Experience how a world of books can change someone's life. Books allow you to see the unimaginable, the surprising, and the unbelievable. A world of possibilities awaits when you put your trust in books.
What is this story about?
A mother and her son leave their home country of Mexico and immigrate to America. When they arrive, they feel lost and afraid, not knowing the language and customs of American culture. Soon enough, they enter a library and their world changes. They experience the unimaginable through books, as well as, learn how to read, write, and speak. Books make them feel welcomed and give them a sense of belonging in this new, strange world.
Meet the Author/Illustrator:
Yuyi Morales
Yuyi Morales is an award-winning author and illustrator. She has won awards such as: a Caldecott Honor, Pura Belpré Award (5 times), and is a New York Times Bestselling author/illustrator. She grew up in Mexico and immigrated to the U.S. with her son in 1994. To see more of her work, check out her website: http://www.yuyimorales.com/2.htm
My Critique/Review:
I was so excited to read this book because of the beautiful, eye-catching, and remarkable illustrations on the front cover. This book did not disappoint! This book is full of beautiful images, engaging text, and wonderful uses of symbolism. I love how the author incorporates her identity into this book, with aspects from her homeland, as well as, her new life in America. This book meets my expectations of a good children's book because it is interesting and engaging as the reader experiences the magic of books. It follows Yuyi's journey as she finds books and uses them to unleash her power on paper. Lastly, it incorporates family and aspects of immigration, making it believable and relatable for many. I think this book would promote children to explore new and unfamiliar books, adding to the joy and excitement of reading.
Thoughts:
When reading this book, the illustrations stood out to me the most. The illustrations of this book were made with a combination of acrylic paint, ink on paper using a nib pen and brushes, as well as, scanning photographs onto the page. The images in this book are so beautiful and incorporate so many aspects of Yuyi Morales's Mexican heritage. She mentions that she incorporated "old walls from the streets of Malinalco, my hometown of Xalapa, and my house; traditional Mexican fabrics; a traditional wool skirt from Chiapas; Kelly's childhood drawings; hand-painted pants I made for my son, Kelly; and my childhood drawings kept by my mother", which can been seen on the introduction page (Morales, 2018). The author also incorporates a lot of symbolism into her illustrations. I learned from further research, that the monarch butterflies seen on almost every page, take a long time to reach the U.S. on their journey from Mexico, so by the time they reach the states, they may be 4th generation butterflies. This symbolizes that when migrants immigrate, they come thinking that they are not only going to change their lives, but are changing the lives of future generations. Furthermore, the volcano that can be seen on the second page, is drawn in the shape of "The Sleeping Woman" and the "Kneeling Warrior" volcanoes. Yuyi used this to represent feminine power and waking up the power of the people (House, 2018). Some other uses of symbolism are the snake, skeleton, skirt, dog, pillow with eye, birds, and female bats that can be seen throughout the book. Lastly, I loved how Yuyi Morales created the library scenes so vividly. She incorporated real like books and was so detailed in capturing their image.
I also noticed the importance of own voice in this book. This book is very personal to the author, as she wrote it about her own journey and experiences. The author tries hard to include pieces of Mexico, her home, as she includes aspects like clothing, symbols, and language. This represents pieces of home that Yuyi is taking with her as she migrates to America. By the author incorporating own voice and making this book personal, the reader feels more attached to the book, seeming so real, and feels a sense of empathy and understanding for Yuyi and other migrants.
A common theme I noticed in this book is the importance of family and celebrating individual's gifts. In the book, Yuyi mentions that: "We are dreamers: we enter a new country carried by hopes and dreams, carrying our own special gifts, to build a better future" (Morales, 2018). Yuyi Morales emphasizes that as migrants travel to a new country, they bring gifts and skills with them that should be celebrated and encouraged. On the second page of the book, the reader sees the backpack of gifts that Yuyi brings with her, representing her love of life, her fire and drive, companionship, and her intuition. Furthermore, the reader sees the importance of family and love throughout the book. Yuyi leaves her home country of Mexico with her infant son, travels to a new, scary, and foreign place to give her son a better life. Families make sacrifices for their kids and it is important to remember that, especially as we see more immigration today.
Making Connections:
One thing I really love about this book is at the end, the author has a page called: "Books that Inspired Me (and still do)." So, I think a great extension to this book would be to have students further explore these inspirational books. I would have students choose one book from the list that they have not yet read and then read it. Then, I would have students think about why this book could be inspirational to the author? What emotions does it evoke in the reader? Does it connect to any other book you have read? Is it inspirational to you? Does this book connect to Dreamers? This would get students making connections between texts and thinking about the author and her perspective. Lastly, I would have students create a drawing that their chosen book inspired in them. This could be a feeling it evoked, a connection they had, or even another scene they would want to add onto the book if they were the author.
Another connection I made was between this book and the book, A Crack in the Sea. Between both books, I noticed the importance and celebration of individual gifts and talents, as well as, the idea of leaving home and being a refugee. In this book, Yuyi leaves home and migrates to America, bringing lots of gifts that represent her identity. In A Crack in the Sea, Swimmer, Venus, Sang, Mai, and Thanh are all forced out of their homes and become refugees. They land in the second world, using their gifts and talents along their journey, as well as, to start their new life.
Useful Links:
Yuyi Morales discussing the book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAiTFJaNiD8&feature=youtu.be
Yuyi Morales Answering Questions About Dreamers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CKdP-fQM-s
Interactive Read Aloud: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPuI4LEQf3M
Teaching Resources: https://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=59023
Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIruaQoO8yk
Read Aloud: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5-qRTOVRws
2019 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Winner Reaction Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-vSJ3U_gP0
Yuyi Morales Studio Tour & Creating Dreamers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5XbU7H5OM8
Sources:
House, H. (2018) Dreamers Video. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Morales, Y. (2018) Dreamers. New York, New York: Neal Porter Books
Yuyi Morales. Photo of Author Yuyi Morales. Reprinted from Macmillan Speakers, 2019. Retrieved from https://www.macmillanspeakers.com/speaker/yuyi-morales/