Children's Books

Recommended Books in Spanish for Children and Young Adults, 1996-1999 by Isabel Schon, 7/2000. Scarecrow Press, Inc., 4720 Boston Way, Lanham, ML 20706, appendix, Author Index, Title Index, Subject Index, 5 3/4" x 8 3/4", 376p., $45., hardcover 0-8108-3840-0
This is a bibliography arranged by subject, authors, and titles for those serving Spanish-speaking children. Recommended Books in Spanish lists 941 books with references in both fiction and nonfiction. This a follow-up of the 1994-1995 edition which was so popular. Those school libraries in Spanish-speaking areas will find this work a valuable tool in ordering books for the students. Its critical annotations are clear and concise. The book is well bound and Schon has covered a broad range of Hispanic Literature for youth.

Trino's Choice by Diane Bertrand, 1999. Arte Publico Press, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204-2174, children (6-12), 5 1/2" x 8 1/2", 124p., $9.95, softcover 1-55885-268-9
Trino Olivares is thirteen and poor. Because he has no father and his mother must clean motel rooms to provide the small amount of food the family gets, Trino feels responsible for his three brothers. He also feels angry and helpless.
One day he sees Rosca, a vicious older teen, and his gang rob and assault the elderly owner of a shop where boys played video games in the back room. From then on, Trino's life is in danger even though he doesn't tell what he saw. Now he adds fear to his other problems and doesn't know what to do. Hiding from Rosca and his gang in a bookstore, he meets some school kids and gets a glimpse of a different life. He knows he doesn't fit with them, yet when Rosca invites him to join his gang and maybe make some easy money--which Trino knows his family desperately needs--he doesn't know what to do. His choice affects his entire life.
Trino and his circumstances are believable. While the novel entertains, it also sympathetically portrays life among poor Hispanic teens in the Southwest. His story could be true. Good reading for young teens, Hispanic or not.
Marilyn J. Nichols

Henry and the White Wolf by Tyler and Tim Karu, 11/2000. Workman Publishing, 708 Broadway, New York, NY 10003, color illustrations throughout, 8 1/4" x 8 1/4", $12.95, 32p., hardcover 0-7611-2135-8
A sensitive book for children who may be facing or have already faced serious illness. Written by youngsters, the insight is fresh. It is a touching story about a hedgehog named Henry who becomes ill. Being young and not having experienced the realities of such things, Henry becomes confused and afraid. To learn about his illness and help him to face his fears, Henry and his mother must go and talk to the White Wolf, a deadly enemy of the hedgehog. The wise old owl has sent them there and knows the experience will change Henry's perspective about his illness. The White Wolf gives Henry a beautiful smooth stone of his own to touch and hold and comfort him in the times when his parents are not around.
Tyler and Tim Karu have based this book on their own experiences and feelings of facing illness. The book also contains a nice size smooth stone to give to the child with the book.
Douglas L. Quentin

The Immortal Rooster and Other Stories by Diane de Anda, 1999. Arte Publico Press, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204-2174, illustrated by Roberta Collier-Morales, 5 1/2" x 8 1/2", $9.95, 68p., softcover 1-55885-278-6
Children are always asking questions about their world and the uncertainties of growing up. Here, Diane de Anda relates five different Mexican-American stories which share the joys and worries of the unknown paths to adulthood. These stories include The Immortal Rooster; Tia Luisa, Dancing Miranda; Mari, Mari Mariposa; and The Visitors. The book is illustrated with lively black and white drawings and the font is large enough to be very readable for younger children.

The Little Ghost That Wouldn't Go Away by Joseph J. Ruiz, 8/2000. Sunstone Press, P.O. Box 2321, Santa Fe, NM 87504-2321, b/w illustrations, 5 1/2" x 8 1/2", 96p., $10.95, softcover 0-86534-303-9
The little ghost's name is Pedro. He lives in a small community in Northern New Mexico called El Rito. Some of the children are frightened by the appearance of this elusive little phantom, but not Rebecca. Through Rebecca's many encounters with Pedro, she finds the reason for Pedro's appearances and in time understands certain events that will long be remembered by the residents of this small community. This is a well written book and children within the targeted age group will quickly fall in love with Pedro.

