Synopses & Reviews
A blending of rich Mexican and American cultural traditions"My name is Ramón Ernesto Ramírez, but everybody calls me Monchi. I live on a ranch that my great-grandfather built a long time ago when this land was still part of Mexico. That was before the United States bought it in 1854 and moved the line."
Every day, Monchi and his five brothers and sisters take a long, bumpy bus ride to Coyote School, where there are twelve students who each write for Coyote School News. Through their articles and drawings we learn all about their exciting 1938 school year-from the Christmas piñata, the new baseball team, and the Perfect Attendance Competition to La Fiesta de los Vaqueros, the biggest annual ranch celebration.
This eventful story, illustrated in full color, is based on an actual collection of newspapers written by students of Arizona ranch-country schools between 1932 and 1943.
Review
"[A]n appealing story that will be a fine choice for reading aloud in the classroom." --
Booklist "Sandin's love and knowledge of this land and its history are evident in both text and illustration." --Kirkus Reviews
"Without didacticism, this book shows readers that Mexican traditions have been part of the American cultural landscape for generations, yet the book's appeal is broad and not limited to social studies units." School Library Journal
About the Author
Joan Sandin has written and illustrated many books for children, both in the United States and in Sweden, where she lived for several years. Among her books are the highly successful beginning readers for HarperCollins. The idea for
Coyote School News came from Ms. Sandin's friendship with María Amado, a woman whose pioneer Mexican family lived on a ranch similar to the one depicted in this story. Ms. Sandin now resides in Tucson, Arizona, with her husband.