El Guero: A True Adventure Story

by Elizabeth Borton de Treviño

Relates the adventures of a boy growing up at the time of the Mexican Revolution

Genres: Adventure, Historical Fiction, Childrens

102 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1989

About the author

Elizabeth Borton de Treviño was the highly acclaimed author of many books for young people. Born in California, it was her move to Mexico in the 1930s that inspired many of her books, including El Güero: A True Adventure Story and Leona: A Love Story. She won the Newbery Medal in 1966 for I, Juan de Pareja.

Elizabeth was born in Bakersfield, California, the daughter of attorney Fred Ellsworth Borton and Carrie Louise Christensen. She attended Stanford University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa in 1925 with a bachelor's degree in Latin American history. After finishing college, she moved to Massachusetts to study violin at the Boston Conservatory, and then worked as a reporter. On her marriage to Luis Treviño Arreola y Gómez Sanchez de la Barquera (b. August 5, 1902), she moved to his hometown of Monterrey, Mexico. They had two sons, Luis Fredrico Treviño-Borton and Enrique Ricardo Treviño-Borton.

Among her other books are: Nacar the White Deer, The Greek of Toledo, Casilda of the Rising Moon, Beyond the Gates of Hercules, and The Fourth Gift. In later life, she wrote several memoirs of her life as an American who had married into a traditional Mexican family: the best-seller My Heart Lies South and its sequels, Where the Heart Is, and The Hearthstone of My Heart.

For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/elizabet...

Reviews

[Mr. Skipper's GT Cafe]

one copy

[Eavan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I owned this as a kid and read it multiple times, yet I remember almost nothing about it -- except for the revelation that California used to be part of Mexico.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

mnkjblb

[Mungbean · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting book in that it wasn't quite a survivalist book, and it wasn't quite an adventure book, and it wasn't quite a history or politics book. I checked it out hoping that it would be a survival/adventure book, and although it focused a lot more on politics than I normally would like, I left feeling fairly satisfied. The biggest change I would suggest is a glossary with pronunciations since this book contained quite a bit of Spanish, of which I have only the most rudimentary understanding. However, I'd definitely like to improve in that area! Even as a child, I certainly would've enjoyed this book more if I'd had a glossary to help me be sure I was mentally pronouncing at least the main character's name correctly. I give this book extra enjoyment points for knowing that it's roughly based on a true story, and for the lovely black and white illustrations. I rarely say this, but I think it would be even more enjoyable to hear it as a read-aloud book with an animated speaker who has a firm grasp of Spanish pronunciations.

**Edit: my review is of a 1989 edition; perhaps a glossary has been added in one of the more recently printings?**

[Miss Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

gr 4-7 99 pgs


1876, Mexico. When "El Guero's" father, the judge Cayetano Trevino, is banished to the frontier of Baja California by dictator General Diaz, El Guero looks at their journey as an adventure. In the city, El Guero had very little contact with his father, who was always working, but now finds him spending a lot of time with him. Life on the frontier is difficult as the judge attempts to maintain order in an environment full of corruption. When his father is wrongly imprisoned and his mother and aunt are under house arrest, it is up to El Guero to go for help.