. The Batchelder Award, given by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), is given to the most outstanding children’s book originally published in a language other than English, in a country other than the United States, and subsequently translated into English for publication in the United States. A comparative analysis of Orange Grove’s current collection against the Batchelder Award winning titles from the award’s inception in 1968, reveals that we own only six Batchelder titles out of the seventy-seven total award winners. That is only approximately 8% of the award books. Additionally, our current six Batchelder books are woefully inadequate to serve our population of 565 students. The following is a description taken directly from the website of the ALSC, a division of the American Library Association:


This award honors Mildred L. Batchelder, a former executive director of the Association for Library Service to Children, a believer in the importance of good books for children in translation from all parts of the world. She began her career working at Omaha (NE) Public Library, then as a children's librarian at St. Cloud (MN) State Teachers College, and subsequently as librarian of Haven Elementary School in Evanston, IL. She eventually joined the ranks of the American Library Association in 1936. Batchelder spent 30 years with ALA, working as an ambassador to the world on behalf of children and books, encouraging and promoting the translation of the world's best children's literature. Her life's work was "to eliminate barriers to understanding between people of different cultures, races, nations, and languages."


This award, established in her honor in 1966, is a citation awarded to an American publisher for a children's book considered to be the most outstanding of those books originally published in a foreign language in a foreign country, and subsequently translated into English and published in the United States. ALSC gives the award to encourage American publishers to seek out superior children's books abroad and to promote communication among the peoples of the world.


Budget of Project:

I would order the Batchelder titles through our vendor Follett, which the Media Center uses for our annual library orders. Selections are aligned with the Orange Grove Media Center collection development policies, which include preference for hardcover, or other equivalent library binding, to help ensure that the quality literature lasts for years to come. I have selected eighteen titles that could be purchased on an approximate $250 budget. (Note: the attached quote is for $252.99, and shows the cataloging and processing charges of $23.04. However, I would cover anything beyond the PTSA grant amount awarded.)


The attached quote includes each book’s title, author, publisher, year of publication, binding, and price, as well as a brief one or two sentence synopsis.

How do I renew my books online? And why do I care?

Renewing your books online is an easy process!  And, better yet, it saves you time and money!  By following the simple steps in the attached pdf, you can renew your library books from any device with Internet access: at home, school, or the smart phone in your pocket!  This saves you from having to come into the library to renew, and it saves you from overdue fines!  Remember, per Hillsborough County Public School policy, overdue fines are five cents per day, per item, and weekends and holidays are included--up to $3 per item!  (Policy taken directly from the HCPS Media Handbook, available here).

Save Time and Money!

Renew Online, On Time!

Click Here:

How do I renew my books online?

Batman! (Collaborative Lesson Planning Exercise)

Hillsborough County Secondary Media Lesson Plan Guide

Common Core Standard(s):	CC.8.R.1.7  Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or digital text, video, multimedia) to present a particular topic or idea.
Scenario:        How is this necessary?         How does this fit into the Common Core?         Explain the collaboration and roles between you and the classroom teacher.       Explain any follow up activities or instruction.	This supports Springboard, Unit 1 (8th grade) “Challenges of Heroism.”  Students will read a Batman graphic novel and watch a YouTube episode of the original Batman TV show, and compare/contrast each representation of the Bruce Wayne/Batman character.  Students will Quick Write on the characteristics of a hero and which medium’s portrayal of Batman most closely matches.
Overview:         Write your Essential Learning Target.         Briefly explain your activating strategy and task(s).	Bellwork will ask the essential question:  What defines a hero?
Assessment: Explain the type of assessment will you use. (Below are some examples – choose one or use a different kind)         Product         Exit slip           Self-assessment	Quick Write.
Instructional Plan: What type of instructional plan does your lesson follow?          Direct instruction         Modeling and Guided Practice         Independent Practice        Sharing and Reflection Provide details about how the lesson will unfold. Consider using time markers as well.	Teacher Responsibility Explain the Bruce Wayne character as a hero.  Lead students in completing a Venn Diagram comparing/contrasting TV Batman with Graphic Novel Batman.	Media Specialist Responsibility Provide the graphic novel and the YouTube episode.  Briefly describe the characteristics of a graphic novel, and the characteristics of TV (audio & visual, etc.).  Lead students in a think-pair-share about the advantages and disadvantages of each medium.

Reflection (Fill in AFTER lesson is completed with students):        What went well in the lesson?        What improvements will you make for the next time?