El Bronx Remembered: A New York Times Outstanding Book of Puerto Rican Stories from 1940s-1950s NYC

by Nicholasa Mohr

In a city called New York ...
In a neighborhood called El Bronx ...


The Fernandex children own a very special pet: A white hen named after their favorite Hollywood movie star.
A new girl comes to school - a gypsy child who can read palms and foretell the future.
A young boy must face the humiliation of wearing his uncle's orange roach-killer shoes to his high school graduation.
In the South Bronx - or El Bronx, as it's known to the people who live there - anything can happen. A migrant "fresh off the boat" from Puerto Rico can be somebody on the mainland, pursue the American Dream ... and maybe even make it come true.

Here are stories that capture the flavor and beat of El Bronx in its heyday, from 1946-1956.

A New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year
Finalist, 1976 National Book Award for Children's Literature
A Notable Children's Trade Book in Social Studies (NCSS/CBC)

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult, Race, Latinx, School

272 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Nicholasa Mohr (born November 1, 1938) is one of the best known Nuyorican writers. Her works tell of growing up in the Puerto Rican communities of the Bronx and El Barrio and of the difficulties Puerto Rican women face in the United States. She was raised in the Bronx. From 1988 through 1991, she taught at Queens College, City University of New York. From 1994 through 1995, she was Writer-in-Residence at Richmond College, the American University in London.

Reviews

[Joelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

El Bronx remembered, is a book filled with several short stories, all having to do with people who live in a neighborhood in the south Bronx which is none as el Bronx (in the book) during the time period of 1946-1956. The main characters would probably be the kids in the three different stories, because they come up the most, and their names are Hannibal, Joey, Ramona, Casilda, and Mary. In all of the stories the characters are struggling with multiple problems causing chaos in their lives. The stories in the book are: A Very Special Pet which is about a family that’s poor, who just moved from Puerto Rico, and they a chicken as a pet so the mother tries to kill it for dinner but she can’t once the children see. A New Window Display is about a group of kids that always meet in front of a funeral home window and they read the newest tributes to that person, who died, and then their friend died and they refused to go near there but one day they saw the tribute and they decided to stay and read them. Tell The Truth is about a daughter who is questioned for her mother’s drug dealing when her mother is in jail. Shoes For Hector is about a senior in high school who has no money for shoes and is forced to wear his uncle’s orange pointy shoes, with his navy blue suit. “Once Upon A Time” is about three young girls who discover a dead gang leader, to a Puerto Rican gang while playing in a building. Mr. Mendelsohn is about an old Jewish man who goes to a Hispanic family’s apartment every day until they move. The Wrong Lunch Line is about two friends who are torn apart because of their religion and race. A Lesson In Fortune Telling is about the same kids in A New Window Display but this time one of them likes a girl who every one says is a fortune teller, but is really a fraud. Uncle Claudio is about an uncle who hates the Bronx so decides to go back to Puerto Rico. Princess is about a dog that gets poisoned by a bad can of beans that a store owner tried to sell to a family. Herman and Alice is about a fifteen year old girl who is pregnant and she starts dating a forty year old man. The last story is Love With Aleluya and it is about the same kids in the other story a lesson in fortune telling but this time they like this girl who is very religious.
Even though this book took place during the forties and fifties, it can still happen to this day. I thought that this book was a really good book because the author wrote such interesting stories that were linked in the littlest ways such as the uncle’s, daughter’s, friend went to the same school as the kids in the other story, or that they shopped at the same store.

[Ms. Liebman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book got better and better by the page. I seriously was ready to toss this book out the window-it just wasn't substantive enough to hold my attention-but I kept reading. And sure enough I got to the novella almost at the end and was glad I had stuck around. That thing has teeth. It's very scandalous. I kind of felt like I was watching a picture-less television show. Excellent, really.

There was also a story of an old Jewish gentleman who watched his neighborhood go from Jewish to Puerto Rican. That one struck home for me. Made me think of my Grandma and what her life could be like if she was a little more open minded.