Desert Song by Tony Johnston, illustrated by Ed Young, 9/2000. Sierra Club Books, 85 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94105, Full color illustrations, 8 1/2" x 11", 29p., $15.95, Softcover 0-87156-491-2
The soft-lazy-impressionistic style of paintings dominate this attractive children's book. The text is sparse, yet the story line is clear and inviting. Johnston's theme is a walk through the desert at night, a desert that is anything but a sleep. It explores the plants and animals that inhabit this wilderness and calibrates their successful coexistence with nature.

Little Gold Star: A Cinderella Cuento Retold in Spanish & English by Joe Hayes, Illustrated by Gloria Osuna Perez & Lucia Angela Perez, 5/2000. Cinco Puntos Press, 2709 Louisvelle, El Paso, TX 79930, color illustrations, 10 1/4" x 8 3/8", 31p., $15.95 hardcover 0-938317-49-0
The resiliency of the human spirit has once again been captured in the retelling of a Cinderella-like story. It is a story of reassurance for children that good always conquers evil. Here, Hayes presents the story in an interlinear format--Spanish and English side-by-side. Hayes develops some enchanting encounters of Arcia, the heroine, with a magical Hawk, a gold star that falls from the heaven, a donkey, a cow, and of course a prince. The reader finds out that if we are inquisitive, patient, and sensitive to the feelings of others the good things we wish for will come to pass. The art work is complementary to the text and adds its own aura of enchantment to the story.

Just Like My Dad by Tricia Gardella, illustrated by Margot Apple, 9/2000. Boyds Mill Press, 815 Church Street, Honesdale, PA 18431, ages 3 to 6, color illustrations, 9" x 8", 27p., $8.95, softcover 1-56397-917-9
The title of the book and the picture accompanying it on the cover declare the content. A boy on a pony is riding alongside his dad on a horse, and the dad is looking at the boy and both are holding their hats as they gallop off to some grand adventure. The two of them do various ranch jobs together and their experiences as told by author Tricia Gardella are made from the dreams of little boys everywhere. This is a wonderful bedtime storybook for younger children. The illustrations are whimsical and depictive of a little boy wanting to be just like his dad.

Cat on Wheels by Larry Dane Brimner, illustrated by Mary Paterson, 9/2000. Boyds Mills Press, 815 Church Street, Honesdale, PA 18431, ages 5 to 8, color illustrations, 8 1/4" x 10 1/2", $15.95, 30p., hardcover 1-56397-747-8
This is the story of a skate-boarding cat that whizzes around on his "wheels" and causes all kinds of mishaps. His a buddy on a tricycle gets pretty upset with him at times. The illustrations are drawn for younger children and reflect a simple style captured in watercolors. The text is brief and articulate. This is a fun adventure for the imagination of a child.

Coyote: North American's Dog by Stephen R. Swinburne, 10/1999. Boyds Mill Press, 815 Church Street, Honesdale, PA 18431, ages 7 and up, color illustrated, index, 10 1/4" x 8 3/8", $15.95, 31p., hardcover 1-56397-765-6
This is a brief history and chronicle of American's only true wild dog. The photography is superb and gives many fine closeups of this remarkable creature. Swinburne, a Northeasterner, has researched his subject well and the reader will become familiar with the tricks and habits of this elusive canine. Coyotes are found in most parts of the integral United States and we in the Southwest have become very much acquainted with their night-songs. This is a well developed book and a quick reference source for libraries.

I is For Indians of the Southwest: The Story Behind the Scenery by Judy Rosen and Biff Baird, illustrated by Rick Wheller, 2000. kc publications, P.O. 94588, Las Vegas, NV 89120, color illustrations, 9" x 12", $5.95, 48 p., softcover 0-88714-211-7
The pages of this book are ordered in alphabetical sequence. Each page has its own letter and each letter represents a part of the life of these amazing people. Example, "A is for the Anasazi . . ., B is for the Baskets . . ., C is for the Cradleboard . . .," and so on. Each letter is also accompanied by a pictorial representation of the subject in question. I is For Indians is meant for ages seven and up and will teach the reader many valuable and interesting things about the people who conquered and settled this land.

See the Stars: Your First Guide to the Night Sky by Ken Croswell, 9/2000. Boyds Mill Press, 815 Church Street, Honesdale, PA 18431, ages 8 and up, index, 9 1/4" x 12 1/4", $16.95, 32p., hardcover1-56397-757-5
For those out there who are like me and are always trying to figure out where the north star is in the winter sky, this beginner's book on astronomy will prove very helpful.. Suggested for those eight years and older, it works well for those adults who never really became familiar with the night sky and the stars and planets that decorate it. The book is very detailed and colorful. The illustrations, charts, pictures, and text pinpoint many wonderful objects that may be common to some but elusive to others. It tells you where to look for certain constellations and how to identify them quickly. It gives the history of the major constellations and why they came to be called by their solar names. Croswell has gone to great lengths to try to simplify the heavens and make the subject accessible to even small children. A good library book.

