Genre
This is a Pura Belpré honor book, as well as a 2021 Texas Bluebonnet Award book. I am using it to fill the poetry/verse requirement for this age category.
Targeted Age Group
This book is targeted to ages 8-14.
Summary
This book is about a young Mexican American boy and his experiences while living on the South Texas border. The poems follow him, his friends and family, throughout their work, school, familial gatherings, and many other experiences that are informed by their home on the Mexican-Texan border.
Justification
I chose this book because of its form in poetry, and because it is a Pura Belpré Honor book. I also chose it because of its setting in Texas. The politicization of the Mexican-Texan border is an issue that I have been at least somewhat aware of since I was a child, and that awareness has only grown in my adulthood. I chose to read this book, aware that it is a fictionalized version of these experiences, while also aware that it could highlight some of the experiences and realities of people who live on this international border.
Evaluation
To start off, the style and language of this book is a well-executed blend of thoughtful poetry and languages. Bowles’ (2018) novel is full of varying styles of poetry, from the firm structure of haikus to free verse. The Spanish language is woven throughout the text, and the most concise example of this is Güero’s poem that he writes in response to a bully: “ Yo, bullies: lero, lero / I’m the mero Güero / a real cacahuatero, / peanuts and chile / all up in this cuero / this piel, this skin— / it’s white, that’s true / but I’m just as Mexican / as you and you and you” (Bowles, 2018, p. 64). The rapid back and forth between English and Spanish shows his grasp of language as a young poet, as he creates rhyme and rhythm with both languages.
It isn’t just the balance of English and Spanish throughout the book that demonstrates Bowles’ (2018) love for language. There are many moments throughout this book that evoke emotions and sensory experiences with the reader. One example of this is in the poem “Records”, where Güero talks about his time spent listening to music with his Bisabuela. In this poem, he writes, “From the hiss and crackle / emerge these old-timey / but beautiful sounds. / I watch her lean back in her chair / closing her eyes, / transported to the past” (Bowles, 2018, p. 40). Anyone whose grandparents managed to keep around their old record player has experienced these same sounds, of an old record crackling out the songs it has played for years. Güero, or rather Bowles (2018), captures many similar moments like this as he describes the familiar sights and sounds of family gatherings, celebrations, and time spent with friends. While all of these experiences are portrayed through a specific cultural lens, readers can see themselves in similar settings with their own friends and family, because of the clarity of Bowles’ (2018) writing.
Bowles’ (2018) novel lacks a plot, but that is because it functions as slice-of-life fiction, and he fulfills the task of examining life through poetry by writing about a variety of topics, such as immigration, racism, identity, love, death, and more. Regarding plot, Young et al. (2020) states that “Every plot must have a conflict, and how that conflict is resolved carries the book to its conclusion” (p. 19). I don’t believe there is one singular conflict that Güero must overcome in this book. Like life, there are several conflicts going on in his world, whether they are his own, those of his family, or larger social issues. Despite not having a plot that takes the book from a clear opening to a clear resolution, Bowles (2018) makes a statement early on that will define the flow of the book. While crossing the border from Mexico back into Texas, Güero’s dad says, “No wall, no matter how tall, can stop your heritage / from flowing forever, like the Río Grande itself” (Bowles, 2018, p. 9). Indeed, Güero’s heritage as a Mexican-American child flows throughout the book, and can be seen through food, language, and family. It is these experiences that drive the novel, rather than plot.
Lastly, one of the defining quotes of this novel is a quote from Güero’s teacher, who says, “‘Poetry is the clearest lens for viewing the world’” (Bowles, 2018, p. 33). I don’t believe that I could ascribe one specific theme to this book, but if I had to, I would choose this idea. As was mentioned previously, this novel is slice-of-life fiction rather than plot-driven fiction. Bowles uses the medium of poetry to shift between various topics of life, as well as to explore how Güero uses poetry throughout his own life. When Güero asks his girlfriend what he can give her for Valentine’s Day, she says “hold my hand, write me a poem” (Bowles, 2018, p. 71). When confronted with a bully, Güero writes poetry in response, saying “it felt good to stand my ground and clap back with rap” (Bowles, 2018, p. 65). By the end of the book, Güero can hear poetry in the nature around him. These instances demonstrate how Güero took the words of his teacher to heart, looking for and creating poetry to process his world. I believe readers of this book, like Güero, will come away from this book with a greater appreciation for writing, for poetry, and for poetry’s ability to enhance and enlighten our view of the world. Happy reading!
References
Bowles, D. (2018). They call me Güero: A border kid’s poems. Cinco Puntos Press.
Young, T. A., Bryan, G., Jacobs, J. S., Tunnel, M. O. (2020). Children’s literature, briefly. Pearson Education, Inc.
No comments:
Post a Comment