In this performance autoethnography, the author explores her positionality (Davies, 2000; Spry, 2001 ) in the Spanish-speaking community, moving from her outsider role as an interpreter at the Health Department to her relationships with some of the women and their families to her current position as the grandmother of a Mexican American grandson.…

Tomas Rivera, the son of migrant farmworkers, became a secondary school teacher, university professor, university administrator, and finally Chancellor of the University of California, Riverside (UCR). He published two novels in Spanish and numerous short stories, poems, and essays in Spanish and English. His and his family's experiences as…

Bilingual (English and Spanish) text and illustrations describe the author-artist's experiences growing up in a traditional Hispanic community in south Texas, near the border with Mexico. The brightly colored paintings of her family and community show, in great detail, the everyday activities that remain vivid in her memory: picking oranges for…

This collection of 14 folk drama scripts is drawn from the Hispanic culture and traditions of the American Southwest and designed for use in educational settings. The plays are short, simple, and easy to produce. A single play can fill a class period, while several plays grouped together would make a school assembly. Six plays, intended for grades…

Ranch hands gathered around a campfire and old folks rocking on the porch were some of the sources for the 10 folkloric tales presented in this volume. Written in both Spanish and English, this book of traditional tales from the Mexican American people of South Texas is the first of a series of three volumes. Five of the stories deal with the…

Included in this entirely bilingual (Spanish and English) text are 10 traditional tales from the Southwest intended to promote interest in bilingual/bicultural programs and to preserve the colorful folklore of the area. The stories, with black and white illustrations, involve folklore ("The Poor Little Naked Bird", "The Devil Takes…

Fourth in a series of bilingual (Spanish and English) texts intended to promote interest in bilingual/bicultural programs and to preserve the colorful folklore of the Southwest, this text contains 10 traditional tales from the area. Accompanied by black and white illustrations, the tales concern local legends and personalities ("Thunder…

Local history and legends of spirits appear often in this bilingual Spanish and English collection of 10 Southwest traditional tales, intended to promote interest in bilingual/bicultural programs and to preserve the colorful folklore of the area. Black and white drawings accompany the stories which deal with animals ("A Parrot for…

Ricky is an 11-year-old migrant worker. During the summer, he travels with his family from their home in Rio Grande City, Texas, to farms farther north. There they spend 10-12 hours a day in the hot sun picking fruit and vegetables and packing the harvest for market. Ricky is not protected by the federal laws that govern the hours, wages, and…

This is a collection of 20 stories that focus specifically on the experience of growing up Chicana/o. A foreword by Rudolfo Anaya provides background on the development of Chicano literature. The stories are presented in four sections that explore the themes of heritage and actual and metaphorical boundaries, the importance of grandparents and…

Careful reading of proverbs can aid an individual to develop self-awareness by providing insights into what one cultural group considers desirable human behavior. Respect for the elderly can be taught to the young through the study of proverbs. Through their proverbs, the Mexicans reveal their friendliness, love of animals, sense of humor, and…

This novel relates the story of Jesse and Abel, two Mexican American brothers trying to improve their life situation and and escape their heritage of tedious physical labor by furthering their education through junior college. Jesse loves his mother, but grows tired of his mean and disrespectful Anglo stepfather. Jesse doesn't understand why his…

This book relates the fictional story of Juanita Chavez, a Mexican-American teenager who unjustly faces expulsion from school after fighting with a White student who was spreading rumors about her family. Juanita knows that if she is expelled this will greatly disappoint her parents and shatter her dream of becoming the first one in her family to…

This children's book describes how Pablo, a young Mexican boy, and his family celebrate the Day of the Dead (El Dia de Los Muertos). This holiday takes place on the first and second day of November and honors relatives and friends who have died. The holiday celebrates their spiritual return to Earth to share a special feast with the living, and…

Among Mexico's most original traditions is the holiday dedicated to honoring the dead, Dia de los Muertos, November 2. This tradition combines aspects that define the national spirit. At the same time that it is a solemn festivity to remember the dead, it becomes a fiesta in its own right. Death, more than a thing to be feared, becomes the motif…