COMMENDED LIST: I'm José and I'm Okay: Three Stories from Bolivia
RSSStaff -- School Library Journal, 08/01/2000
COMMENDED LIST
HOLZWARTH, Werner.
I'm José
and I'm Okay: Three Stories from Bolivia.
tr. from German by Laura McKenna. illus. by Yatiyawi Studios. Kane/Miller. Tr
$13.95. ISBN 0-916291-90-1.
José is a plucky 11-year-old who works in his uncle's auto-repair shop in Sarata, Bolivia. Although he has already taken on the adult responsibilities that are a reality for many working-class children in Latin America, José's childlike nature shines through in three slice-of-life episodes. Bold full-color paintings emphasize the boy's resilience and creative problem-solving. Based on incidents in the life of a real child, the story concept and illustrations were created by a non-profit organization in La Paz that strives to encourage literacy through narratives based on actual experiences. Humor, open-endedness, and an accessible design will make this volume especially appealing to reluctant readers. (Gr 4-7)
