Us, in Progress: Short Stories About Young Latinos

by Lulu Delacre

"Middle grade readers will appreciate reading stories that reflect their lives, not their parents’ or grandparents’ stories" (Brightly.com, in their article "10 Exciting New Middle Grade Books with Latinx Main Characters")

Acclaimed author and Pura Belpré Award honoree Lulu Delacre’s beautifully illustrated collection of twelve short stories is a groundbreaking look at the diverse Latinos who live in the United States.

In this book, you will meet many young Latinos living in the United States, from a young girl whose day at her father’s burrito truck surprises her to two sisters working together to change the older sister’s immigration status, and more.

Turn the pages to experience life through the eyes of these boys and girls whose families originally hail from many different countries; see their hardships, celebrate their victories, and come away with a better understanding of what it means to be Latino in the U.S. today.

Genres: Short Stories, Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Latinx, Young Adult, Cultural, Contemporary

252 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 29, 2017

About the author

Three-time Pura Belpré Award honoree Lulu Delacre has been writing and illustrating children's books since 1980. The New York Times Bestselling artist was born and raised in Puerto Rico to Argentinean parents. Delacre says her Latino heritage and her life experiences inform her work. Her many titles include Arroz con Leche: Popular Songs and Rhymes from Latin America, a Horn Book Fanfare Book in print for over 30 years. Her bilingual picture book ¡Olinguito, de la A a la Z! Descubriendo el bosque nublado; Olinguito, from A to Z! Unveiling the Cloud Forest and her story collection Us, in Progress: Short Stories About Young Latinos have received multiple starred reviews and awards. Among her latest works are the art of Turning Pages by Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor and Luci Soars. Delacre has lectured internationally and served as a juror for the National Book Awards. She has exhibited at The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, The Original Art Show at the Society of Illustrators in New York, the Museum of Art of Puerto Rico, and the Zimmerli Art Museum among other venues. Reading is Fundamental honored her with a Champion of Children’s Literacy Award. For more visit her at www.luludelacre.com.

Reviews

[✦BookishlyRichie✦ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS!!

I was so happy to find this in my library and I had no idea it existed. I loved how there were portrait illustrations of the characters the short stories were about. My favorite story was GUERA because I related to it so much being Mexican-American and so light I pass for white, we struggle too sometimes and I just loved seeing someone like myself portrayed since I rarely see it in fiction. One issue I had was that some of the stories were long, to me short stories are about 1-5 pages, some of these were around 20-30 pages but that's just my opinion. To me 20-30 is more novella territory, but to each their own. I still very much enjoyed this collection. :)

- Richard

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite some great writing in most parts, Us, In Progress seemed to be filled up with repetitive or overlong stories that left me confused or underwhelmed. It left me wondering because almost every story had the same plot points. As a White Hispanic, I felt many of the short stories did not explore different Hispanics or Latinos like myself and many others, ones who don't speak Spanish or are at risk of being deported. But nonetheless, this book has strong moments that makes it a worthwhile read.

[Ana Luisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a lovely collection of short, open-ended stories leaving the reader with so much to think about. As a Latina, I was able to relate to a lot of the young people in this book. The exploration of how Latinxs identify themselves is such a critical part of this book—showing that we come from a wide range of very different backgrounds. I will try my hardest to put this book in the many hands of my students.

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mixed feelings: of course, diverse books are great, and the illustrations were amazing, yet I was confused by some of the stories, and I felt some didn’t flow quite well.

[Patti Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fab-u-lous! The short story narratives are excellent. I read this for new curriculum at school, and I am thrilled to use this authors craft to teach certain skills in writing. The stories provide an insight into what it is like being a child of Latino immigrants, or being an undocumented child living in The States. A few of the stories made my eyes misty. Highly recommend.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly recommend for kids 8-12.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was pretty good. I liked it a lot. I think it was really cool how Lulu Delacre wrote it. I also liked learning about different peoples families.

[Izzy Webber]

this book was full of many powerful stories and the wonderful illustrations were simply beautiful although a few other stories where a bit confusing at first many of the stories where great

[RVCC Library]

Us, in Progress: Short Stories About Young Latinos, is a series of short stories based on the real lives of various young Latinos which the author either learns about from the news or people she knows. The story topics covered are diverse and broad. The stories are all very fast and easy reads, but nevertheless still touch briefly upon deeper topics and are overall very much enjoyable. The stories are all written in the point of view of children, so the deeper meanings and sensitive topics the stories cover are very much appropriate for even younger students/ children to read. There are also very lovely illustrations of the book of the people the author writes about.

- written by RVCC public patron Kristine C.

[Mary Louise Sanchez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading these short stories about contemporary Latino kids, often based on news articles, with a short note about the inspiration for the stories, and the articles cited at the end of the book.

