¡Si, Se Puede! / Yes, We Can!: Janitor Strike in L.A. (English and Spanish Edition)

True scenarios and stories of many families where kids see their mom/dad go to work and part of the custodial workforce. Like so many workers some are underpaid, overworked and unappreciated. In this story Carlito helps him mom, who is joining group to strike in L.A., in great show of solidarity.
Great conversation starter (lesson) about economics, social class, activism, government, civil rights, union, classism, gender. Great for dual language. Book tackles real world issues that kids can comment on.
The illustrations are wonderful and stand out.

"Carlitos’ mother is a janitor. Every night, he sleeps while his mother cleans in one of the skyscrapers in downtown L.A. When she comes home, she waves Carlitos off to school before she goes to sleep. One night, his mamá explains that she can’t make enough money to support him and his abuelita the way they need unless she makes more money as a janitor. She and the other janitors have decided to go on strike.

Will he support her and help her all he can? Of course, Carlitos wants to help but he cannot think of a way until his teacher, Miss Lopez, explains in class how her own grandfather had fought for better wages for farmworkers when he first came to the United States. Finally, Carlitos knows how he can show his mamá how proud he show more is of her. He and the other children in his class make posters and Carlitos joins the marchers with a very special sign for his mom!

¡Sí, Se Puede! is a Jane Addams Peace Award Honor Book, a Skipping Stones Honor Book, as well as a selection for The Best of Beyond Difference, a recommended list of the top 10 diversity books published in 2002." show less

Yes, We Can!/ Si, Se Puede! is a historical fiction children's book that is based on the janitor's strike that occurred in Los Angles in 2000. This bilingual fictional account follows Carlitos, a young Hispanic boy being raised by his mother and his Abuelita (grandmother). His mother cleans the offices in a skyscraper located in downtown L.A. at night when he's asleep, but she makes sure to be there in the morning to send him off to school - then she gets to sleep. His mother is frustrated and exhausted, understandably so, that her wages are not indicative of the hours she's putting in as a janitor. She and her fellow workers decide to fight for what they deserve and go on strike for increased wages. Carlos inlists help from fellow show more classmates to create signs and support the strike, as many other children in his class have parents who are also striking. With the support of their families and the local community, the workers receive an increase in wages.

I sought this book out for two reasons:
1. I was struck by the bilingual title
2. I wanted to go outside my comfort zone, and this book is written in both Spanish and English and my personal library should be diverse and totally inclusive, right?

Author, Diana Cohn, made sure all the Spanish terms were surrounded by sufficient context and support glossaries which enabled me to navigate easily through the book. I imagine this would also be helpful to young students who are English Language Learners as well as those students who want to read with their parents who may only speak Spanish. The strength in this book lies beyond the story and makes me feel like maybe she or someone in her family has struggled to find a bilingual book that both parties could enjoy together.

Cohn adds a unique touch by offering diversity within this one culture, for example, we meet many different strikers and students whom are from different Hispanic countries which include: Mexico, and El Salvador. show less

¡Si, Se Puede! Yes, We Can! by Diana Cohn was based off the Janitor Strike in Los Angeles in 2000. Carlitos' mom works as a janitor for buildings in downtown LA. She is underpaid and works many jobs in order to provide for her family. She, along with fellow janitors, goes on strike demanding the pay raises they deserve. Carlitos, eager to help his mom, enlists the help of his Abuelita, his teacher Miss Lopez, and his classmates to make signs and participate in the strikes. Written in both English and Spanish, ¡Si, Se Puede! Yes, We Can! explores the socioeconomic injustices immigrants experience in the United States and the courage it takes to fight for what they deserve.

Age: primary / intermediate
Genre: historical

This was a very cool book. It is not a typical story you would think of but it is based on the true story of the janitor strike in LA. It was well written and I really liked that it was written in both Spanish and English. It would not be my only representation of Mexican-Americans in the classroom though.

Summary: This bilingual book is about a boy named Carlito and his family, who struggle to keep their lives going. Carlito's mother tucks him in every night before she leaves to go clean offices, and then she returns to put him on the bus with his grandmother, or abuelita, before she sleeps during the day. One day, Carlito's mother decides to get a group of workers and go on a strike for higher pay. Carlito is told by his mother that she will need his help, and Carlito has an idea to gather his classmates to make posters for the strike. The strike is a success, and Carlito's mother now has a higher pay that allows her to have more time to spend with her family, and pay for Abuelita's health care.

The central message of this book is to show more fight for justice and respect. I like how this book is bilingual; therefore, ELL's can read the English section, but refer back to the Spanish section of the text, if they need guidance. The illustrations were very vibrant and detailed, which further helps ELL's comprehend what is happening in the text. My favorite illustration is when Carlito made a sign for his mother that said, "I Love my Mama, she is a Janitor!" show less

This book by Diana Cohn, based on the 2000's janitor strike in Los Angeles, follows the story of a boy named Carlitos and his mother who is the organizer of the peaceful protest. This book highlights the socioeconomic hardships the working class has faced and still face today. This book can be used in a history or economics class going beyond the English classroom.