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Jazz Owls
From the Young People’s Poet Laureate Margarita Engle comes a searing novel in verse about the Zoot Suit Riots of 1943.
Thousands of young Navy sailors are pouring into Los Angeles on their way to the front lines of World War II. They are teenagers, scared, longing to feel alive before they have to face the horrors of battle. Hot jazz music spiced with cool salsa rhythms calls them to dance with the local Mexican American girls, who jitterbug all night before working all day in the canneries. Proud to do their part for the war effort, these Jazz Owl girls are happy to dance with the sailors—until the blazing summer night when racial violence leads to murder.
Suddenly the young white sailors are attacking these girls’ brothers and boyfriends. The cool, loose zoot suits they wear are supposedly the reason for the violence—when in reality these boys are viciously beaten and arrested simply because of the color of their skin.
In soaring images and powerful poems, this is the breathtaking story of what became known as the Zoot Suit Riots as only Margarita Engle could tell it.
Thousands of young Navy sailors are pouring into Los Angeles on their way to the front lines of World War II. They are teenagers, scared, longing to feel alive before they have to face the horrors of battle. Hot jazz music spiced with cool salsa rhythms calls them to dance with the local Mexican American girls, who jitterbug all night before working all day in the canneries. Proud to do their part for the war effort, these Jazz Owl girls are happy to dance with the sailors—until the blazing summer night when racial violence leads to murder.
Suddenly the young white sailors are attacking these girls’ brothers and boyfriends. The cool, loose zoot suits they wear are supposedly the reason for the violence—when in reality these boys are viciously beaten and arrested simply because of the color of their skin.
In soaring images and powerful poems, this is the breathtaking story of what became known as the Zoot Suit Riots as only Margarita Engle could tell it.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published May 8, 2019
22 people are currently reading
901 people want to read
About the author
Margarita Engle
66 books389 followersMargarita Engle is a Cuban-American poet, novelist, and journalist whose work has been published in many countries. She lives with her husband in northern California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews
January 17, 2019
Beautiful! Jazz Owls is the story of the Zoot Suit Riots in LA during the 40's, when war has broken out all over the world and Mexican-American families wage war against racism at home. The story is narrated through the eyes of a "victory family" in LA. Mami, Papa, Marisela, Lorena, and Ray dictate their experiences working in the cannery, fighting for their lives, and dancing their troubles away with hearts full of Jazz. I recommend Jazz Owls to everyone who can read!
May 13, 2024
This book in verse is about the Zoot Suit Riots in Los Angeles in 1943 and a Mexican American family whose three children get caught up in the middle of it. The two teenage daughters work long hours for a pittance and then are escorted by their younger brother to dance all night with sailors who are being sent to fight in World War II. The trio's older brother is serving in an unknown location.
Early on in the war effort, Americans were conserving lots of different things, including fabric. However, young people into the jazz scene wore "zoot suits" that hung loosely so they could dance easily. These suits were seen as a waste, and the kids who wore them, predominantly if the Latino community, were seen as unpatriotic. One night, the sailors go out and terrorize the zoot suiters, being them senseless, stripping them of their clothes, and humiliating them.
This fictional account of a true event is told in the form of poetry. At first, I was skeptical about this, but I was immediately hooked and devoured it in just a couple of hours. The emotions jump off the page as you read about the kids' experiences with racism, discrimination, unsafe working conditions, and hate. It was easily accessible and perfect for middle schoolers on up to adults. There's something in here for everyone, and I highly recommend it!
Early on in the war effort, Americans were conserving lots of different things, including fabric. However, young people into the jazz scene wore "zoot suits" that hung loosely so they could dance easily. These suits were seen as a waste, and the kids who wore them, predominantly if the Latino community, were seen as unpatriotic. One night, the sailors go out and terrorize the zoot suiters, being them senseless, stripping them of their clothes, and humiliating them.
