Riding Low On The Streets Of Gold [Turtleback]

Judith Ortiz Cofer (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0606301895 | ISBN-13: 978-0606301893 | Publication Date: April 30, 2004

FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES ONLY. An essential collection of stories and poems for young people that introduces U.S. Latino Literature.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up–These 11 poems and 12 stories explore growing up, recognizing one's place in the world, and living the bilingual immigrant experience. The collection blends works of familiar authors, including José Martí, Tomás Rivera, Victor Villaseñor, and Pat Mora, with the writings of newcomers. Mike Padilla's "Carrying Sergei" relates the story of a Mexican girl who befriends a Russian immigrant boy after pushing him down a flight of stairs and breaking his leg. Through visits to his home, she discovers much about him and even more about herself. Friendship is also the theme of Daniel Chacón's "Too White," in which the protagonist faces the decision of admitting his friendship with a white boy or choosing to be part of the local Mexican gang. In Jesús Salvador Treviño's "The Fabulous Sinkhole," the personalities of an entire neighborhood are revealed as various individuals react to the emergence of a giant hole in Mrs. Romero's front yard. The poems are well chosen and blend well with the prose. The stories could be a starting point for interesting discussion topics, but the gritty language in a few of them may keep the book from being an assigned text. A photograph and brief biography of the author precede each work. Several poems in Spanish are accompanied by the English translation. Unfortunately, there are a handful of Spanish terms that are not defined within the text and there is no glossary. However, this is a minor detraction from this solid introduction to Latino literature.–Linda L. Plevak, Saint Mary's Hall, San Antonio, TX
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From Booklist

Gr. 6-12. In this vibrant collection, Cofer collects memoir, poetry, and fiction by Latino writers who muse on las luchas, or struggles, of young people's daily lives: the universal coming-of-age experiences and the specific issues of Latino youth. Set in diverse locations, the selections include Mike Padilla's moving short story "Carrying Sergei," in which a girl in Tijuana and her Russian boyfriend fall in love and miss their absent fathers. In her poignant poem "Same Song," Pat Mora watches her teenage children wrestle with body and identity issues common to teens everywhere. In "Primary Lessons," Cofer remembers Puerto Rican school, where she saw in a classmate the pain of being an outsider--"a fly in a glass of milk." Teens of all cultural backgrounds will find much to connect with and contemplate in these rich offerings. Authors' biographies, not available in the galley, will introduce each selection. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Turtleback: 197 pages
• Publisher: Demco Media (April 30, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0606301895
• ISBN-13: 978-0606301893
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,664,983 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Critically acclaimed and widely published poet, novelist, and essayist Judith Ortiz Cofer knows that "words have the power to transform you and give you the power to shape your life. The minute you open your mouth, you have introduced yourself." Writing extensively about the experience of being Puerto Rican and her identity as a woman and writer in the U.S., she is a lauded Regents and Franklin Professor of Creative Writing at the University of Georgia where she teaches literature and creative writing.