Us, in Progress

May 29, 2017
In this timely collection of 12 stories, Delacre (Alicia Afterimage) offers an inside look at being a Latino today in the United States. Rendered in straightforward prose, the stories focus on tweens and young adolescents from a variety of cultures, including Mexico, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. The collection goes beyond expected subjects like the Dream Act and deportation to less talked-about ones: fair-haired, fair-skinned Vicky feels ostracized from her own culture; 13-year-old Marla battles back against her family’s tendency towards diabetes; and Luci finally stands up to a lifetime of bullying by her older sister. Back matter includes translations of the Spanish words, phrases, and refranes (Spanish sayings) that appear throughout, as well as notes on the source material and inspirations for each story. While these tales offer a broad range of perspectives, the storylines often chart predictable courses, and the characters aren’t always distinctive as individuals. The book’s most compelling element may be Delacre’s accompanying artwork, evocative mixed-media portraits of the protagonists that look like they could step off the page. Ages 8–12.

Starred review from June 15, 2017
Based on actual accounts, this dynamic short story collection focuses on and delves into the nuances of the lives of young Latinos and Latinas in the United States. In the opening story, "The Attack," readers are exposed to a medical emergency gone wrong when police racially profile a young Mexican-American man undergoing an epileptic seizure with a knife in hand. The story lands like a gut punch, and the following 11 also leave impressions and invite considerable scrutiny. Another touching narrative, titled "Burrito Man," depicts the sudden death of a Salvadoran father saving for his daughter's college tuition as an unassuming food vendor in D.C. Inspired by true stories and woven with cultural details and Spanish dialects appropriate to different Latin American countries, the collection is penetrating: Latin American families are divided by deportation; illness and poverty are constant struggles; characters feel guilt, shame, and an inescapable sense of being unwelcome in the U.S. Tech-industry gentrifiers and neighborhood kids clash over a San Francisco soccer field; a privileged, fifth-generation middle-class Tejano harbors palpable prejudices and misconceptions about unaccompanied children crossing the border. Common Spanish sayings--refranes--and attractive freehand pencil sketches of the protagonists usher in each story, both serving as integral elements in this solidly packaged collection.Pura Belpre honoree Delacre's chronicles--each different from the next--offer moving snapshots of family heartbreak, disadvantage, dysfunctionality, heartbreak, privilege, and joy. (glossary, translations, notes) (Short stories. 8-12)

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Starred review from May 1, 2017

Gr 6-8-In a collection of 12 tales, readers hear fictionalized narratives of young Latinos drawn from news stories. The selections represent a variety of children from diverse countries of origin and include standard prose as well as the poetic "Pickup Soccer" and the musical "Cubano Two." The entries highlight issues that some Latinos face, such as problems with food and obesity, cultural identity, the deportation of relatives, the quest to obtain legal status, and prejudices some have toward fellow Latinos from different backgrounds. While these stories offer an interesting cross section of the Latino experience, there is a preponderance of sad and serious tales (with topics that include a sister who bullies, an epileptic seizure mistaken for a criminal attack, and the death of a parent). Spanish words are sprinkled throughout and defined in the back, and refranes (sayings) introduce each piece. The author's mixed-media portraits accompany each entry, and the original articles that inspired each offering are listed and discussed. VERDICT This welcome update to short story collections such as Gary Soto's Baseball in April and prose alternative to Alma Flor Ada's Yes!: We Are Latinos is a solid addition to libraries and would also add much-needed diversity to classroom study.-Karen Yingling, Blendon Middle School, Westerville, OH

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 1, 2017
This collection opens with "The Attack," an all-too-timely account of a young Latino man with a disability being mistreated by the police. The twelve tales are all based on true events, appended with notes that explain where Delacre first learned of them and citing the article that informed each piece. The deliberate voice and close focus on each fictionalized protagonist turns each headline into a relatable story. At the beginning of each tale, Delacre includes intricate mixed-media character portraits, purposely unfinished, pencil drawings layered between pierced rice paper and incorporating newspaper clippings from her original sources. She also pairs each story with a refran; these sayings are translated in the back matter, which also includes a glossary of Spanish terms. The collection presents stories about health (in "Selfie," Marla attempts to improve her pre-diabetic condition through cycling); about young people feeling shame over their parents' jobs ("Burrito Man"); parents being deported ("Band-Aid"); and siblings who are undocumented ("The Secret"). In contrast, in "90,000 Children," a twelve-year-old Latino boy aspires to be a Border Patrol agent. Delacre's collection challenges existing misconceptions by giving readers an intimate and varied look into what it is like to be young and Latino in the United States today. sonia alejandra rodriguez

(Copyright 2017 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2018
Twelve tales based on true events are appended with explanatory notes and citations of the articles that informed them. The deliberate voice and close focus on each fictionalized protagonist turns each headline into a relatable story. Intricate mixed-media character portraits by the author, purposely unfinished, accompany the stories. An intimate and varied look into what it's like to be young and Latino in the U.S. today. Glos.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from July 1, 2017
Grades 3-7 *Starred Review* Three-time Pura Belpre Award honoree Delacre offers up 12 short stories, beautifully written with candor, honesty, and perfect brevity, that explore what it means to be a Latinx in the U.S. today. These finely wrought and uniformly well-written stories, many based on true incidents, portray the wide range of cultural and geographic diversity within the Latinx community. They feature both male and female main characters and cover topics such as police abuse, the prevalence of prediabetes in the Latinx population, and the misconception that all Latinos are dark-skinned and poor. Many of the stories deal with community dynamicshow an unassuming member can make an indelible impression, Saturday school language classes, and bullying and family dysfunctionwhile others address larger social issues, such as guardianship related to deportation and immigration, unaccompanied minors crossing borders, and the 2012 DREAM Act. Delacre illustrates as well, providing a gorgeous mixed-media portrait of each story's main character, and a glossary of Spanish words and phrases, organized by story, concludes the book. Delacre's lyrical writing perfectly expresses what the characters are experiencing, and each story's ending is honest and satisfying, if sometimes open-endedmuch like real life. A collection not to be missed.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)