 Siblings, seven-year-old Socorro and nine-year-old Paco tell their story of Spain during the turbulent Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939. Fascist dictator Francisco Franco persecuted everyone who opposed him, and consequently, the children’s father had to flee Spain because of his political beliefs. The children and their mother remain in Spain and have to keep their secret. A letter arrives from their father in Venezuela that results in the family being reunited in Caracas, where they are still different but safe. Oil-pastel illustrations portray the worlds of the family. Based on the author’s family history, this middle-grade novel is supplemented with more information about Spain and the war, wartime refugees, a new life beyond Spain, and the lives of refugees today. A glossary of Spanish words and resources for children, young adults, and older readers are also included. mjw |
| Title: Different: A Story Of The Spanish Civil War Author: Monica Montanes Illustrator: Evan Sanchez Gomez Publisher: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers Copyright: 2022 Original Language: Spanish Translator: Lawrence Schimel Original Title: Los distintos Original Publisher: Ediciones Ekare. Barcelona, Spain Original Copyright: 2020 ISBN: 978-0-8028-5598-5 Hardcover pages: 88 Age range: 9-14 Genre: Historical fiction Book setting: Spain, Venezuela Author’s ethnicity: Venezuelan Author’s residence: Madrid Illustrator’s ethnicity: Spanish Illustrator’s residence: Spain Awards: 2021 White Raven, 2023 Batchelder Award Subjects: Brothers and sisters, Caribbean and Latin America, Emigration and immigration, Military and wars, Refugees, Spain Civil War 1936-1939, Survival, Venezuela |
Different: A Story Of The Spanish Civil War
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Yellow canaries sing melodies to the silver miners in the Harz Mountains in Germany. Today, a bird dealer has come to put the canaries into individual wooden cages and take them on a voyage by train and then by steamship across the Atlantic Ocean to bustling New York City. Beautiful mixed media illustrations enhance this fascinating story about the little-known history of the canaries and their lovely melodies. Back matter includes notes on the history of canaries and the ways they were used and transported by humans in the 1800s. In the year 1882 alone, 120,000 canaries were shipped to New York City. A map of their journey is featured on the book’s endpapers. mjw
Young Anita lives in a village in the Dominican Republic where she is a valiant princesa. She worries about boarding dragons (airplanes) that will take her to a new life in a new country. The vivid text describes her anxiety about what she will miss and what she will encounter in a new land. She becomes a brave princesa when she meets the dragon. “With one step I move away from the familiar. With another step, I walk into the unknown.” She becomes a “fearless dragon” of her own. The textured artwork was created using mixed media and finished digitally. mjw
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