Saturday, October 15, 2011

The Tequila Worm

The Tequila Worm
Pura Belpre Award 2006


Canales, V. (2005).  The tequila worm. New York, NY: Wendy Lamb Books.

This is a 2006 Pura Belpre Award winner.  I found this book to have a very slow start.  It seems to take the reader methodically through each holiday and family Tradition without much depth.  It is the story of a Mexican-American family, living in McAllen, Texas, and their traditions.  I finally got hooked when Sofia began making the decision to go to a boarding school in Austin.  I think it began to hit home for me, as I stayed back in Florida to finish high school when my family moved to Austin.  I then went to the University of Texas at Austin and got to go home to visit all the time.  My Papa (dad) was always so excited when I came home and also very proud of me.  My family members had not gone to college before me.  I was the first of many cousins who have now completed college.  I had tears by the end of this book because I have also lived through the pale gray death of my father, the numbness that follows, and the fact that life must go on.  I found the rich Catholic heritage of Sophia's family interesting too.  My family is Catholic, but not Mexican-American.  The Mexican-American families around me have such a rich heritage and tradition which is a wonderful thing.  I found that this story answered some of my questions about those traditions.   A good little book which exposes the reader to a young girl who wants to broaden her world.

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