This fictional account of a true event is told in the form of poetry. At first, I was skeptical about this, but I was immediately hooked and devoured it in just a couple of hours. The emotions jump off the page as you read about the kids' experiences with racism, discrimination, unsafe working conditions, and hate. It was easily accessible and perfect for middle schoolers on up to adults. There's something in here for everyone, and I highly recommend it!
June 1, 2018
This is a wonderful representation of the Latinx life in LA during the 1940s. I enjoyed all of the poems and I thought they were beautifully written. I devoured this book in less than 2 hours and it was a great read.
July 10, 2018
I ended up really enjoying this because of the interesting history and the under-heard voices. However, it took me a REALLY long time to get into this. The poetry hindered my point of entry, and until I was hooked by the subject, I wasn't a fan. This will probably be a hard sell, which is sad, because it's a great story.
July 10, 2018
It's 1942 in Los Angeles, California. America hasn't been in World War II very long, but already the country is doing maximum war effort work. And that includes Mexican American sisters Marisela, 16, and Lorena, 14, who work long, exhausting days in a cannery, canning fruits and vegetables that will be sent to the armed forces overseas. But when night comes, the sisters are escorted to the local USO by their younger brother Ray, 12, to dance the night away with navy recruits on leave before they ship out to fight in the Pacific. Oldest brother Nicolás is off fighting somewhere in the where.
Rau may only be 12, but he already identifies as a zoot suiter, wearing the large jacket and loose pants, he calls drapes, that are their signature style and giving dancers plenty of room for dancing the jitterbugging and lindy hop. One night, after dropping his sisters off at the USO, Ray heads to a private party at a place called the Williams Ranch. A fight breaks out there and some members from "the 38th Street gang" leave but later return to get revenge. Ray is beaten up pretty badly, and another teen named José Díaz is found with stab wounds, and dies the next day. Ray is arrested along with members of the gang.
Reporters slant the story about the so-called "Mexican Problem" and the zoot suiters in such a way that they influence their readers against them for being unpatriotic. First, because they are Mexican, and second, they feel the large amount of fabric in a zoot suit is a waste and should be used for the war effort instead. Eventually released, Ray and the other zoot suiters are now seen by police, reporters, and civilians as baby gangsters.
Meanwhile, Marisela meets an Afro Cuban musician named Manolito and the two fall in love and want to get married, but California's anti-miscegenation laws of 1941 prohibit them from doing that. Ironically, Marisela, though of Mexican descent and hated by whites for that, is still considered "white" under this law, and can even marry a white person, but not a person of African descent.
Tensions increase over the next 10 months, during which time the family learns that Nicolás is now Missing in Action. The trial for the murder of José Díaz also concludes with a conviction of "a bunch of Mexican kids" sent to San Quentin for life.
The convictions only serve to outrage the white sailors nearby, and one night they go on a rampage, terrorizing Mexican Americans, publicly beating and stripping any zoot suiters they find of their drapes and burning them, including Ray. Even though the police see what is happening, they do nothing to stop it, ultimately arresting a hundred kids and only two sailors.
Angry at the pervasive discrimination they experience and the unimaginable violence they witness against the Mexican American community, and the poor working conditions at the canneries and factories they employ them, especially when so many have family members fighting in a war for freedom, the Zoot Suit Riots have a profound impact on the future of all three siblings.
Jazz Owls tells the story of a not very well known part of American history. is a novel told in free verse. It is told mainly in the voices of Marisela, Lorena, and Ray, and to a lesser extent, by their Papá, Mami, Abuela, different reporters, sailors, police, and even the spirit of José Díaz. It sounds confusing, particularly since this is a relatively small volume, but each is realized to the extent that they need to be and plays a pivotal part in the narrative.
Jazz Owls is a work of historical fiction based on real events and gives readers a window into the lives of patriotic Mexican Americans living in California during World War II. By interrupting and interrogating the predominate narrative in much the same way that books about the lives of African Americans, Japanese Americans, and Chinese Americans do, it draws attention not only to the roles they played in helping to win the war, but also the unmitigated bigotry they were made to deal with on a daily basis.
