about the book
Some ten years before the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case secured educational liberty for African American children, a similar court case took place in California for Sylvia Mendez and her fellow Mexican and Puerto Rican Americans.
Even though Sylvia spoke and wrote perfect English, California laws at that time stated that she could not attend “whites only” schools. Instead Sylvia was forced into the inferior Mexican school. Even though Mr. Mendez, Sylvia’s father, was leasing his own farm out in Westminster, California, and was officially a U.S. Citizen, and even though Sylvia’s mother was Puerto Rican, still the laws dictated this policy of separation.
With nothing else to do, the Mendez family and several other families formed the Parents’ Association of Mexican-American Children. They began distributing pamphlets and petitions, and eventually gained the support of other organizations, like the Japanese American Citizens League and the American Jewish Congress.
In the end, they won the lawsuit! Mexican and Puerto Rican students could now go to any school they wanted.
Sylvia and her family paved the way for the greater civil rights struggle yet to come.
about the author
Duncan Tonatiuh is both a writer and an illustrator. His father is from America; his great grandfather was from Scotland. Duncan is a Scottish name and it means “dark warrior.”
Duncan’s mother is from Mexico. Tonitiuh is actually Duncan’s middle name and, in Spanish, it is the Aztec God of the Sun. It is pronounced “Tohn-a-t-you.” His full name is Duncan Tonatiuh Smith Hernandez, but he likes to sign his books with just Duncan Tonatiuh.
He was born in Mexico City and was raised in San Miguel de Allende. It was the perfect place for Duncan to grow up, because the city is known for its fine art, architecture, and cultural institutes. Duncan loved drawing and making up stories. He did it all through elementary school and middle school. He moved to the US to attend high school but spent summers back in Mexico. During this time, he started making his own comic books and drawing cartoons of his classmates. He also started painting seriously.
Attending Parsons New School for Design and the Eugene Lang College, Duncan studied writing, illustrations, and photography. In his art, Duncan draws on ancient Mexican art, particularly that of the Mixtecs “to create images that honor the past but address contemporary issues that affect people of Mexican origin on both sides of the border.” In the ancient style, all his characters are only shown in profile but with a contemporary flair.
Sources:
Author website
Author name pronunciation: Teaching Books
Author interview: Latin Baby Book Club
Also by Duncan Tonatiuh:
Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote : A Migrant’s Tale. Abrams Books for Young Readers. 2013.
Diego Rivera : His World and Ours. Abrams Books for Young Readers. 2011.
Dear Primo : A Letter to My Cousin. Abrams Books for Young Readers. 2010.
read more!
Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote : A Migrant’s Tale by Duncan Tonatiuh
Two years ago, Papa Rabbit headed to the lettuce fields to support his struggling family, and now Pancho eagerly awaits his papa’s return. When papa does not arrive when he promised, Pancho packs a bag of papa’s favorite food and heads north to search for him. Along the way, Senior Coyote offers to help Pancho in exchange for the food—but when the food runs out, this trickster plans to eat Pancho!
Sonia Sotomayor : A Judge Grows in the Bronx = Sonia Sotomayor, la juez que crecio en el Bronx by Jonah Winter
If anything, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s life proves that in America you really can begin with nothing and work hard to become what you want to be. Young Sonia grew up with her family in the South Bronx; they had few possessions, but her mother’s love and her determination to learn, grow, and succeed saw her through!
A Taste of Colored Water by Matt Faulkner
Jelly and LuLu, two cousins enjoying a day outside, are told by their friend, Abby, about the water fountains she saw in town. It is the 1960s. Over some of the fountains are signs that say “Colored.” The kids are too young to understand, but their imaginations take off and make something ugly into something beautiful. Rainbow water! What would it taste like?