Xochitl and the Flowers: Xóchitl, La Niña de Las Flores (Bilingual English/Spanish)

by Jorge Argueta (Author) Carl Angel (Illustrator)

Xochitl and the Flowers: Xóchitl, La Niña de Las Flores (Bilingual English/Spanish)
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

Miles away from their home in El Salvador, Xochitl (SOH-cheel) and her family make a new home in the United States, but nothing is the same. Miles away from their home in El Salvador, Xochitl (SOH-cheel) and her family make a new home in the United States, but nothing is the same. Xochitl mourns a lovely garden and her family's small flower business, all left behind. Selling flowers on the street soon provides more than income for the Flores family: they begin to make friends with local storeowners and neighbors. But it is not until the family decides to start a nursery in its backyard that Xochitl begins to learn the true value of community in their adopted country. Basing his narrative on real-life events, prize-winning poet Jorge Argueta has crafted a tender, poetic, and moving story about a family's determination to set down roots and about their child's blooming among friends and neighbors. Artist Carl Angel's authentic and brilliant artwork splendidly documents this quintessentially American immigration story.

A millas de distancia de su hogar en El Salvador, Xochitl (SOH-cheel) y su familia hacen un nuevo hogar en los Estados Unidos, pero nada es igual. A millas de distancia de su hogar en El Salvador, Xochitl (SOH-cheel) y su familia hacen un nuevo hogar en los Estados Unidos, pero nada es igual. Xochitl lamenta un hermoso jardín y el pequeño negocio de flores de su familia, todo dejado atrás. Vender flores en la calle pronto genera más que ingresos para la familia Flores: comienzan a hacerse amigos de los comerciantes y vecinos locales. Pero no es hasta que la familia decide iniciar una guardería en su patio trasero que Xochitl comienza a aprender el verdadero valor de la comunidad en su país de adopción. Basándose en hechos de la vida real, el laureado poeta Jorge Argueta ha elaborado una tierna, poética y conmovedora historia sobre la determinación de una familia por echar raíces y sobre el florecimiento de su hijo entre amigos y vecinos. La obra de arte auténtica y brillante del artista Carl Angel documenta espléndidamente esta historia de inmigración estadounidense por excelencia.

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Paperback
$11.95

Review quotes

This is a fine example of what a book with a bilingual text can and should be. — The Horn Book Guide

Based on a true story, Xochitl's tale is well written in both languages... Angel's acrylic, colored-pencil, and photo-collage artwork is vibrant and energetic, fleshed out by the bright colors and individual faces. — School Library Journal

Full of love for family and community, this bilingual story embodies the belief that positive action can overcome the negatives of circumstance. — Kirkus Reviews

there is a great deal of warmth in this tale of immigrants trying to create their American dream while keeping alive their own culture. — Bayviews

Intended for children ages eight to twelve, this book portrays the message of community in a lesson that can benefit people of all ages... It is a thoughtful story that will make readers reflect on their own contributions to their community. — ForeWord Magazine

Side-by-side bilingual text is a particularly suitable format for this timeless immigration story. Radiant chalk illustrations present each scene tastefully. Xochitl's story is a superb read-aloud and a necessary component of school libraries that serve immigrant children. Recommended for all bookstores and library collections. — Críticas

IPPY Award

Jorge Argueta
Jorge Argueta is an award-winning author of picture books and poetry for young children. He has won the International Latino Book Award, the Américas Book Award, the NAPPA Gold Award and the Independent Publisher Book Award for Multicultural Fiction for Juveniles. His books have also been named to the Américas Award Commended List, the USBBY Outstanding International Books Honor List, Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Books and the Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices. A native Salvadoran and Pipil Nahua Indian, Jorge spent much of his life in rural El Salvador. He now lives in Daly City, California.

Margarita Sada is a well-known Mexican artist who has illustrated other stories that derive from Yoruba mythology, such as the award-winning Venir del Mar by Jose Alberto Caban. Many of her books have been selected for Mexico's SEP Libros del Rincon program, which provides books to school children throughout the country. She lives in Mexico City.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780892392247
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Children's Book Press (CA)
Publication date
March 20, 2008
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039250 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Emigration & Immigration
JUV011030 - Juvenile Fiction | People & Places | United States - Hispanic & Latino
Library of Congress categories
Immigrants
Spanish language materials
Bilingual
Gardening
San Francisco (Calif.)
Neighborliness
Salvadoran Americans

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