Hopefully readers will realize there is a great diversity even among Latinos--in their looks, where they live, their family situations, and more. However, I do wish the author had included more stories with settings in the southwest.Yet, these are universal stories for everyone.

The excellent realistic pencil drawings of the characters seem to based on actual photographs. I appreciated that the author/illustrator used this art technique rather than using a cartoon rendering that so many books for children use now.

I also liked the way the author included translations of Spanish words at the end of the book under their chapter headings. The refranes under each chapter heading had their own page of translations at the end of the book too.

This book could be a model for other stories that students themselves write!

[Heidi Holland]

This is a timely collection of short stories based on true experiences of young Latinos living in the US. It is not meant to promote pity; it is simply a collection of narratives about what it is to live in a primarily "white" world as a young Latino. The message is one of simplicity: Latinos add much personality, culture, and experience to the social fabric of this country. While some are faced with more responsibilities and challenges than others, at our core, we are all Human in pursuit of the same ideal: Happiness. I’m not claiming this is the best book with young Latino characters ever written because it’s not. It’s much more than that. It’s a piece of literature that by its very existence can start a conversation about WHY there aren’t more book options with diverse characters for young readers. This isn’t a political issue; it’s an accountability issue: we owe it to our young people to expose them to books that foster the empathy needed to survive in an increasingly complicated world.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Check out my full review on my blog:https://thereadingsofanenglishteacher...

Us in Progress is also fun because it includes original artwork from Lulu Delacre. They are mixed media portraits representing the teens that inspired the stories. Many of the stories are based on real-life events and Delacre includes those articles in the end of the anthology.

These are hands down, texts that I would share with my students both Latino and not. I think there is a lot that my students could relate to as well as some stories that would open their eyes to other experiences.

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book does an excellent job of sharing different perspectives in the Latino community. I love the concept--stories inspired by news articles. Source notes at the end explain the inspiration for the stories and cite news articles used in research. The added bonus of breathtaking illustrations makes this book a real keeper. Every school library should have a copy.

[Emily Francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing collection of stories that reaffirm and honor Latinx teens. I love the many perspectives shared through each story.
As an ESL teacher I can see many of my students strongly identifying themselves to one or more of these stories.

[Carmyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
Good, but shorter and simpler than I’d prefer. Good for a young reader

[Pernia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each story is a treasure! Can’t wait to read with students.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twelve short stories capture the variety of experiences of teen Latinos/as today. The stories cover a wide array of small and large moments, from looking for a miracle to being seen as white. My favorites were "Burrito Man" in which a girl realizes just how much her father meant to his customers and then vows to make his dreams that she'd go to college come true and "90,000 Children" in which Frank comes to view immigration via the Rio Grande River very differently after meeting Romina. While the stories are interesting, each in a different way, I was particularly intrigued by the illustrations. Each short story is accompanied by an image of its protagonist, and the illustrator used a three-step process, starting with torn newspaper as the base layer, then a pencil drawing on acetate, and a rice paper top layer that contains small holes, all of which adds up to illustrations that are memorable and seem to depict the essence of the characters perfectly. I felt as though I knew each of them after reading their stories and looking for a long time at the images. Middle grade readers may be excited to find their own experiences told in this book's pages, and for those who find the experiences foreign, they still offer a window into the lives of others who may live nearby.

[Brian Alan S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twelve stories of coming-of-age Latinos based on current events/news articles and personal experiences of the author’s friends and acquaintances. I think it’s rare to find middle grade short stories collections. The last one I’ve read was Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks by Jason Reynolds. I must say, middle grade short stories do pack a punch. So I’m glad a got a hold of this book.

One of my favorite stories here was “Güera” - about a light-skinned Latina with bleached-looking hair who took the subway. Two Latinos beside her were talking about stealing her cellphone. They were talking in Spanish because they thought she wasn’t Latina and/or she couldn’t understand the language. But lo and behold - she understood everything they said. The other story I liked was “Firstborn”- a girl who was always being bullied by her big sister. The thing is there is no Spanish equivalent to the word ‘bully’. So it was hard for her to process and understand what her sister was doing to her.

Sounds interesting right? Because it is.

[Bridget · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the art, and I think this would pair beautifully with In The Country We Love: My Family Divided as a non-fiction comparison. My favorite story was Burrito Man; reader, I cried. I also really liked the glossary at the end, though all the italics reminded me about something I read Junot Diaz said in an interview or something that I can't quite remember. In my Googling, I found this article by another writer which feels like a solid companion read if you're curious about italicizing words that aren't in English.

