Sunday, December 12, 2010

Discovering Cultural Roots


Tortilla Sun by Jennifer Cervantes (Chronicle Books, 2010, 224pp.)


Twelve-year-old Izzy is sent to spend the summer in New Mexico with her grandmother, where she discovers her cultural roots and learns about her heroic father, who died before her birth. Although the plot proves to be average at best (as well as a little predictable), Cervantes’s novel delivers a nice message on the power of love, and provides an interesting glance into Hispanic culture. Izzy witnesses a fiesta in honor of her grandmother’s friend’s birthday, and her grandmother herself teaches her the art of tortilla-making. The author also includes recipes for tortillas and a glossary of Spanish words used in the story. Recommended for Ages 9-12.

Click on cover for image source.

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