Maria Isabel Salazar Lopez starts her first day at a new school, in a new city, where they speak a different language. After introducing herself to her new teacher, the teacher off-handedly says that they’ll have to call her Mary because they already have two Marias in the classroom. Not knowing what to say, Maria complies, but has trouble responding to a name that isn’t hers. She is chided for not responding when called, and when she fails to respond to her teacher’s words when being assigned parts in a pageant, she is left out. Instead of being honest with her family, she leads them to believe that she is participating and when the deception is revealed she is humiliated. Her story is one of a Puerto Rican family struggling in a new world in search of a better life, while maintaining a sense of their Latin American heritage. All is not lost for Maria, for she is able to redeem herself through writing a persuasive essay where she reveals her desire and reasons for wanting to be called by her full and proper name. The story is written in short chapters with accompanying black and white illustrations and will serve to engage younger tween readers up to 10 years old. The story is an exploration of the themes of love and honor as well as an introduction to Latin American culture. I would recommend this selection to young tweens who are interested in reading realistic fiction as well as youth struggling with their own cultural identities.
Ada, A.F. (1993). My name is Maria Isabel. New York: Atheneum. 57 pages. ISBN: 9780689315176.
Ages 8-10
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