Non-Fiction

Legacy of Honor: The Life of Rafael Chacon, a Nineteeth-Century New Mexican by Jacqueline Dorgan Meketa, 2000. Yucca Tree Press, 2130 Hixon Drive, Las Cruces, NM 88005-3305, illustrations, map, notes, bibliography, index, 6" x 9", 439p., $19., soft 1-881325-24-5
Chacon, who lived to more than 90, recorded his memoirs for his family and friends in the first decade of the 20th century while in his 70s. His memories of events in New Mexican history are often quite vivid, even those of his early years. He was a teenage military cadet with Armijo's troops at the Battle of Glorieta Pass, for example, and remembers in detail his treatment at the hands of other members of his own army. A cultured, educated man, Chacon gives an account of his life's transitions as well as excellent, detailed notes for each chapter. Chacon's words cannot be accepted as dispassionate history; however, they do represent a strong statement of the Hispanic/Mexican point of view spanning a crucial period in New Mexico history: the transition from Mexican outpost to U.S. Territory.
W. David Laird

Toward the Setting Sun: Pioneer Girls Traveling the Overland Trails by Mary Barmeyer O'Brien, 1999. Two Dot Press, Falcon Publishing Inc., P.O. Box 1718, Helena, MT 59624, 6" x 9", 94p., $8.95, softcover 1-56044-841-5
Mary Barmeyer O'Brien, a veteran writer of articals for childre as well as adults, dedicates Toward the Setting Sun to "the 10 courageous and invincible girls whose stories are told on these pages, for recording their remarkable wagon journeys and for leaving us their spirited legacies."
Beginning with an account from a survivor of the famous Donner Party and concluding with Olive Oatman's capture by Mohave Indians along the Southern Arizona Gila Trail, the stories are indeed tributes to incredible wills to survive. These westering families faced disease (which was often complicated by ignorance of its cause, as in the case of typhoid fever, or any remedy, as with measles), slim rations, all but insurmountable geographical challenges, enormous distances, and simple exhaustion.
Almost invariably they began with high hopes. The James Frazier Reed family of Virginia joined the Donner party with "three custom-made, well-stocked wagons . . . the biggest, 'pioneer palace car,' . . .that stood two stories high. Stairs led up the side to a sitting room. A mirror hung on the wall." The three Reed wagons required twenty oxen at a time; the drivers were hired, and the entourage also included horses, milk cows, five dogs and a hired girl.
By the time they got to the desert near Salt Lake City, they were reduced to one wagon, one cow and one ox. The story begins as the Reed family huddles in a shelter in the Sierra Nevadas subsisting on a gelatinous broth made from ox hides.
Not all the stories are as grim as the Reed's, but each is filled with high drama that makes this slender volume an invaluble addition to school libraries or historical collections anywhere. There is also a good map and some wonderful photographs.
J.C. Martin

Horizontal Yellow: Nature and History in the Near Southwest by Dan E. Flores, 1999. University of New Mexico Press, 1720 Lomas Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 78131-1591, bibliography, 50 halftones, 1 map, index, 6" x 9", 312p., $18.95 softcover 0-8263-2011-2, $45., hardcover 0-8263-2010-4
So named by the Navajos hundreds of years ago, this vast area of yellowish grass stretches from Texas to Colorado, and from New Mexico to Louisiana. Horizontal Yellow is a chronicle of the area's nature and history. The text is clear, precise, and comprehensive. The scope of the content is as broad as the land it covers and would be of interest to historians from any of these states. The Great Plains have a history that is both heroic and tragic and Flores' extensive research brings to life many of the secrets long hidden by the enduring yellow grasses.

