From North to South/Del Norte al Sur [Hardcover]

Rene Colato Lainez (Author), Joe Cepeda (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 17, 2010 | Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: K and up

José loves helping Mamá in the garden outside their home in California. But when Mamá is sent back to Mexico for not having citizenship papers, José and his Papá face an uncertain future. What will it be like to visit Mamá in Tijuana? When will she be able to come home? Award-winning children’s book author René Colato Laínez tackles the difficult and timely subject of family separation with exquisite tenderness. He is donating a portion of his royalties to the Centro Madre Assunta, a refuge for women and children who are waiting to be reunited with their families in the United States. Joe Cepeda’s bright and engaging illustrations bring this story of hope to vivid life.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Children's Book Press; Bilingual edition (August 17, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892392312
• ISBN-13: 978-0892392315
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #597,433 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Hi! I am Rene Colato Lainez, and I write bilingual picture books for children. I am also a bilingual teacher at Fernangeles Elementary.Come on in and celebrate the pleasure of reading in English and Spanish. My goal as a writer is to produce good multicultural children's literature; stories where minority children are portrayed in a positive way, where they can see themselves as heroes, and where they can dream and have hopes for the future. I want to write authentic stories of Latin American children living in the States.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Positive book about a painful situation, August 21, 2010

By 

Jyotsna Sreenivasan "Gender Equality Bookstore" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: From North to South/Del Norte al Sur (Hardcover)

This picture book was written by an elementary school teacher in Los Angeles who learned that the parents of some of his students had been deported. This painful situation led to the creation of the character of Jose, whose mother has been deported.

Although the situation is sad, the book still manages to strike a positive note. The story opens with Jose excited about driving with his father from San Diego to visit his mother in Tijuana, where she is staying at El Centro Madre Assunta, a shelter for recently deported women. Jose and his father bring clothes, photographs, and drawings for his mother. Jose helps his mother in the garden, and promises to take care of the garden at home until she is able to return.

In addition to teaching kids about immigration issues, this gentle story depicts the love of a son and mother under trying circumstances. The text is in English and Spanish.

I have included this book in my online Gender Equality Bookstore.

5.0 out of 5 stars This heartbreaking story reflects the real life situation of families separated because of immigration issues, July 11, 2011

By 

American Immigration Council's Community Educ... (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: From North to South/Del Norte al Sur (Hardcover)

From North to South is a story of a young boy that misses his mother. Originally from Mexico, Jose's mother was deported to Tijuana for not having the proper documents to remain in the United States. In this short children's book, Jose and his father travel to Mexico to visit his mother. Although his mother is not able to return to the US until she has the proper documents, they manage to have a pleasant visit to Mexico and pray for her return to the states. This heartbreaking story reflects the real life situation of families being separated because of immigration issues. The text is written in Spanish and English.