· Mayeros, A Yucatec Maya Family, George Ancona, Non-fiction/Cultural
· The author is of southern Mexican descent
(Maya actually), grew up in New York City and now lives in Santa Fe, NM.
· I went to school in southern Mexico for some time
as a child. I love it, I miss it, and I was really touched by the intimate view
into life in that magical place that this book offers.
o The book is a photo-documentary of a festival
week in a small town and it focuses on many generations of a single family.
o The author’s familiarity with the area and
culture allows him to incorporate the characters and their lives with
traditional artwork in such a way that delivers a detailed and comprehensive
view of these unique people’s culture.
o In the book we begin by discovering some basic
facts about one family. We then follow them out to their traditional ranch
where all of the generations come together to work and play. In many cases
their tools and traditions (as well as their language) pre-date European
contact.
o This book is the most touching of all of
Ancona’s books that I have read because of his personal connection to the
people—his family is Yucatec Maya.
o I want to share the closing paragraph to give
a sense of hiow much information is imparted in very few words
“ On Wednesday, life returns to its everyday rhythms. The fiesta
is over. Grown-ups return to work; children go back to school. Armando and
Gaspár’s teachers are preparing them for the future by teaching them Spanish
and the skills they will need to succeed in a fast-changing world. Working
alongside their father, they will continue to speak Maya and may grow up to be milperos [farmers] too, but they will also
speak Spanish. Armando and Gaspár are the future Maya, a people with a rich
heritage who are making a greater place for themselves in the fast-changing
world.”
o I would recommend this book for reading in any
classroom that has students from southern Mexico. I give it two thumbs up as
the one of the most informative books by Ancona. It would be appropriate for
grades 1-4.
Images accessed 4/19/2013
This was a really great review. Good job checking out the author's authenticity. How cool that you had the opportunity to go to school in Mexico. I think everyone should be able to go to a foreign country to study for at least a year. This seems like a great book to read. I am sure there is a good chance someone in one of my classes will be from southern Mexico. Thanks for the great post.
ReplyDeleteWow. This looks like an incredible book. I am fascinated by other cultures and I hope to be able to share a plethora of cultures with my students so they become fascinated as well. I read an article about one Native American tribe's tradition of a sweat lodge in my English 150 and it reminded me of the closing paragraph you included in your review. It spoke about the preparation of their ritual and then going back to their everyday lives with the hustle and bustle of work the very next day. I think this is important for children to read to not only share another culture but to remind students to take time out of their busy lives to stay true to their family traditions.
ReplyDeleteNice job! This book would be such a great teaching tool in the classroom especially if you were to teach here in New Mexico or any of the border states. Actually, it would be great in any state because of how diverse our country is. It would be something relatable for those with this type of ancestry and enlightening for those who have no knowledge whatsoever. I have Native American lineage so it would be great for me as well. Also, it teaches of family values and the importance of tradition which is something that is slowly dwindling making this particular type of story so significant.
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