The Mountain Reader: A Nature Conservancy Book edited by John A. Murray, 9/2000. The Lyon Press, 123 West 18th Street, New York, NY 10011, notes, 6" x 9", $17.95, 312p., softcover 1-58574-065-9, $30., hardcover 1-58574-022-5
The Nature Conservancy was founded in 1951 and is today widely recognized as one of the most effective private conservation organizations in the world. It operates the world's largest private system of nature sanctuaries--with more than 1,500 preserves in the United States--and has over 900,000 members.
John A. Murray is one of America's best loved nature writers. He is the author of twenty-seven books. Here, Murray has assembled a collection of stories form those who have climbed and lived in them. The Mountain Reader is about mountains ranges all over the world (including the Rockies) . This book would be of interest to most anyone who loves the outdoors, especially those interested in the mountains. The volume covers 250 years in time and has twenty-two selections of mountain experiences by people like William Bartram, Lisa Counturier, Rick Bass, A.B. Guthrie Jr., Debbie Miller, Barnara Kingsolver and many more.
Jim Weston

Chihuly's Pendletons and Their Influence on His Work by Dale Chihuly, 10/2000. Published by the Portland Press, Seattle, WA, distributed by The University of Arizona Press, 1230 N. Park Ave., Suite 102, Tucson, AZ 85719, 188 color plates, 36 tritones, full color checklist of all plates, 9 3/8" x 14", 256p., $65., hardcover 1-57684-015-8
This is a very impressive volume in both presentation and art form. Its 9 3/8" X 14 " color plates are absolutely beautiful. The book makes a pictorial connection between a master glass artist creation and the Native American art of weaving. Here, Chihuly's designs in glass have recreated the meticulous patterns of the blanket weaving arts. The results are nothing but stunning. The book illustrates in full color both the weavings (of which Chihuly has collected over six hundred different patterns) and the art of glass making. This book is of library quality and its illustrations are a treasure of Native American handcrafting ability.

Voices of a New Chicana/o History edited by Refugio I. Rouchin and Dennis N. Valdes, 2000. Michigan State University Press, 1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25 Manly Miles Building, East Lansing, chapter notes, 6" x 9", $25.95, 307p., softcover 0-87013-535-6
Issues that inspired the publication of this work are to be found in the background and lives of the work's contributors themselves. These scholars all are part of a new generation of Chicana/o historians, a generation that is in the midst of framing a debate over the future of the Chicana/o past. Because most were born after 1960, these men and women also are living the history of the intellectual movement they seek to describe and explain. In aggregate, this selection of fourteen important new pieces of in-depth research forms a kind of paradigm for expanding the boundaries of Chicana/o cultural studies. Voices of a New Chicana/o History presents a construct by which the Chicana/o shared experience is helping to redefine many academic disciplines with a stimulating, multi-layered questioning of inherited scholarly assumptions.
Michigan State University Press

Great Speeches by Native Americans edited by Bob Blaisdell, 2000. Dover Publications, Inc., 31 East 2nd Street, Mineola, NY 11501, 5 3/16" x 8 1/4", $2., 160p., softcover 0-486-41122-2
Having read many of these speeches years ago, I have never been able to forget them. I cannot recall the exact words these great men spoke, but the feelings they engendered of respect and sadness will remain a part of me forever. This book contains eighty-two compelling speeches that span some 500 years. Every student of American history should be exposed to these works. Too often the movies and novels falsely depict these indigenous people as backward and slow. But as many of these chapters will reveal, these people are intelligent thinkers whose customs, practices, and actions were misunderstood. Their ability to survive on their own for thousands of years without any help from the European intruders says a lot about who they are. This book is a must for every high school library.
Rawlyn Richter

Warrior, Shield, and Star: Imagery and Ideology of Pueblo Warfare by Polly Schaafsma, 6/2000. Western Edge Press, 126 Candlelario Street, Santa Fe, NM 87501, 16 pages of color inserts, 141 b/w photographs, 20 color plates, 28 line drawings, 5 maps and charts, 7" x 10", $24.96, 216p., softcover 1-889921-06-8
Warrior, Shield, and Star is the first book of its kind. Here, Polly Schaafsma publishes her research in the field of Pueblo rock art, its symbolism, and ideology of Pueblo warfare. The exciting difference her work makes in the field of archaeology is that she has deciphered the artform. Her collective works bring together the ancestral Pueblo iconography as they are related to the conflicts of their survival. This volume is not only the first comprehensive interpretation of Pueblo rock art as it relates to warfare, but Southwestern rock art in general. Schaafsma defines these patterns and designs that we call "rock art," as "war symbols," and a link to present day rituals of modern Pueblo people. Carroll L. Riley, a renown Southwestern anthropology author says, "Polly Schaafsma's book pretty much demolishes the 'peaceful farmer' model of the Pueblos and the idea that Pueblo Indians developed in isolation . . ."