Ray calls zoot suits drapes, and whenever I look at Rudy Gutierrez' incredibly expressive illustration on the cover of Jazz Owls I can see exactly what he means, it is sheer drape and one of the most striking covers I've seen in a long time.
Jazz Owls is a much needed addition to the body literature about WWII historical fiction based on a real event, and I believe today's readers may be surprised at how much the story of a Mexican American family and the racial hate they faced that led to the Zoot Suit Riots will most certainly resonate with them.
This book is recommended for readers age 12+
This book was borrowed from the NYPL
Rau may only be 12, but he already identifies as a zoot suiter, wearing the large jacket and loose pants, he calls drapes, that are their signature style and giving dancers plenty of room for dancing the jitterbugging and lindy hop. One night, after dropping his sisters off at the USO, Ray heads to a private party at a place called the Williams Ranch. A fight breaks out there and some members from "the 38th Street gang" leave but later return to get revenge. Ray is beaten up pretty badly, and another teen named José Díaz is found with stab wounds, and dies the next day. Ray is arrested along with members of the gang.
Reporters slant the story about the so-called "Mexican Problem" and the zoot suiters in such a way that they influence their readers against them for being unpatriotic. First, because they are Mexican, and second, they feel the large amount of fabric in a zoot suit is a waste and should be used for the war effort instead. Eventually released, Ray and the other zoot suiters are now seen by police, reporters, and civilians as baby gangsters.
Meanwhile, Marisela meets an Afro Cuban musician named Manolito and the two fall in love and want to get married, but California's anti-miscegenation laws of 1941 prohibit them from doing that. Ironically, Marisela, though of Mexican descent and hated by whites for that, is still considered "white" under this law, and can even marry a white person, but not a person of African descent.
Tensions increase over the next 10 months, during which time the family learns that Nicolás is now Missing in Action. The trial for the murder of José Díaz also concludes with a conviction of "a bunch of Mexican kids" sent to San Quentin for life.
The convictions only serve to outrage the white sailors nearby, and one night they go on a rampage, terrorizing Mexican Americans, publicly beating and stripping any zoot suiters they find of their drapes and burning them, including Ray. Even though the police see what is happening, they do nothing to stop it, ultimately arresting a hundred kids and only two sailors.
Angry at the pervasive discrimination they experience and the unimaginable violence they witness against the Mexican American community, and the poor working conditions at the canneries and factories they employ them, especially when so many have family members fighting in a war for freedom, the Zoot Suit Riots have a profound impact on the future of all three siblings.
Jazz Owls tells the story of a not very well known part of American history. is a novel told in free verse. It is told mainly in the voices of Marisela, Lorena, and Ray, and to a lesser extent, by their Papá, Mami, Abuela, different reporters, sailors, police, and even the spirit of José Díaz. It sounds confusing, particularly since this is a relatively small volume, but each is realized to the extent that they need to be and plays a pivotal part in the narrative.
Jazz Owls is a work of historical fiction based on real events and gives readers a window into the lives of patriotic Mexican Americans living in California during World War II. By interrupting and interrogating the predominate narrative in much the same way that books about the lives of African Americans, Japanese Americans, and Chinese Americans do, it draws attention not only to the roles they played in helping to win the war, but also the unmitigated bigotry they were made to deal with on a daily basis.
Ray calls zoot suits drapes, and whenever I look at Rudy Gutierrez' incredibly expressive illustration on the cover of Jazz Owls I can see exactly what he means, it is sheer drape and one of the most striking covers I've seen in a long time.
Jazz Owls is a much needed addition to the body literature about WWII historical fiction based on a real event, and I believe today's readers may be surprised at how much the story of a Mexican American family and the racial hate they faced that led to the Zoot Suit Riots will most certainly resonate with them.
