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Two children's books with Latino themes have won the prestigious 2001 Jane Addams Children's Book Awards. The winners were announced September 6.
Esperanza Rising, written by Pam Munoz Ryan is the winner in the Writing Category. This 262-page novel explores the status of women in Mexico and of migrant workers in the United States during the early 20th Century. In this story Esperanza, a 13-year-old girl whose name in Spanish means "hope," becomes involved with striking field workers and the complexities of resistance. The beautifully written novel illuminates the history of agricultural strikes in California and the impact of the 1929 federal Deportation Act on Mexicans. The author based her story (written for middle school readers) on some of her grandmother's experiences. It was published by Scholastic Press.
The winner in the Picture Book Category is The Composition, a suspenseful 32-page picture story written for elementary schoolchildren. It was written by Chilean author Antonio Skarmeta, illustrated by Alfonso Ruano and translated from Spanish by Elisa Amado. The story takes place in an unnamed nation in South America, where schoolchildren have been given an assignment by a soldier who represents the military dictator. The children must enter a competition by writing about what their parents do...