Customer Reviews

Felita

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Felita is a story of a Puerto Rican family struggling to give their children a brighter future in the face of racism and prejudice. I think these are important issues that need to be addressed with children, in the classroom or in the home. I found it especially poignant that the children immediately accepted Felita as a friend, but it was the adults that rejected differences and cultivated the prejudice in their children. I am confused about the previous review stating that this book is appropriate for chidren ages 4-8. The back of the book states that it is for children 7-11 years of age and the top of this page states that it is appropriate for ages 9-12. Children of these ages should become familiar with short chapter books such as this one. Overall, I found this to be a good addition to a culturally diverse selection of childrens books-- one perspective to add to the many that make up life in the United States.

Usually, I don't read the backs or book flaps of the books I intend to review. I like to keep a fresh mind open and to come across a book without any expectations or any plot points given away. But in the case of "Felita", I made an exception. I read that the book was all about a girl's move from her predominantly Puerto Rican neighborhood into a "better" German/Irish neighborhood and the strife that occurs there. And yes, that is part of the book. But what's remarkable about "Felita" is that its more an examination of separate events in Felita's life than a single one that defines her. Her confrontation with racism is, in some ways, just as important as her ways of dealing with the death of her beloved abuelita. This book is one to be taken as a whole. Not glorifying a single plot point.

In the course of a year, Felita has a lot to deal with. First there's her family's move to a neighborhood that will provide good schools for Felita and her brothers. When the neighbors turn out to be prejudiced and not afraid to make their threats physical, the family is forced to move back to their old area at a bit of a loss. Then there's the fire that burns down poor Old Bernie's candy shop. Felita also has to deal with her supposed best friend stealing of the lead in the school play out from under everyone's nose. Fortunately, Felita's grandmother, Abuelita, is there to listen to everything her granddaughter has to say and to offer advice. But when Abuelita becomes ill, it's Felita who must find the courage to continue on.

The book's an excellent follow-up to the slightly similar, "My Name is Maria Isabel". Both books involve Puerto Rican girls dealing with the problems and prejudices of the adults around them. But "Maria Isabel" is a much younger reader while "Felita" is the perfect reading level for fourth to fifth graders. When I read it, I was initially shocked at the degree of hatred leveled at Felita's family after their move. The book was written in 1979, so it's debatable whether or not you'd find this level of prejudice in any large urban city with a significant Latin American community. Certainly you might find some small growls, but nothing like the concentrated effort on the part of the people found here anymore. One review of this book posed the worry that maybe the children reading this book would automatically dislike Germans and Irish because of their actions here. This is, to say the least, unlikely. At no point does Felita point to her neighbors and say, "I hate those Irish and those Germans!". It's mentioned that that's who originally populated the area. Nothing more.

The book is an interesting series of vignettes in the life of a single girl. And it reads as beautifully today as it did in the late 70s. The writing is clear, crisp, and easy to understand. Children will definitely agree with Felita on everything from her anger at her nasty neighbors to her hurt feelings when her best friend doesn't even tell her she wants the lead in the school play. Mohr sticks with clear cut emotions and matter-of-fact situations. It's a fun book with a catchy plot and interesting characters. A good read all around.

Felita is the narrator of this story. She is an eight-year-old Puerto Rican girl who lives in an American city with her mom, dad, and two older brothers, Tito and Johnny. She also lives nearby her grandmother and her Uncle Jorge. At the start of the book, Felita's family is moving to a nicer part of the city with better schools and where her father promises her a better life. They are also moving from a more Hispanic neighborhood to a White neighborhood. When they arrive in their new apartment, the neighbors are brutally mean to them, calling them "spicks" and other names, beating them up, and telling them to go back where they came from with their own kind. Eventually, the family is forced to move back to the old neighborhood where Felita has some other new experiences, including a fight with a friend, a neighborhood fire, and the death of her grandmother, with whom she is very close. The move is just one issue in the story and is just one of the many problems Felita deals with in her life.

I think this is a great book for 3rd-6th graders. Felita's story still has resonance with children's experiences today but also things have changed in the U.S. since the late 70s. I think that racial discrimination and prejudice still exist, but I don't think Felita's family would have been attacked today as they were back then in the book.

The writing in "Felita" is easy for 7 year olds to read, but I'm not sure about the topic. This book is about a Puerto Rican girl who's the object of racism, yet survives thanks to the "love of the family." While there isn't any sex, profanity, or murder, there is the concern of how much the kids will understand. When they read how the local girls turn on Felita, what will they think? Will they wonder why the girls were suddenly cold to having her in the neighborhood? Will they think that this is what you can expect when you move house?

If you give this to a child to read, you have to discuss the book after he/she reads it. There's too much in here that a child may not understand.

I just finished presenting this book to my 5th grade tutoring group, which is part of a program designed to help children comprehend more deeply the meanings of things found in the books they read. I found it to be an excellent teaching tool, leading us to talk about feelings, relationships, community, trust, prejudice, priorities, and loss.

Felita could be any child growing up in a New York City barrio, and the things she faces are common occurrences. It is how she handles them - usually after receiving wise counsel from her beloved abuelita - that provides much of the teaching material.

I highly recommend this book to elementary school teachers, and also to 3rd through 5th grade children who want to read a gripping story that will teach them about life.

Felita is about a girl named of Felita of course who has moved to a different neigborhood. She is talked about and gets beat up by some of the girls who live around her. I recomend this ook to girs only because the main character is a girl.This book helps people understand that nobody can have a perfect life and you just have to deal with problems in good mater and not hurting someone. When I read thi book I wanted to sop but just coud not stop. Thi sbook will make you want to read so if you are not a reader then try to read this book and I am sure thta you will be able to cope with it. ANd another things is that this book is also good for a family to read because the book is about a family. It would be good for parents to read a hapter every ngith to there child beaue it teaches a lesson. If you and your family are planning on moving then try to read the book and I am sure that if it will help them if they are i the smae situaion as Felita.

Felita introduces the reader to a strong and loving Puerto Rican family living in New York. The characters are well-developed and interesting. The plot is interesting enough to engage young readers. The book is recommended for children 4-8, but I feel it is more appropriate for children comfortable with chapter books. I realize that age levels are subjective, but I believe that a 4-8 year old would be better off sharing this book with a caregiver or teacher. The book deals with racism and death of a loved one, and for these reasons I feel that it makes an appropriate shared reading book. It is important to offer children a chance to discuss Felita's experience with racism. Without open discussion,it could lead the reader to believe that all Irish and Germans are racist. In this story Felita's beloved grandmother dies, but the death is dealt with in three pages at the end of the story. I don't think given the care taken to describe the relationship between Felita and her grandmother, this ending does the characters or subject justice.

I think this book was very interesting and one of the best book I have ever read.It is about a girl named Felita that has to go through alot of things.She has to move with her grandma.Once she is in her new neighborhood everybody acts so strange and almost nobody likes her.Even though she didn't like it she had to deal with it.I also like this book because she is so brave and funny.In this book there is alot of things that happen.What I like about this book is that yuo can tell when something interesting is going to happen.It also tells yuo every single little thing that is going on.I think that you should also read this amazing book and I hope you also enjoy it as much as I did.