[Mackenzie]

I taught this last year and I’m currently teaching it again to my 8th graders!
I think this is such an excellent collection, and I love how my students engage with it!!!
Before we start this unit, we talk about how reading can be like looking through a window (into someone else’s experience) or at a mirror (reflecting your own life)

I love how much my students enjoy these stories, partly because they’re fairly easy to understand, but also because they talk about topics that are interesting and relevant. My Hispanic students are able to relate in many ways, but other kids also get involved when discussing police brutality, threat of deportation, family dynamics, domestic arguments, and identity.

And they’re all true stories!!!! I love emphasizing that :)

[Fabian · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Underwhelmed," the word that describes how I feel after finishing this book. The illustrations were so beautiful but some of the stories did not capture my attention, didn't feel like they had a purpose, or were poorly written. There were other stories that I liked but did not love, some I feel ended too abruptly or just as I was getting into it. This is a middle grade short story collection and I'm not much of a middle grade reader so that's probably why I felt such a big disconnection from this book even though I was really looking forward to liking it after reading Junot Diaz' short story collections (also with a Hispanic narrative).

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great collection of short stories, all the more powerful because they're all based on stories of real Latinx kids and teens in the United States. And the author's illustrations—mixed-media portraits of each protagonist—are just phenomenal, adding a really cool element to each story.

These stories are varied, representing all different kinds of kids from all over the country with all different backgrounds and all different kinds of worries and wonders. I really enjoyed all the stories. the only ones I didn't think worked as well were the short, experimental chapters (I think there were maybe two or three?).

But all in all a great collection.

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like many books of short stories, not all of the stories are equal levels of quality. I enjoyed most of them a lot, but a few of them could have benefited from being longer. The last story especially really made some jumps in no time at all that came out of nowhere (the main character goes from being a little puke to being a nice kid in like one page). Things I especially liked-all the notes at the end, giving context for each story. Also the fact that there was so much diversity within the stories. Overall, a really nice book which makes me wish, once again, that I knew Spanish.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

This is a wonderful collection of 12 short stories featuring (fictional) lives of Latino/a people living in the United States. I loved the variety of family stories, kid personalities, family backgrounds (Mexico, Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Nicaragua), story tone, and more. The kids' conflicts were both relatable and informed readers of how varied our stories are in the United States.
A few short stories are better written than others, but all are appropriate for upper middle grade and older to read.
My favorites:
-"The Attack"
-"Selfie"
-"Peacemaker"
-"The Secret"

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun isn't the proper descriptor for this impactful Juvenile/YA lit book that tackles real issues, but the style is so honest and approachable it almost feels like that could work. The artwork in tandem with each story is enchanting and I very much appreciated the backstory in the final appendix that showed the nonfiction inspiration for each story. It only took me two days and change to cover, but I had to put it down for a good week between day one and finishing, so I was surprised at how quickly I flew through it when I really settled down to read.

[Jasmine Gutierrez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I was a bit generous to give it 4 stars but I think this is what younger me would've rated it. I read it when I was in 8th grade and I was starting to become aware of what it meant to be Hispanic here in the US. To be honest I couldn't relate to that many, but there was a couple where I did. Overall as a book, a couple stories here and there were pretty memorable but the majority and the book itself isn't, not gonna lie. But for the sake of my younger self and other young hispanics out there, I think it could help and show them that they aren't alone in the struggles they go through.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delacre started with a true story that a family friend shared with her. She thought more people needed to hear it. Then she found other stories: in newspapers, on the radio, etc. They all tell of Latinos and their varied experiences in the US. They range from immigration to soccer to piano recitals, food, and so much more. They are beautifully illustrated with layered pictures that elaborate the message of diversity, incompleteness, and the need for understanding.

[Aud · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t speak to the real authenticity of these stories, but they felt very real, and the backmatter (which I appreciated greatly) reinforces that impression. Short stories aren’t usually my thing, but these were excellent. You get to know the characters quickly, and it’s easy to empathize with them and care about their situations. Most of the stories were thought-provoking and will definitely stay with me. Altogether, I would say the author accomplished what she set out to do. Very well done.

[Mary Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A diverse and mostly enjoyable collection of short stories about Latino Youth is various parts of the country. Many based on news stories or true events. I think middle schoolers will enjoy them and will be able to relate to the range of topics covered. Some of the plot arcs seemed underdeveloped, but I don’t read a ton of middle grade short stories. I’ll be interested to hear student opinions. The art is BEAUTIFUL and a highlight for sure.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short stories featuring Latinx young people. Beautiful portraits accompany each story and the author includes a Spanish/English (and K'iche) glossary. Delacre also includes notes on each story -- some were inspired by current events like the Dream Act or the large number of unaccompanied minors crossing into the US from Mexico. This collection is beautifully written and will give readers much to think about and discuss.