LS 5903 MULTICULTURAL LITERATURE

Review of MI FAMILIA, MY FAMILY

A. Ancona, George. MI FAMILIA, MY FAMILY. New York: Children’s Press, 2004.
ISBN 0516236873.

B. PLOT SUMMARY:
An exquisitve and true family story written and photographed by Ancona. This story of a little girl, Camila, her parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Camila’s grandparents were born in Cuba and fled to Venezuela a generation ago and came to settle in Miami Florida. This story rings authentic because it is! Ancona gives author credit to both grandmothers. The story is enhanced with family pictures taken during many activities and seasons.

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS (WITH CULTURAL MARKERS)
There cannot be a book more authentic than this photo journal of Cuban Americans how after many journeys settled in Miami, Florida. George Ancona makes the book beautiful with his photographs and includes many paintings done by the star of the book, Camila. Ancona is of Hispanic heritage and it shows. Camila is dressed in her parochial school uniform and photographed skipping to school with her mother, a teacher. The book is full of family activities many that are based in the kitchen learning family recipes, two family celebrations including a birthday party for a child. Some of the warmest pictures and verse come when the family comes home after Mass on Sunday to make music with the violin, double bass, piano, violin, clarinet, flute. Members that don’t play an instrument sing and they call their group a choir which Camila pretends to direct as she sings. One of Camila’s grandmothers is a singer of Spanish opera entitled Zarauelas. Showing both sides of the family, their differences and similarities adds depth to this beautiful book of non-fiction. The publications from this branch of Children’s Press, owned by Scholastic, is “Somos Latinos,” which translates, “We Are Latinos.” The book celebrates Hispanic culture and shows it’s diversity.

D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
None found in School Library Journal, Publisher's Weekly, Library Journal, or Booklist. Must have been reviewed as a series.

E. CONNECTIONS:
Other bilingual books in the “We Are Latinos” series by Georga Ancona such as “My Dances” and “My House” celebrate the diversity of Hispanic culture