Growing Up Chicana/O: An Anthology

This book is a great book to have if you grew up Chicana/o yourself. It is both painful, joyful, and uplifting to recognize familiar experiences as told by the various authors. For those who are not Chicana/o, this collection offers a multi-faceted perspective of a group of people who have long been part of U.S. history. Chicanos, like every other ethnic group, have both their shortcomings and triumphs. We have experienced both oppression and hardfast pride. This book is a sweet example of how complex the lives of Chicanos are. A good book to read and then pass on to a friend.

Well over eighteen million Mexican-Americans live in the United States yet their history, literature and culture is conspiculously absent from the educational/social structure of so-called mainstream America. Enter, Growing Up Chicana/o which explodes the myth of the absence of the Chicana/o voice. Chicana/o is name the children of mestizo heritage (blending of the original people of the "New World" with the Spanish conquerers) have given themselves in defining who they are as a people and a growing political entity. The stories presented in this volume are unique in speaking to the reader in two voices (English and Spanish). You hear the story in English but the underlying tone and richness is Spanish. The interweaving of autobiography with fiction is a remarkable art which gives the reader an understanding of Chicana/o culture. Gerald Haslam's story, "The Horned Toad", centers around the relationship of an English speaking boy and his Spanish speaking Grandmother. The interplay of these two individuals shows the tensions of two worlds, two languages. Alicia Gaspar de Albar explores her cultural schizophrena through her story of a teenage Chicana coming to terms with her lesbianism. These and other stories explore the vast richness of a people who have had a great impact upon the United States. This text is both an introduction to Chicana/o life and literature as well as a challenge for the so-called mainstream to pay attention to this significant group. Mexican-Americans are no longer geographically confined to the west and southwest. Their migration to other states have caused school systems and politicians to take notice. This book woul be a valuable resource for educators to read, understand, and value Chicana/o culture and incorporate it into their curriculums.