Saturday, March 15, 2008

Becoming Naomi Leon



Module 5

Ryan, Pam Munoz. 2004. Becoming Naomi Leon. New York: Scholastic.

This book speaks to the reality of many children today who are being raised by grandparents. It is written from the perspective of Naomi, who along with her brother Owen, is being raised by her "Gram" in a trailer park. We see the character of Naomi grow from a girl who likes to read, write, and make lists, to someone who has to help fight to keep the life that has become her stability. The emphasis of the strong protective love that a grandmother can have for her grandchildren is a main theme of the story. When a selfish mother with less than sterling intentions returns after several years, we see what lengths that love will travel. The story will hit home for many children who already know what it feels like to experience the fear of being caught in the middle of a custody battle. The characters in this book are well developed. Ryan captures the emotional and sometimes physical issues that scar children in these situation. The story, which is told in first person by Naomi, lets us see clearly how she feels about her dilemma. It also shows how she uses simple things like making lists of special words and things she wants to remember to help her cope. While the book qualifies as multicultural, we first see Naomi as a girl who has a real problem. The adventure of traveling to Mexico in an Airstream trailer is coupled with the joy of a young girls' discovery of her father and her cultural roots. Ryan has also interwoven some very interesting information about the art of soap carving and the Mexican festival of the Night of the Radishes. Recommended for grades 4-7,this book has won several awards including ALA Notable Books for Children (2005) and the Pura Belpre Honor (2006).

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