This book is recommended for readers age 12+
This book was borrowed from the NYPL
January 5, 2021
Amazingly, even with all the history courses I took in college, I don’t recall learning anything of the Zoot Suit Riots (truly, Sailor Riots) until this book. Engle beautifully used the rhyme and rhythm of poetry to create a story that surrounded the event with a family who feels so relatable and even modern to today’s social strife. Marisela presents the view of a young woman in love during the trying times of outlawed intermarriage, while her younger sister Lorena shows how difficult it was to be a young woman with professional dreams during the 40’s. Their younger brother Ray deals headfirst with the racism against Mexican Americans from sailors and officials, yet the whole time Nicolás, the oldest sibling, fights for everyone’s freedom in segregated military units against the Nazis. What a crazy time in history that sadly mirrors some events of our present. I really liked the book but hate that this was based on true events.
January 30, 2021
I'm not a big fan of poetry but this was so beautifully written and conveyed the story so well through verse. It felt like the pages were dancing with life, the words flowing in their own rhythm, carrying the pain and confusion of the time and this family's place in society.
The story revolves around a Mexican family during WWII, the Sleepy Lagoon murder, and the Zoot Suit Riots. I remember watching the 1981 movie Zoot Suit and not really understanding, being quite young at the time, but the story always fascinated me and stayed with me, I'm not sure why.
I can't begin to express how much this book touched me, now being more aware of the actual story behind the Zoot Suit Riots. It made me sad and angry for what Mexican people have gone through, all the racism that has existed for so long.
Each page is told in verse by this family as events breakout. We see their thoughts and feelings. Ray is the 12 year old son and brother, who just wants to wear his Zoot suit and dance but is angry at being judged for being some kind of thug because of what he wears. Marisela, one of the sisters, is angry at the working conditions in the cannery she works in with her sister, but looks forward to the nights she goes dancing, where she falls in love with a Cuban boy who is black. Lorena, the second sister, also works at the cannery but dreams of going to school and one day being treated equally and fairly in the work force. We also get to see Abuela's thoughts, mom's, dad's. Their son, Nicolas, is overseas fighting in the war, helping to protect the U.S. citizens, some of who hate him for being Mexican. The family get news that Nicolas is MIA and it was crushing to see the father enlist just so he could also go overseas and look for his son. I just thought about how this is what a father would do.
I appreciate that Margarita Engle, who is not Mexican, could write this book with so much respect for the Mexican culture. It was obvious to see the research she put into this as I recognized so many little details of Mexican culture and family values. The artist, Rudy Gutierrez, also had some very beautiful artwork breaking each section of the book and wow, that beautiful cover. I really appreciate everything this book is.
The story revolves around a Mexican family during WWII, the Sleepy Lagoon murder, and the Zoot Suit Riots. I remember watching the 1981 movie Zoot Suit and not really understanding, being quite young at the time, but the story always fascinated me and stayed with me, I'm not sure why.
I can't begin to express how much this book touched me, now being more aware of the actual story behind the Zoot Suit Riots. It made me sad and angry for what Mexican people have gone through, all the racism that has existed for so long.
Each page is told in verse by this family as events breakout. We see their thoughts and feelings. Ray is the 12 year old son and brother, who just wants to wear his Zoot suit and dance but is angry at being judged for being some kind of thug because of what he wears. Marisela, one of the sisters, is angry at the working conditions in the cannery she works in with her sister, but looks forward to the nights she goes dancing, where she falls in love with a Cuban boy who is black. Lorena, the second sister, also works at the cannery but dreams of going to school and one day being treated equally and fairly in the work force. We also get to see Abuela's thoughts, mom's, dad's. Their son, Nicolas, is overseas fighting in the war, helping to protect the U.S. citizens, some of who hate him for being Mexican. The family get news that Nicolas is MIA and it was crushing to see the father enlist just so he could also go overseas and look for his son. I just thought about how this is what a father would do.
I appreciate that Margarita Engle, who is not Mexican, could write this book with so much respect for the Mexican culture. It was obvious to see the research she put into this as I recognized so many little details of Mexican culture and family values. The artist, Rudy Gutierrez, also had some very beautiful artwork breaking each section of the book and wow, that beautiful cover. I really appreciate everything this book is.
