Bravo!

January 16, 2017
Eighteen Hispanic individuals from diverse professional and personal backgrounds are honored in Engle’s plainspoken free-verse poems, written from each person’s perspective. “I struggled to become a teacher/ and a poet, so I could use words/ to fight for equal rights for women,” explains Puerto Rican activist Julia de Burgos, while George Meléndez Wright, the first chief of the National Park Service’s wildlife division, speaks to his environmental passions: “Let us save rare species/ before it is too late!” López (who illustrated Engle’s Dream Drum Girl) creates bold, dramatic portraits of the subjects, which include José Martí, Pura Belpré, Tito Puente, and César Chávez. Capsule biographies are a welcome supplement to the poems, which don’t always fully contextualize the figures on their own. A Spanish-language edition is available simultaneously. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Michelle Humphrey, Martha Kaplan Agency. Illustrator’s agency: Full Circle Literary.

December 15, 2016
This book features the lives of a variety of Latinos who faced life's challenges with aplomb and in their own ways. Celebrated Cuban-American author Engle presents the lives of some well-known Latinos such as the musician Tito Puente, labor union organizer Cesar Chavez, and National Baseball Hall of Fame player Roberto Clemente. Others are not as familiar to children today but still left their marks on our country: Father Felix Varela, who became an advocate of equal rights for Irish immigrants; Paulina Pedroso, who openly defied racial segregation; Aida de Acosta, who flew a dirigible six months before the Wright brothers flew the first airplane; and George Melendez Wright, first chief of the National Parks Wildlife Division and a renowned conservationist. Given his close association with Cuba rather than the United States, the inclusion of poet Jose Marti is puzzling. Each one of the 18 people presented is awarded a double-page spread. On one page each person is stunningly portrayed in Lopez's strong and vibrant style; opposite is a first-person biographical poem that provides a glimpse into its subject's life. At the end of the book the author has included a brief biographical note about each, yet between poem and note readers may find they are left with a large information gap. A further list of other outstanding Latinos is also included. An unusually slight offering from an author whose work is usually so compelling. (Picture book/biography/poetry. 8-12)

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Starred review from January 1, 2017

Gr 4-7-Engle highlights 18 Latinxs from a range of ethnic backgrounds and countries of origin, all of whom lived in what is now the United States or its territories. Each person made a positive impact on U.S. history, and although some are not well-known, their contributions warrant an important place in the U.S. collective cultural knowledge. Engle's masterly first-person poems capture the essence of each individual, while notes about each figure at the end provide context to spur curiosity and further research. Additionally, the final celebratory poem features an additional 22 contemporary Latinxs in a crescendo to the present, ending with applause: "Bravo!" The pairing of these biographical poems with Lopez's distinctive artwork leaves a lasting visual impression, as the subjects, surrounded by images representing their vocations, look readers straight in the eye or are totally absorbed in their work. These full-page illustrations serve as bold counterparts to the poems. VERDICT Although lacking specific source notes for student readers and writers, this book is a welcome addition to schools and libraries, as it expands the canon of historically significant individuals in the United States in such a lyrical and aesthetically pleasing manner.-Ruth Quiroa, National Louis University, Chicago, IL

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2016
Grades 2-5 Latinos have made many wonderful contributions to the history of the United States, and Engle's poems on 18 amazing Latinos provides a chronological overview of the impact these figures have had. Vibrant full-page portraits pair with short verses that interweave biographical details from the person's life, giving readers an understanding of what makes each individual significant. Engle (recipient of the Pura Belpre and Newbery Honor Book awards, among others) tells stories of more commonly known Latino figures, like writer Jose Marti, as well as those who are more obscure, such as activist Paulina Pedroso. Lopez's illustrations are beautiful, colorful, and lifelike, and each portrait contains a detail relevant to the subject's life. For example, the poem on botanist Ynes Mexia, Wild Exploration, is adorned with a verdant spray of leaves and flowers, while Brave Music shows Tito Puente against a bright backdrop patterned with drums. More detailed biographies for each individual conclude. This lovely compendium is most noteworthy for the diversity it portrays within the Latino community, showcasing a rich array of talents and achievements.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)