González, L. M., & Delacre, L.
(2008). The storyteller's candle. San Francisco, CA: Children's Book
Press.
Many times one may wonder just how much a family leaves
behind when they come to the United States. The very Pura Belpré is a character
in this story that helps us understand that the worlds immigrants leave behind
are hard to fabricate in a new country. However, upon finding people that share
the same culture and the even the same language, this tale makes us realize
that something as simple as knowing another person who speaks their same
language is enough to bring them back a little taste of what they left behind
in their previous world. Hildamar absolutely loves the idea that “se habla
español” in the public library and makes it a point to bring other people so
that they may savor the beauty of their language. Together, they are able to
make their first Christmas Holidays in the United States a truly enjoyable
experience.
I was eight when I moved to the United States. Granted the world I left behind was merely a few miles away from my new home, yet it made a world of a differnce. Piedras Negras, Coahuila and Eagle Pass, Texas are border towns. You only have to cross the Rio Grande River to reach the new destination, yet everything was so different here. I hated it. WITH A PASSION! I cherished every moment I got to spend when we would go back to México. Even though the majority of the community in Eagle Pass spoke spanish, I felt like an outcast becuase I was still the girl from Piedras that didn't speak English. I can relate to the feeling that Hildamar experiences wanting to become part of the reading group in the public library becuase they spoke Spanish and because she felt that she finally belonged. It brought fond memories of my childhood and some others that I would pretty much wish I could forget.
I was eight when I moved to the United States. Granted the world I left behind was merely a few miles away from my new home, yet it made a world of a differnce. Piedras Negras, Coahuila and Eagle Pass, Texas are border towns. You only have to cross the Rio Grande River to reach the new destination, yet everything was so different here. I hated it. WITH A PASSION! I cherished every moment I got to spend when we would go back to México. Even though the majority of the community in Eagle Pass spoke spanish, I felt like an outcast becuase I was still the girl from Piedras that didn't speak English. I can relate to the feeling that Hildamar experiences wanting to become part of the reading group in the public library becuase they spoke Spanish and because she felt that she finally belonged. It brought fond memories of my childhood and some others that I would pretty much wish I could forget.
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