January 5, 2019
This was very good! I'm not a fan of historical fiction OR novels in verse, but I'm glad I still picked this one up. Heartbreaking and beautiful! Real review to come!
**EDIT 01/05/19**
You can find more of my reviews here at my blog: Take Me Away...
The first thing that caught my eye about this one was the cover. And then I found out it was historical fiction AND in verse and I almost changed my mind. Y'all KNOW both of those are not my forte. But this one really ended up working for me.
Navy sailors are coming from everywhere to L.A. to wait for the next ship out during WWII. To pass the time, some soldiers have began dancing to a new style of music, called jazz music. The soldiers that the girls have been dancing with are called Jazz Owls. Unfortunately, although they are dancing with the girls, they have started beating up their husbands and brothers and friends, because their skin color is different.
The number one thing about this one I liked was the fact that I learned something without the book being too preachy. The main reason I don't like historical fiction is it alwys feels like a history lesson and not so much a story. This one did not feel that way at all.
I always really loved Engle's writing style. I felt all the pain and sadness in each of the character's poems. It's not normal that I get that attached to a novel told in verse, but I did with this one. I got lost in the pages and ended up finishing it in one day. It's about a tough subject, but it is told in such a great way.
This one wasn't one that I was expecting to read and love, so anyone that's second-guessing it, still give it a try! There is something about the lush world, the deep emotions of the characters, and amazing history lesson, that readers will not get enough of. Margarita Engle has a way of hooking her readers, no matter what their preference in books is.
**EDIT 01/05/19**
You can find more of my reviews here at my blog: Take Me Away...
The first thing that caught my eye about this one was the cover. And then I found out it was historical fiction AND in verse and I almost changed my mind. Y'all KNOW both of those are not my forte. But this one really ended up working for me.
Navy sailors are coming from everywhere to L.A. to wait for the next ship out during WWII. To pass the time, some soldiers have began dancing to a new style of music, called jazz music. The soldiers that the girls have been dancing with are called Jazz Owls. Unfortunately, although they are dancing with the girls, they have started beating up their husbands and brothers and friends, because their skin color is different.
The number one thing about this one I liked was the fact that I learned something without the book being too preachy. The main reason I don't like historical fiction is it alwys feels like a history lesson and not so much a story. This one did not feel that way at all.
I always really loved Engle's writing style. I felt all the pain and sadness in each of the character's poems. It's not normal that I get that attached to a novel told in verse, but I did with this one. I got lost in the pages and ended up finishing it in one day. It's about a tough subject, but it is told in such a great way.
This one wasn't one that I was expecting to read and love, so anyone that's second-guessing it, still give it a try! There is something about the lush world, the deep emotions of the characters, and amazing history lesson, that readers will not get enough of. Margarita Engle has a way of hooking her readers, no matter what their preference in books is.
September 5, 2018
This is a fantastic and quick read about a little-known historic period: the zoot suit riots and the treatment of Mexican Americans during WWII. Spoiler alert: it's pretty much on par with how Mexicans are treated now (read: awful). I loved the varying perspectives and the auténtico Spanish that litters the text without deterring English speakers. It's a delicate balance and she nails it. I think all WWII junkies should read this because it is such a unique perspective. And so freaking tragic in how relatable it is still today.
July 15, 2021
Read this libro with a student (and passages with the Lindsay mujeres) in conjuction with our herstory studies around the Zoot Suit Riots. With the free verse poems told from the members of a family of cannery workers in Los Angeles, during the attacks on Zoot Suiters/Raza in the 1940s - it gave a more intimate and subjective understanding of the folks affected in comparison to all the non-fiction texts we read. LOVED IT!
June 25, 2018
I love Margarita Engle for shining a light on little known (at least to me) history. This was a dark moment in our history. Unfortunately, the reflected behavior is eerily contemporary and familiar.
August 2, 2018
Beautifully written and often heartbreaking account of an event I knew nothing about. I’m a better person for having read this book.
October 15, 2019
I don't read much poetry, but I could not put this down and devoured it in a matter of hours.
