ĄSi, Se Puede! / Yes, We Can!: Janitor Strike in L.A. (Spanish Edition) (Paperback)

by Diana Cohn (Author), Francisco Delgado (Illustrator) "SLEEP WITH THE ANGELS, Carlitos," says Mama when she tucks me in..." (more)
Key Phrases: Los Angeles, Miss Lopez

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Focusing on the event in April 2000 that united 8,000 workers in the Justice for Janitors Campaign, ­Si, Se Puede!/Yes, We Can!: Janitor Strike in L.A. by Diana Cohn, illus. by Francisco Delgado, trans. by Sharon Franco, chronicles the proceedings through the eyes of one female worker's son. An opening color-pencil sketch in fiesta-bright colors shows Mam  tucking in Carlitos for bed before she leaves for work. She explains to her son the need for a strike, and a series of spreads chart the strikers' progress. A final spread profiles union organizer Dolores S nchez; the dust jacket doubles as a poster that explains labor unions and strikes, along with a poem by Luis J. Rodriguez. Ages 7-12.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist
PreS-Gr. 3. Political and passionate, this bilingual picture book about the L.A. janitors' strike in 2000 gives a voice to contemporary urban Latino working-class families. With the English text at the top of each page and the Spanish translation below, the story is told in the first person by Carlitos, a Mexican immigrant child, whose widowed mother cleans offices nights and weekends but still can't manage to support her family. After Mama tells Carlitos that she is helping to organize a janitors' strike for a union, Carlitos gets support at school from his teacher and classmates, and he joins the march with a sign that reads: "I love my Mama. She is a janitor!" Delgado's bright, active pastel pictures, much like poster art, are reminiscent of the work of Mexican artist Orozco, with pulsing scenes of marching crowds in the streets as well as warm close-ups of people at work and home. Carlitos' story is framed by lots of politics for group discussion, and the inside of the dust jacket is a poster with art and text about labor history. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Cinco Puntos Press; Bilingual edition (January 1, 2009)
• Language: English, Spanish
• ISBN-10: 093831789X
• ISBN-13: 978-0938317890
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #718,722 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Oh you can't scare me, I'm sticking to the union, October 21, 2005

By	E. R. Bird "Ramseelbird" (Manhattan, NY) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: ĄSi, Se Puede! / Yes, We Can!: Janitor Strike in L.A. (Spanish Edition) (Hardcover)

There are frighteningly few picture books out there that truly celebrate the contemporary working class. Oh, you'll find tons of them willing to talk if the stories take place in the past. But shine the spotlight on today's janitors, hotel workers, and Walmart employees and watch that number of books evaporate like mirages in the sun. Now find picture books in which the child's parents are business people. There are TONS of them (usually because they belong to the garden variety mommy-and-daddy-please-don't-go-to-work camp). For this reason and this reason alone, "Si, Se Puede", was filling a very great need. In discussing not only the Justice For Janitors Campaign of 2000 but also the need for strong unions in America today, the book is both informative and interesting. It joins such equally important unionization children's books as "Harvesting Hope" and "Bud Not Buddy". What makes it remarkable, however, is the fact that it's taking place today.

Carlitos loves his mother, but he feels bad for her. Every night she tucks him into bed, then trudges downtown to mop up the glass office buildings downtown. The job isn't bad, but Mama doesn't get paid much and can't afford to spend more time with her family. She even has to take on extra jobs on the week-ends. It isn't too surprising to Carlitos then when she informs him that she's going to join other janitors around town in a massive Los Angeles strike. The strike is well-coordinated and the people in the community are supportive. Little Carlitos wonders what he could possibly do to support his mother. The answer comes in the form of a painted sign reading, "I Love My Mama. She Is A Janitor!". This display of pride joins others and, in the end, the strikers win a living wage and Mama is available to take Carlitos to the park on week-ends. This hardly marks the end of Mama's new work, though. Hotel staff members need Mama's help with their own strike, so Carlitos grabs his sign and the two head off shouting a triumphant, "Si, se puede!".

