From Booklist
Gr. 6-9. An attractive entry in the Hispanics of Achievement series, this biography of current Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Cisneros begins with his dramatic appearance at a federal housing project in eastern Texas, where African American residents were being harassed. Henry then moves back in time--way back--for an overview of Mexican-Texan relations, told mostly with a Mexican slant ("Removed from the romantic trappings of mythology, the American uprising in Texas that culminated in the siege of the Alamo was not a fight for freedom"). The author then goes on to trace Cisneros' family, beginning with his grandparents, and finally focuses on Cisneros' life and career as mayor of San Antonio and as secretary of HUD. Cisneros' extramarital relationship, which is now giving him so many problems, is mentioned briefly. The exceptionally clean layout and numerous black-and-white photographs certainly add to the book's appeal. An interesting look at an intriguing subject. Ilene Cooper
