Book Review-La Mariposa

Book Review: La Mariposa—Briseida Ramos
My book review can be seen at amazon.com
La Mariposa by Francisco Jimenez, is about a small boy named Francisco who is headed to his first day of school. Francisco does not know English and in school that is the only way of communicating or he’ll get in to trouble if he starts speaking in first first language which is Spanish. Francisco gets in trouble a few times because he doesn’t pay attention to the teacher because he doesn’t understand her, so he day dreams most of the time because his head hurts from trying to understand what she is trying to say. Many children in school do not accept him because everyone else speaks English except his friend, Arthur. Later on his friend, Arthur avoids Francisco because he doesn’t want to get in trouble from speaking Spanish.
Francisco faces a lot of obstacles in trying to fit in school with everyone else. He gets into a fight with another boy because of a jacket that the principle had given him from the lost and found, finding out later on that it belongs to Curtis, the other boy. The teacher Miss. Scalapino gives them an assignment which Francisco doesn’t understand, so she decides to le4t him draw whatever he wants. Because of this assignment Francisco starts fitting in with the other students. Francisco decides to sketch out a drawing of a butterfly and the teacher likes it a places it on the board. Francisco receives first place for his drawing and everyone rush to see the blue ribbon placed on the drawing. Everyone starts accepting Francisco and at the end they all look at a butterfly come out of its cocoon.
The story shows transformations in where bicultural and bilingual differences in a child can be accepted by others. There are many difficult circumstances that go through the life of someone that has a limit in communication and acceptance from others, but his story shows how it is accepted and can be accepted because differences make us unique. Those differences make us who we are in the form that we are not that different. Jimenez shows the importance of transformation and acceptance throughout a child’s life and how there are many that can go through this. The book is a good book to have in any grade level because it shows the benefit that either kindergarten through any grade, but especially the elementary level students can learn from real life experiences. Elementary is a good level to start showing children the importance that we are all equal, in a unique way.
Illustrations, done by Simon Silva show the richness in colors of the culture. Brown, orange, and other colors are portrayed together and show a vivid picture of how the fields look like when a person awakes in the morning. The colors of the sun coming out and going in show the relation of reality.
Francisco Jimenez shows his life through writing his books, especially in The Circuit. Francisco Jiménez uses stories from his own life to portray what it's like to be a child who must hide from truant officers if farm work must be done, and who must hide from immigration officials in order to continue living in this country. Jimenez, “Born in Tlaquepaque, Mexico, in 1943, Francisco Jiménez grew up in a family of migrant workers in California. Jiménez spent much of his childhood moving around California with no permanent home or regular schooling, yet despite incredible odds he went on to have a distinguished academic career. A graduate of Santa Clara University, he also attended Harvard University and received both a Master's Degree and Ph.D. from Columbia University.” In La Mariposa, Francisco shows the relationship of using both English and Spanish languages letting the reader discover the meaning through a glossary at the end of the story.
Some awards which Jimenez received throughout his life are:
2003 Elected an Honorary Associate of the Hispanic Society of America by the Board of Trustees of the Society
2003-present The Asociación Cultural Latino Americana of Central California established an annual “Francisco Jiménez scholarship for Hispanic youth attending college.
1998 – 1999 SCU Faculty Senate Professor in recognition of outstanding professional achievements and contributions to Santa Clara University
1998 – present Fay Boyle Endowed University Academic Chair
1996-1997 James Barnes Farmer Distinguished Guest Professor for 1996-1997, Miami University, Ohio.
1986 – 1998 Phil and Bobbie Sanfilippo Endowed University Academic Chair
1978 "President's Special Recognition Award for Faculty." (The award recognizes superior teaching, publication, and special service to the Santa Clara University community.)
Other recognitions, but to name a few are:
• Honored by the Asociación Cultural Latinoamericana by naming a scholarship after me, July 26, 2003.• Commendation by the Governor of the State of Jalisco, Mexico, “for promoting Mexican culture in the U.S.” Ceremony took place in Long Beach, California, June 21, 2003.• Featured in Telemundo, “Al Rojo Vivo” (2003).• Featured in Univisión, “Aquí y Ahora” (2003).• Featured in Selecciones (Readers’ Digest), section “Triunfadores” (May 2003).• Commendations from U.S. Senators Diane Feinstein and Barbara Boxer and from the United States Congress for being selected United States Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement the Advancement Teaching (2002).
In La Mariposa:• Parents’ Choice Recommended Award• Smithsonian Notable Book for Children• Américas Commended List
Mr. Jimenez “has been the director of the Ethnic Studies Program since 2000. He has been on the faculty of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures at Santa Clara University since 1972.” I think that it is important how Jimenez shows his life in La Mariposa and other books because he is able to show his life through the eyes of children, young adults, and adults.
In my opinion, I enjoyed La Mariposa and I think that this book is a good book to have for all ages. I can relate through a lot that Jimenez goes through growing up, since I also came from Mexico and was born in San Luis Potosi, I show a connection and relation to his experiences that are still in the process. This book can be understood through anyone coming from another place also. I think that this book deserves more than a thumbs up but something spectacular because it’s a real life experience through the eyes of children and others. I gave it Five Stars, I loved the book!!