The Tequila Worm

THE TEQUILA WORM: Viola Canales: Wendy Lamb Books: Young Adult: 199 pages.

I took a couple of books from the new cart at the Reference Desk last week and it turns out they were an interesting pair to read close together.

The Tequila Worm by Viola Canales is the Pura Belpre Award winner this year. The Pura Belpré Award is presented to a Latino/Latina writer or illustrator whose work best portrays, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in an outstanding work of literature for children and youth. It is co-sponsored by Reforma (National Association to Promote Library and Information Services to Latinos and the Spanish-Speaking) to which I belong, and ALSC division of ALA The award is named after Pura Belpré, the first Latina librarian from the New York Public Library.

This book introduced me to some very interesting aspects of family life in Spanish speaking cultures at the same time that it portrayed the issues that face children in immigrant families as they try to live in two worlds. I learned things I’ve never known even though I lived in a Spanish speaking country and have been associating with Spanish speakers for the last ten years. I loved the warm, loving family portrayed in the book and enjoyed the growing up adventures of the main character, Sofia. (And here’s the scoop on tequila worms ( http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a990702b.html)

SH