Bravo! is written by Cuban American Margarita Engle. It celebrates the accomplishments and contributions of talented Latinos through a series of poems. A musician, botanist, a baseball player, and a pilot are just some of the Latinos portrayed in this book. Biographical poems include Felix Varela from Cuba, Juana Briones from Mexico, Paulina Pedros from Cuba, Jose Marti from Cuba, Ynes Mexia from Mexico, Louis Agassiz Fuertes from Puerto Rico, Aida de Acosta from Cuba, Fabiola Cabeza de Baca from Mexico, Arnold Rojas from Mexico, Pura Belpre from Puerto Rico, George Melendez Wright from El Salvador, Julia de Burgo from Peurto Rico, Baruj Benacerraf from Venezuela, Tito Puente from Puerto Rico, Cesar Chavez from Mexico, Roberto Clemente from Puerto Rico, and Tomas Rivera from Mexico. Bravo! also includes magnificent illustrations by Rafael Lopez. Through his simple outlines and vibrant colors, he captures the lively personalities for each person. Lopez also adds carefully chosen background elements to hint about the details of their life.
Bravo! is a great resource for teaching poetry and Latino culture. This book can be used in so many ways! Each poem is told in first person point of view, which can encourage readers to bring their own voice and experiences into the library or classroom conversation. Bravo! can also be used to encourage readers to study historical figures and envision their experiences. In addition, literature circles can be formed for readers to discuss topics such as who they would want to meet that is featured in the book and why or who they felt was the most inspirational person in the book and why. Readers can also read about how each person that is portrayed in the book contributed to the both the world and their culture and what they believe prompted them to do so.
Kirkus Reviews:
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 César Chávez, 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 Félix Varela, who became an advocate of equal rights for Irish immigrants; Paulina Pedroso, who openly defied racial segregation; Aída de Acosta, who flew a dirigible six months before the Wright brothers flew the first airplane; and George Meléndez 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 José Martí is puzzling. Each one of the 18 people presented is awarded a double-page spread. On one page each person is stunningly portrayed in López’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.
Pub Date: March 14, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-8050-9876-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Henry Holt
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