There is an argument in children's literary theory that propaganda never makes a good children's book. Certainly this is sometimes true (books like, "Help! Mom! There Are Liberals Under My Bed!" aren't exactly vying for artistic merit). Unfortunately, it all depends on what you think is "propaganda". Cynthia Zolotow's remarkable, "William's Doll" would probably fall under strict scrutiny. In the case of this particular book, I guess it all boils down to whether or not you consider unions a "hot topic" To me, they're just a necessity of life. And since they exist, it makes all the sense in the world to try to explain what they are to kids. It's true, I suppose, that author Diana Cohn has limited her scope a little. The story is about a single historical incident and the framing sequence involving Carlitos and his mother give an otherwise factual incident a human face. So this isn't exactly going to be nightly reading for every child you know. On the other hand, there are LOTS of children out there who can relate positively to this book. Children of hardworking blue-collar parents will instantly recognize the importance of the strike in this book. And those kids from middle to upper middle class fams will understand that for Carlitos, winning this strike means seeing more of his own mother. The book is even written in simultaneous English and Spanish on each page, further increasing its readership.

Flaws, you ask? Just one major one. Though illustrator Francisco Delgado received an MFA from the Yale School of Art in Painting, Drawing and Printmaking and has produced many beautiful works in his lifetime, he's fallen victim of a common problem in children's publishing. For reasons that continue to escape me, when commercial or practicing artists try their hand at picture books, they tend to dumb down their images. I have no idea why this is. The result, however, is that a painter like Delgado, who could create a book every bit as lovely as those illustrated by Ana Juan if he wanted to, instead gives the story a hokey comic strip feel. All sense of proportion and balance is thrown out the window. Carlitos' mother comes off as heavy-lidded and somewhat frightening while the story's children look like mildly miniaturized adults. All this combines to turn an otherwise great story into something amateurish and cheap. This is NOT to say that the book isn't worth reading. It's just unfortunate that instead of being a book where the reader is simultaneously lured into the story by both the words and the images, now the reader has to consciously fight against the grotesque illustrations and pay sole attention to the tale. Why Delgado chose to cheapen his art in this way, we may never know. I can only hope that perhaps he'll consent to redo some of these pictures if future printings demand it.

The book ends with a very interesting two-page essay written by author Luis J. Rodriguez. In this section we meet a woman very much like Carlitos' mother and a true-to-life hero. This portion of the book may be of interest to some older children wanting further information (whether for school reports or their own curiosity) on real-life union organizing. Otherwise it's probably going to go over little ones' heads and be a draw for parents instead.

In the end, "Si, Se Puede!", is a necessary addition to every library. Until we start getting more picture books about contemporary everyday heroes like the ones featured here, we're going to have to rely on the scant that manage to come out. Note, if you will, that "Si, Se Puede", was not published by some big-time New York publishing house. The El Paso company Cinco Puntos Press is responsible for this one, and a quick glance at their website will confirm that it's probably their most widely-read title yet. If, as a parent, you've any interest at all in giving your children some kind of an understanding about unions, the nickel and dimed amongst us, or positive modern-day heroes, look no further than this book. It's not perfect, but it's certainly a rewarding read.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars EXCELLENT!, January 3, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: ĄSi, Se Puede! / Yes, We Can!: Janitor Strike in L.A. (Spanish Edition) (Hardcover)

Excellent book! My children and I both love it. Well written, especially since the topic is sometimes difficult to explain to young children. Illustrations are top-notch. An EXTREMELY necessary subject for children to learn about and understand.

5.0 out of 5 stars My daughter and I love this smart and loving book, April 28, 2008

By	Jennifer and Mia (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews

"Si se puede" tells the universal story of parents who want their children to thrive, and of children who want their parents to be fulfilled as well. My 4-year-old daughter and I read it again and again because it's a heart-warming story of how precious this family bond is, and because we end up tackling larger issues as we talk about a family who struggles and wins.

Carlitos' mother works hard to support her family, but finds that hard work isn't enough. She needs to join with other workers to improve conditions for herself and the other moms and dads who are struggling as well.

The story comes full circle when the son she works to support ends up supporting her as well. It's surprising how well kids "get" issues like this, especially when they are told in the context of a loving mother/child relationship.

This book is good for learning about societal issues, but it's also a good old sweet read. It's a great way to round out our library of fuzzy animal books.