I don't know if the book accomplishes its goal though, which I think is to shed light on what El Bronx was like for Puerto Ricans immigrating to the states and making a life here.

[Tylind]

this book was a class project i learned alot about the old new york with this book

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, the author provides entertaining insight into the diverse community of Puerto Rican immigrants that grew up in the Bronx. The short stories involving cross-generational interactions and teenage growing pains reminded me of my relationships with my Filipinx family members in East LA!

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this writer and have never been disappointed when I choose to read one of her books. While I am not a young person I am amazed at the stories that she writes about, stories that are as relevant to the years in which she has written them as they are today. The novella about Herman and Alice is one good example.

[711Luke · Rating 1 out of 5]

Keeps switching through people making it hard to fallow

[Isabella Milian · Rating 4 out of 5]

The short stories were so cute and so sad

[Liana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. The stories in this anthology are so beautiful. They show the beautiful and ugly sides of life in the Bronx. Every one was visceral in its imagery and emotion. My favorites that still cross my mind are "Herman and Alice" and "A New Window Display."

[Phillip · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a decent book with many short stories. My favorite story was the one about the gypsy. I liked the story because I like gypsys. the story about hector's shoes was also pretty good. it was about this boy Hector and his very ugly shoes. he didn't like his shoes but he wore them to graduation anyway. it was pretty interesting.
I'd recommend this book to people who need an easy read and people who like short stories. if you have a good sense of humor and can pull funny parts out of a book like me, you'll also like this book.

[Louisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The seventies were a simpler time for YA lit. This loose-knit collection of stories featuring families, children and teens growing up in the South Bronx in the fifties feels like something from another planet. And that's not a bad thing. There are no vampires or eating disorders or Regina Georges. The problems at the root of every story--poverty, alienation, homesickness--however, are very real. A mother almost kills her childrens' pet in order to have some meat for dinner. An immigrant Puerto Rican child dies of pneumonia.

[Trixie · Rating 3 out of 5]

El Bronx Remembered is a collection of short stories and a novella that describe the hardships and simple pleasures of Puerto Rican immigrants living in the Bronx in the late 40s and early 50s. Nicholasa Mohr manages to develop the characters with few words: "he said that Uncle Claudio lives in another time and that he is dreaming instead of facing life." This often left me wanting more as I finished each brief story. The longer novella provided more of a storyline.

[Guadalupe Madrid]

i just started this boook and im on pagee 9 and so far im on the 1st chapter and its talken abt mr.and mrs. fernandez moved to el bronx for puerto rico were they owns a small land but sold it to come to new tyork and they have 8kids so its a family of 10 (= thats wut i havve read os far

[Farfán · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished this book, is so cute I loved it, for someone who’s trying to get into the habit and hobby of reading, I think this one is perfect starter it.
My favorite part was the story of Herman and Alice 🤯 and new window display 💔. So many emotions

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am reading this and keeping a model "Independent Reading Journal," in which I record my responses to the text.

[Alla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot

[Shakira*7D* · Rating 5 out of 5]

O kay this book is interesting. Its mainly about how these hispanic family move to New York. They are a poor type of family. I think this book is very interesting.Its cool. YOU SHOULD READ IT.!

[Nacor]

I REaD diiZ booK in 5 GRadE

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

shoes for hector

what is lost, what is given

[Kristin]

I am currently reading this along with my eighth-graders as our independent reading book that will be a part of our Bronx unit.

[Aliyah · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute stories for kids.

[Sha]

El Bronx Remembered

[Eileenplaceres · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good young people story

[Emely]

this book so far is kinda interestinq

[~ILOVECHESTERCHEETO~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

it a good book.

[Brandon Rosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful that will keep you looking for the next book.

[Dominique · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great short stories about Puerto Ricans in 1950's Bronx

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book of short stories. I was surprised by how much I liked it.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great for young adults. Good stories of a different time, with a good sense of place.

[Lucy]

[need to reread]

[Justin705 · Rating 4 out of 5]

this book is soooo cutee :) but seriously this book is very interestinq to read.i like it a lott :D