This "Take a BooK! Leave a Book!" Little library is in front of the restrooms. This is a collab with Dublin library.
These 2 books, written by Dominican Americans, are about Families & their girls.
"The House on Mango Street" by Sandra Cisneros:
*lst book about Dominicans in U.S.?
-how an Dominican family of 6 with poor English skills survived in Chicago, slowly getting better jobs with increased English proficiency.
-family constantly moving to better houses to avoid crime, bad schools, bad neighbors, abusive 'hoods.
-though written for teens, adult level misbehavior isn't glossed over, it's mentioned casually without comment.
"How the Garcia Girls lost Their Accents" by Julia Alavarez. Based on Author's experience.
-story told thru voices of the 4 girls: Carla, Yolanda, Sandra, Sofir.. with recurring themes around N.J.
-catholic girls do have fun
-"4 girls, no sons". "Good Bulls sire cows"
-family didn't have financial issues. Father has a business. Politics an issue as parents fled Dominican Republic to avoid killers sent by Pres. Rafael Trujillo.
-girls made friends with the right kind of Americans: Hoover, Hanes, Scott, Reese. They let the Americans believe they were connected to riche$.
-the girls seldom socialized with other Dom-Am's, only related family members.
-mom always relies on quotes to relay her thought: "Necessity is the Daughter of Invention".
*both books humanizes the immigrant experience that all Americans have endured.
Hispanic Heritage Month: 9/15-10/15. read more