March 19, 2023
This is one of this author's first books that I just...didn't care for? Which was surprising because the topic itself is VERY interesting and not something I see topically very often. However, my real issue with this had to do with the characters and depth of the narrative. First, there were a TON of unnecessary viewpoints and that kept us from getting close to the characters who DID matter and seeing growth and arc as related to those characters. Second, there is SO MUCH possible depth to explore with this sort of backdrop, and it really felt like the author skimmed the surface of things and then hurried away from getting too close to the true themes and issues. I wanted to like this, but there was just no...connection? Nothing to hold me, and now I'm sad about it.
January 4, 2020
Personal Notes:
WOW THIS HIT HARD. Okay context is everything and watching the PBS documentary on zoot suits made the world's difference.
Setting: World War II, US. Bc of Bracero program, there are Mexicans sent to fill in for some jobs that US men would have otherwise had if not for the war (men -> soldiers). Really it should be a win-win situation, but things take a turn with racism.
Ever since Pearl Harbor and the incarceration of Japanese-Americans, US has been wary of Mexicans too. Even said at one point in officer pov in book: they started to look Asian too.
It's just truly disgusting how the Mexicans were treated and the blatant favoritism to all-Americans in brawls where they were clearly the victims (Mexicans). Zoot suit riots (or really, Sailor riots!) for example: sailors walked the streets practically hunting for anyone looking Mexican to beat. Ray, although a fictional character, was written to be a victim in an incident where sailors barged into a movie theater and dragged Mexican kids outside to beat (a real incident). His clothes were stripped off (zoot suit) and burned and he was beaten. And all this the sailors called "cleaning the streets". And at the end of the day, police officers couldn't do anything. Who wanted to be photographed handcuffing a sailor -- a war hero? But really in the name of justice, they could've done so much more. And to make matters worse, they cuff the wrong people: the Mexicans. LA PD is not looking so great here.
Backtrack to beginning of the book with Sleepy Lagoon. Really was it necessary to arrest 20 something Mexicans and some blacks? All a Mexican had to do was be out on the streets past 8 and they were "suspicious". What the heck? And the whole court proceeding was messed up. The JUDGE, a symbol of justice, told the prosecutor (against the Mexicans) how to place their evidence so that they would win. And the Mexicans were denied the chance to clean up and look somewhat presentable for the press. THey couldn't shower for two days, get a hair cut, or change clothes so when they arrived at court their clothes were tattered, filthy, their hair long and greasy. It was so blatantly clear that they wanted to make them look like "gangsters" or "troublemakers" and that's disgusting how biased the whole thing was.
Probably the saddest part was how many of these Mexicans were born and raised in America, yet no one saw them as American. They had to prove their loyalty to America, and many did! They served in their army, put their life at the front lines for them! Yet, all they received was the same discrimination. Ray's family was a victory family. Nico, their oldest son, served in the US army. Lorena, Marisela, mom, and their dad worked in the cannery (canning food to be shipped overseas to soldiers).
Don't get me started on the cannery. Speaking their language would get them fired -- better if they couldn't talk about them in a different language. Working too slowly would get them fired -- not efficient enough. Working too quickly would get them fired -- no one wants to pay the Mexicans too much. Women were confined to lesser paying jobs. The circumstances were horrible. Anything a Mexcian did (even the smallest slip up! literally, if they slipped on a slippery floor) they'd be out the door and jobless. Which is something I think their employers were counting on anyways.
WOW THIS HIT HARD. Okay context is everything and watching the PBS documentary on zoot suits made the world's difference.
Setting: World War II, US. Bc of Bracero program, there are Mexicans sent to fill in for some jobs that US men would have otherwise had if not for the war (men -> soldiers). Really it should be a win-win situation, but things take a turn with racism.
Ever since Pearl Harbor and the incarceration of Japanese-Americans, US has been wary of Mexicans too. Even said at one point in officer pov in book: they started to look Asian too.
