The Eighth Grade Dance and Other Memories

El baile de octavo y otros recuerdos

The Eighth Grade Dance and Other Memories



Eleven-year-old Ada De Jesús was on the cusp of her teens when she moved to the United States from Puerto Rico. Hurricane Hugo had just decimated the island and her father couldn’t find a job.



In Chicago, the white dress she arrived in didn’t protect her from the snow and frigid temperatures! Constantly exposed to new things, she developed a resilience that served her well. “From one place to another, like riding a bike, if you keep pedaling, you won’t fall.”



Ada discovered that students in the United States were frequently disrespectful to their teachers. At school she often felt like a two-year-old as she grappled with a completely new language. In addition to navigating a different culture, she had to deal with all the issues familiar to teenage girls: the growth of body hair, pimples, menstruation and of course boys! Her memories of first intimate encounters, fending off unwanted advances and fear of pregnancy will strike a chord with readers.



In these short vignettes recollecting her middle-school years, Ada De Jesús shares her poignant and often funny experiences as a newcomer and an adolescent. Young readers will relate to—and laugh at—her experiences; some may take heart that they too will overcome the difficulties common at this age.



Mora Design (Illustrator)

Creator: Nicolas Kanellos

Area: Houston / Third Ward-MacGregor

Contributor: Arte Público Press

Source: Center for Mexican American Studies

Uploaded by: Marisela Martinez

Copyright status: In copyright

Center for Mexican American Studies

The Hero of Cinco de Mayo

El héroe del Cinco de Mayo

The Hero of Cinco de Mayo



Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín was born in Goliad, Texas, in 1829, when Texas was part of Mexico. His family lived on a Mexican fort because his father was a soldier in the army. Ignacio wanted to be a just like his father! When he was seven, Texas became independent from Mexico, and the family had to move to Matamoros, Mexico. Later they moved to Monterrey.



Ignacio tried to join the Mexican army in 1846 when the United States declared war, but he was too young. He was finally able to join the armed forces when he turned 24. An outstanding soldier, he was named the commander of the Mexican army and navy by President Benito Juárez. In 1862, he had to defend his country against the invading French army, one of the strongest in the world. The Mexican troops were mostly volunteers—including women and Zapotec indigenous people—and their weapons were no match for the French.



This bilingual picture book recounts the story of the Battle of Puebla and the Mexican army’s unexpected win against a much stronger foe. Today this victory is celebrated in the United States as Cinco de Mayo, a day to commemorate the Mexican roots of many US citizens. This non-fiction picture book for older elementary school students contains realistic illustrations depicting the Mexican general and his times.



Stephen Marchesi (Illustrator)

Creator: Nicolas Kanellos

Area: Houston / Third Ward-MacGregor

Contributor: Arte Público Press

Source: Center for Mexican American Studies

Uploaded by: Marisela Martinez

Copyright status: In copyright

Center for Mexican American Studies

From Farmworker to Astronaut

De campesino a astronauta

From Farmworker to Astronaut



Ten-year-old José M. Hernández watched the Apollo 17 moonwalks on his family’s black and white television in 1972 and knew what he wanted to be when he grew up: an astronaut. Later that night he told his father and was surprised when his dad said, “You can do this, m’ijo!”



Mr. Hernández told his son that if he really wanted to become an astronaut, he would need to follow a simple, five-ingredient recipe to succeed: 1) decide what you want, 2) recognize how far you are from your goal, 3) draw a road map to get there, 4) prepare yourself with a good education and 5) develop a good work ethic, always giving more than required.



In the years to come, José would follow this recipe as he obtained undergraduate and master’s degrees in electrical engineering. Adding his own ingredient, perseverance, he applied to NASA’s astronaut program eleven times—and was rejected each time! Finally, in 2004, he was selected to be part of the 19th class of US Astronauts. He achieved his dream in 2009 when he served as the flight engineer on the Space Shuttle Discovery on the fourteen-day mission to the International Space Station.



In From Farmworker to Astronaut, José M. Hernández recollects his parallel journeys, juxtaposing memories of his mission to the space station and childhood aspirations to reach the stars. His story is sure to motivate kids to set goals and reach for their own dreams.



Mora Design (Illustrator)

Creator: Nicolas Kanellos

Area: Houston / Third Ward-MacGregor

Contributor: Arte Público Press

Source: Center for Mexican American Studies

Uploaded by: Marisela Martinez

Copyright status: In copyright

Center for Mexican American Studies

The Number on My Father’s Arm

El número en el brazo de papá

The Number on My Father’s Arm



All his life, young Tomás overheard and was terrified by his father’s nightmares, but Papi would never explain his cries and screams. Even Mami didn’t know why he had bad dreams. Later, Tomás learns his father was a medic in World War II and his best friend died in his arms. The boy wonders if that experience could be the reason for his nighttime terrors.



In school, Tomás learns about the Holocaust and sees photographs of Jewish prisoners with numbers on their arms. He is shocked because his father has a similar tattoo! Could his father be a concentration camp survivor? Why won’t Papi tell his family about his experiences? As he tries to unravel the mystery of his father’s nightmares and tattoo, Tomás finds out his father—along with his siblings and parents—was put on a train many years earlier and deported from Los Angeles back to Mexico.



In this fictionalized account of the first Mexican American to register as a concentration camp survivor at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, author Rodolfo Alvarado tells the little-known story of Anthony Acevedo. A World War II veteran, he was held as a prisoner of war at Stalag IX-B and the concentration camp, Berga an der Elster. After the war, he and other veterans were forced by the US government to sign an affidavit agreeing to never tell their story. This fascinating account will acquaint intermediate readers with the history of World War II and the Holocaust, while drawing parallels to the xenophobia that led to the brutal expulsion of Mexicans and Mexican Americans from the United States in the early part of the twentieth century.



Mora Design (Illustrator)

Creator: Nicolas Kanellos

Area: Houston / Third Ward-MacGregor

Contributor: Arte Público Press

Source: Center for Mexican American Studies

Uploaded by: Marisela Martinez

Copyright status: In copyright

Center for Mexican American Studies