I Am Rene, the Boy/ Soy Rene, El Nino (Hardcover)

~ Rene Colato Lainez (Author), Fabiola Graullera Ramirez (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3–In El Salvador, René feels confident, brave, and tough. Then he comes to the United States and must cope with a new culture and a new language. Dismayed when he learns that René is a girl's name, he feels better when he finds out that the feminine version is spelled with a double "e." An essay contest at school gives him a chance to put his research to good use and to celebrate both his name and his heritage. Based on the author's own experience, the story feels nonetheless a bit forced. The winning essay is too long to hold most children's interest, though sympathy for René's name troubles will be pretty universal. The Spanish translation reads slightly more smoothly than the English text. Ramírez's bright cartoon illustrations have a Tedd Arnoldesque pop-eyed charm. The color washes are luminous and the detail satisfying. While not as sensitive a treatment as Alma Flor Ada's Me llamo Maria Isabel/My Name Is Maria Isabel (S & S, 1994), this story will prompt discussion and empathy for students struggling with language acquisition and cultural change.
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Product Description

Young René’s teacher is calling role one morning, and René is dismayed to hear someone else answer to his name. It’s not only that he thought he was the only person with that name, but also that the new student who answers is a girl. That afternoon his classmates tease, "René has a girl’s name."

After discussing it with Mamá and Papá, René decides, "My name is so beautiful that a girl copied it from me," not the other way around. But the next day the new girl sits next to him…is behind him every time they line up…shares her apple with him…and at recess tells him she wants to be his best friend. . . everywhere he turns, there’s René the girl.

One day at the library, René discovers a book called The Meaning of Names. With the book tucked under his arm, René endeavors to win the first writing contest of the school year.

Complimented by playful illustrations, this bilingual picture book follows Colato Laínez’s own experiences, when he was faced with a challenge to his own name as a child. This witty story about a young boy’s odyssey to find out the meaning of his name will challenge readers aged 3 to 7 to chart cross-cultural differences by gaining an understanding about themselves and the people around them.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Arte Publico Press; Bilingual edition (May 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558853782
• ISBN-13: 978-1558853782
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8.6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #273,221 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!, March 19, 2007

By	mapper (Santa Maria, CA) - See all my reviews

Great book my kids loved it even though they don't speak Spanish - I used the Spanish to translate some words for them. The pictures are very well done and the story was interesting enough that when I was interrupted a few times they reminded me to continue with the story.

This is a book we will take care of and keep for a long time ---