Yamile Saied Mendez

Camila is struggling with living the life that society in her hometown in Argentina expect her to live—marriage, babies, obedience—and the life that she wants to live—soccer, college abroad, independence. She has not even told her parents that she has been playing soccer for years behind their backs knowing that they would never allow her, a girl, play a sport. To make matters worse, her community worships her older brother and her childhood friend Diego, who have fulfilled the dream show more she cannot even admit she wants for herself; to become a professional soccer player. Will her family stand in the way of her dreams just because she is a girl?
Yamile Saied Méndez has written a thought provoking young adult novel. While many purport that the world is now a postfeminism society, the author writes a fictional example of how society can hold back the ambitions of youths because of preconceived notions of gender norms. I enjoyed this realistic portrayal of a young woman struggling figure out what she wants in life.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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A sports romance with a twist: Camila loves the boy but she loves her futbol dreams more. Especially as she faces opposition from her own family and is secretly playing girls' soccer while nurturing her dream of someday playing for a U.S. professional team. It would be easy for a girl to get swept up by Diego, the local boy turned handsome, rich, international soccer star. But Camila stays grounded and true to self even when her heart breaks. The author's own passion for soccer informs show more Camila's story but there are also moments of swoon over Diego, making an unexpectedly solid balance of sports and romance that could appeal to a broader audience. show less

Dorani loves her life with her mom Isa and her mom's fiance, Oscar, in Miami - but when her mom dies suddenly and Dorani's biological dad is out of reach, her Tia Ivette arrives from Wyoming to collect her and bring her back to Cooper, a completely unfamiliar environment for shocked and grieving Dori. Her aunt is similar to her mom in some ways, but drastically different in others; she seems cold and distant. But she introduces Dorani to a horse, Sunshine, who was in a traumatic accident and show more has been slow to trust humans again. Dori and Sunshine share an immediate bond, but Dori can't stay in the barn all the time: she has to start school. She quickly earns the mayor's daughter's enmity, but finds a good friend in Aniston, the daughter of Tia Ivette's housekeeper Marlie, and some ELL kids (Dori is mistakenly placed in an ELL class, although she is a fluent speaker of both English and Spanish thanks to her Puerto Rican heritage). Dori's penchant for speaking up in the face of injustice doesn't stay behind in Miami, forcing a reckoning at her new school, but her aunt supports her, and eventually, Dori learns more of her family history and gets a say in her own future.

Quotes

"You seem sad."
Saying these words made a knot form in her throat. She didn't know why. Was she feeling the horse's sorrow, whatever it might be? Was it her own heartbreak coming up to the surface? (54)

She'd survived, but healing hurt. Healing was hard work.
Maybe they could do it together. (140)

She didn't have to travel this road alone, and she was grateful for the village her mom had built for her, and the one she'd formed on her own. (257) show less

When classmates and acquaintances persistently ask her where she is from, refusing to accept her answer that she is from here, a young girl turns to her Abuelo (grandfather) for answers in this lovely new picture-book from author Yamile Saied Méndez and illustrator Jaime Kim. His poetic answers allude to the young girl's Argentine and (possible) Puerto Rican heritage, but when she persists in her question, he replies that she is from his heart, and from the heart of all her ancestors...

A show more picture-book debut from Méndez, Where Are You From? highlights the unfortunate fact that some American citizens face rather insensitive questions about their heritage, questions that imply that somehow they (the ones being questioned) are less American than others. I appreciated the wisdom of Abuelo's replies, but I also appreciated the fact that the young girl here continues to question, in the face of those replies. Curiosity is natural, and much like her own interrogators, the girl wants definite answers. I'm not sure that parallel was one the author intended to highlight, but I thought it was interesting nevertheless. It's clear from various references - mention of the pampas and the condor in the text, a memorial to the May Revolution in the artwork - that the girl is part Argentine. Given that Méndez is married to a Puerto Rican, I would assume that the references here to a Caribbean island indicate that the girl is also of that heritage. This makes me think that perhaps the girl is one of the author's own children, and that perhaps this story reflects an experience she had?

Whatever the case may be, Where Are You From? is a lovely book, one which offers affirmation to children who may have confronted this kind of experience. It highlights the idea that while it's important to know where we come from, from a cultural heritage perspective, it is just as important to know that our families love us. The artwork from Jaime Kim, who also worked on Kate DiCamillo's La La La: A Story of Hope, is beautiful, boasting a deep and vibrant color palette and cute, stylized figures. Recommended to children who may have confronted this kind of questioning, or to anyone looking for children's stories exploring identity and heritage. show less