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Rating: 
Summary: Good, but terribly inconsistent
Review: Amada is moving to from Mexico to America with her family. Such a move might be enough to worry any child, but Amada feels alone in her fear and worry. Her brothers, after all, don't seem to find anything problematic with the plan, and her parents are as prepared as they can be. Packing up and moving in with their relatives until their green cards come through, Amada's father searches for work and she writes her adventures in her diary. The book tells her story both in Spanish and in English, making it the perfect way to introduce a multitude of people to a single text. Author Amada Irma Perez has based this tale on her own experiences growing up. Like the protagonist she moved to America when she was a young girl, and the trip and relocation ultimately made her a stronger person. Perez is to be commended for this story. Because this is a children's book, it cannot directly tackle the worst aspects of immigrant life. Instead, it gently alludes to the myriad of problems awaiting the newest American citizens. The book has many wonderful aspects, but there are a few inconsistencies I had trouble getting past. At one moment, Amada receives a letter from her father who is toiling in the fields of California. He says that a man named Cesar Chavez is there and that perhaps good unions will form. I love Cesar Chavez and I feel he was one of the great American heroes, but suddenly the text jars horribly with the illustrations. Up until this point, this book could have taken place today in this day and age. After all, what female child in the 1950s wore jeans all the time or, for that matter, flip flops? It's as if the illustrator decided that this book was going to be contemporary, Cesar Chavez reference or no Cesar Chavez reference. It's a blemish on what is otherwise a very well put together book. Despite the Chavez allusion, I would recommend this book as a look on the current Mexican immigrant life and lifestyle. A great story for those kids who read English, and those that read Spanish. Anyone who peruses this story will instantly connect with the characters and their plight, making this a tale that needs to be told to little ones again and again and again.
Rating:
Summary: Good, but terribly inconsistent
Review: Amada is moving to from Mexico to America with her family. Such a move might be enough to worry any child, but Amada feels alone in her fear and worry. Her brothers, after all, don't seem to find anything problematic with the plan, and her parents are as prepared as they can be. Packing up and moving in with their relatives until their green cards come through, Amada's father searches for work and she writes her adventures in her diary. The book tells her story both in Spanish and in English, making it the perfect way to introduce a multitude of people to a single text. Author Amada Irma Perez has based this tale on her own experiences growing up. Like the protagonist she moved to America when she was a young girl, and the trip and relocation ultimately made her a stronger person. Perez is to be commended for this story. Because this is a children's book, it cannot directly tackle the worst aspects of immigrant life. Instead, it gently alludes to the myriad of problems awaiting the newest American citizens. The book has many wonderful aspects, but there are a few inconsistencies I had trouble getting past. At one moment, Amada receives a letter from her father who is toiling in the fields of California. He says that a man named Cesar Chavez is there and that perhaps good unions will form. I love Cesar Chavez and I feel he was one of the great American heroes, but suddenly the text jars horribly with the illustrations. Up until this point, this book could have taken place today in this day and age. After all, what female child in the 1950s wore jeans all the time or, for that matter, flip flops? It's as if the illustrator decided that this book was going to be contemporary, Cesar Chavez reference or no Cesar Chavez reference. It's a blemish on what is otherwise a very well put together book. Despite the Chavez allusion, I would recommend this book as a look on the current Mexican immigrant life and lifestyle. A great story for those kids who read English, and those that read Spanish. Anyone who peruses this story will instantly connect with the characters and their plight, making this a tale that needs to be told to little ones again and again and again.
Rating: 
Summary: Beautiful book
Review: Beautiful illustrations and very compelling story. Great that it is bilingual and very useful for families who are soon to be or in the process of moving.
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