Claudia Guadalupe Martinez

In this bilingual English-Spanish tale, a brown-skinned child describes the journey their family must undertake, heading to a country only Papá knows.

The child’s sorrow is palpable as the house is packed and the tías are tearfully embraced. On the road, the family passes a boarded-up bakery and a store with a sign declaring that Mexicans aren’t served there. When nighttime comes, they and other families sit by a campfire and talk about the lives they left behind; the child’s parents show more describe picking pecans “here in Texas.” The book ends with the family reaching the Mexican border; the author’s note explains that the story takes place in the 1930s during a largely forgotten chapter of U.S. history: Mexican Repatriation. After the Mexican-American War of the 1840s, Mexican territories were annexed by the United States, and many Mexicans were encouraged to come to the United States to work; during the Great Depression, however, many were forced to leave. Some families, like the one in this story, included both U.S. citizens and those born in Mexico and so chose to leave together to avoid being separated. Martínez’s straightforward text and Mora’s signature smudgy yet vibrant illustrations bring to life a story that reminds us that little has changed in U.S. history, as immigrant families still face deportation and the fear of separation. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A tale about a specific moment in history that is nevertheless universal. (Picture book. 5-8)

-Kirkus Review show less

Mexican American author Claudia Guadalupe Martínez and Mexican illustrator Laura González join forces in this charming picture book about the axolotl, Mexico City's aquatic salamander, whose name in Nahautl (Aztec) means "water monster." As the narrative here makes plain however, they are no monsters, but wonderful creatures living in a watery world—salamanders who never went through metamorphosis, and who retained their gills. The narrative uses Spanish vocabulary, glossed at the rear, show more and highlights the different colors in an axolotl's world. The author's note at the rear discusses this species, which is often kept as a pet, but endangered in the wild...

Published last year (2023), Not a Monster is the second collaboration between Martínez and González, following upon Not a Bean (2019), which explored the life of the Mexican jumping bean. It is a book I sought out after seeing its cover online, and finding it both lovely and intriguing. I am glad I did, as it was educational and fun, teaching a little bit about the axolotl, as well as some Spanish vocabulary. The accompanying artwork, described on the colophon as being created using "traditional media" (no specifics given) and Photoshop, is beautiful, with a wonderful use of color (driven, of course, by the colors highlighted in the text) and charming axolotl figures. Recommended to young animal lovers, particularly those interested in axolotls specifically and amphibians in general. show less

Not a monster takes you through the life cycle of an axolotl. Starting from an egg, it shows the different stages of development an axolotl goes through. This book discusses what a full-grown axolotl looks like, what they eat, and even how they lay their own eggs. One thing that is really special about this book is that it incorporates different Spanish phrases throughout the entire book. The author has incorporated Spanish words for colors, feelings, nature, and even the moon! As the story show more continues, this story discusses the folklore of how an Aztec God jumped into a lake and became an axolotl. It also discusses how pollution caused the axolotls to disappear from the lake. Two children clean out the lake and are surprised when they see an axolotl and eggs! This book is a combination of informative and folklore. I love the interchanging use of English and Spanish. Although I do not speak Spanish, the author provides a Spanish to English vocabulary chart in the back of the book. I love how this book takes you from a tiny egg to an axolotl laying their own eggs. As a science teacher, the illustrations are so beautiful (specifically the different stages of the embryo)! If we ever did a lesson about embryos, this is a great book to use! I also really appreciated how the author included the "origin" story of where axolotls came from and how important it is to keep our water sources clean. Not only do we need clean water, but all other life forms need clean water too! A great story with stunning pictures. I would recommend this for elementary students from 3rd to 5th grade! show less

I'm excited to see what's next in the "Not A...." series! First it was a bean, now an axolotl. The axolotl's life cycle and natural habitat are described, as a pair of kids patrol the canals of Xochimilco and help clean it up so axolotls (a type of salamander) can thrive there again. "There is hope for paradise. Maybe that is why the axolotl smiles."

Endearing and informative.

Spanish words are mixed into mostly English text, with Spanish color words (azul, cafe, gris, etc.) printed in their show more corresponding colors. Spanish vocabulary and colors are included in the back matter, along with an author's note and photos of her pet axolotls. show less