Synopses & Reviews
Carlitosandrsquo; mother is a janitor. Every night, he sleeps while his mother cleans in one of the skyscrapers in downtown L.A. When she comes home, she waves Carlitos off to school before she goes to sleep. One night, his mamandaacute; explains that she canandrsquo;t make enough money to support him and his abuelita the way they need unless she makes more money as a janitor. She and the other janitors have decided to go on strike.
Will he support her and help her all he can? Of course, Carlitos wants to help but he cannot think of a way until his teacher, Miss Lopez, explains in class how her own grandfather had fought for better wages for farmworkers when he first came to the United States. Finally, Carlitos knows how he can show his mamandaacute; how proud he is of her. He and the other children in his class make posters and Carlitos joins the marchers with a very special sign for his mom!andiexcl;Sandiacute;, Se Puede! is a Jane Addams Peace Award Honor Book, a Skipping Stones Honor Book, as well as a selection for The Best of Beyond Difference, a recommended list of the top 10 diversity books published in 2002.
Diana Cohn, the author, is a social activist. As an elementary teacher, she discovered there were few books for children that discussed social issues, so she began to write as an avocation. She now works as Program Director for the Solidago Foundation, a foundation that supports communities working for economic and environmental justice. She lives on a houseboat in Sausalito, California.
Francisco Delgado, the illustrator, grew up in Juandaacute;rez, Chihuahua, but completed high school in El Paso, Texas. He will -receive his MFA at Yale in Painting, Drawing, and Printmaking in May 2002. Francisco is becoming known nationally for his political paintings that satirize U.S. icons blind to the mestizo and immigrant communities of Mexico. He lives in New Haven, Connecticut. Luis J. Rodriguez (Always Running) adds the afterword and a poem.
Synopsis
Cultural Writing. Children's Reading. "'Wonderful!' That's the word that best describes this inspirational story about the 2000 janitors' strike in Los Angeles. SI, SE PUEDE! reminds us that victories can be won and that the future lies with the children we can inspire. I highly recommend this book for people of all ages"--Linda Chavez-Thompson, Executive Vice President, AFL-CIO. The victory of the Justice for Janitors Campaign in Los Angeles, conducted by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 1877, inspired Diana Cohn to write SI, SE PUEDE! The story honors the 8,000 janitors who, in April 2000, put down their mops and brooms and went on strike. Three weeks later-after receiving unparalleled solidarity from fellow workers, students and educators, religious leaders and elected officials from the community around them-the janitors won a contract that brought them a living wage and respect and dignity for the work they perform.
Synopsis
A young boy fights for workers' rights
About the Author
Diana Cohn lives in northern California. When not writing or working on other creative projects, she works as a program officer for a national foundation on issues related to economic justice. She is also a hobbyist beekeeper. Francisco Delgado, the illustrator, grew up in Juand#225;rez, Chihuahua, but completed high school in El Paso. He received his MFA at Yale in Painting, Drawing and Printmaking in May 2002. Francisco is becoming known nationally for his political paintings that satirize U.S. icons blind to the meztizo and immigrant communities of Mexico. He lives in New Haven, Connecticut.