It's just truly disgusting how the Mexicans were treated and the blatant favoritism to all-Americans in brawls where they were clearly the victims (Mexicans). Zoot suit riots (or really, Sailor riots!) for example: sailors walked the streets practically hunting for anyone looking Mexican to beat. Ray, although a fictional character, was written to be a victim in an incident where sailors barged into a movie theater and dragged Mexican kids outside to beat (a real incident). His clothes were stripped off (zoot suit) and burned and he was beaten. And all this the sailors called "cleaning the streets". And at the end of the day, police officers couldn't do anything. Who wanted to be photographed handcuffing a sailor -- a war hero? But really in the name of justice, they could've done so much more. And to make matters worse, they cuff the wrong people: the Mexicans. LA PD is not looking so great here.
Backtrack to beginning of the book with Sleepy Lagoon. Really was it necessary to arrest 20 something Mexicans and some blacks? All a Mexican had to do was be out on the streets past 8 and they were "suspicious". What the heck? And the whole court proceeding was messed up. The JUDGE, a symbol of justice, told the prosecutor (against the Mexicans) how to place their evidence so that they would win. And the Mexicans were denied the chance to clean up and look somewhat presentable for the press. THey couldn't shower for two days, get a hair cut, or change clothes so when they arrived at court their clothes were tattered, filthy, their hair long and greasy. It was so blatantly clear that they wanted to make them look like "gangsters" or "troublemakers" and that's disgusting how biased the whole thing was.
Probably the saddest part was how many of these Mexicans were born and raised in America, yet no one saw them as American. They had to prove their loyalty to America, and many did! They served in their army, put their life at the front lines for them! Yet, all they received was the same discrimination. Ray's family was a victory family. Nico, their oldest son, served in the US army. Lorena, Marisela, mom, and their dad worked in the cannery (canning food to be shipped overseas to soldiers).
Don't get me started on the cannery. Speaking their language would get them fired -- better if they couldn't talk about them in a different language. Working too slowly would get them fired -- not efficient enough. Working too quickly would get them fired -- no one wants to pay the Mexicans too much. Women were confined to lesser paying jobs. The circumstances were horrible. Anything a Mexcian did (even the smallest slip up! literally, if they slipped on a slippery floor) they'd be out the door and jobless. Which is something I think their employers were counting on anyways.
May 19, 2018
Ray is only 12, but that doesn't stop him from dressing up in his zoot suit and dancing all night. It also doesn't keep him safe from attacks by white police and soldiers...
Marisela dances too, spinning and jitterbugging with soldiers who need one last hurrah before shipping out. But when racial tensions in the city boil over, those same soldiers, wielding baseball bats, come for her brother and the cubano musician she loves...
Lorena goes to the dance halls with her brother and sister, but spends more time thinking about her future than the latest jazz craze. But in a city where girls are treated as less-than, especially mexicana girls, how big should she dare to dream?
I don't usually like novels-in-verse, but really enjoyed this look at a Mexican-American family living in L.A. during World War II. I didn't know much about the Zoot Suit Riots (which the author notes really should have been called the Sailor Riots), and feel like I learned a lot, while remaining invested in the characters. I thought the portrayal of the reporters could have used more nuance, but maybe Engel went broad so that younger readers could really grasp the power of media narrative. The novel's focus on WWII's hometown heroes, especially those of color, is a welcome addition to the canon of WWII kidlit, which more often focuses on battles or the Holocaust.
Good for tweens and teens who want unique historical fiction, or those who like novels in verse. It could also be used as a somewhat gentler look at police brutality and the dangers of of racism, because there is no language/sex/drugs, and the violence - though present - isn't gory or gratuitous.
Marisela dances too, spinning and jitterbugging with soldiers who need one last hurrah before shipping out. But when racial tensions in the city boil over, those same soldiers, wielding baseball bats, come for her brother and the cubano musician she loves...
Lorena goes to the dance halls with her brother and sister, but spends more time thinking about her future than the latest jazz craze. But in a city where girls are treated as less-than, especially mexicana girls, how big should she dare to dream?
I don't usually like novels-in-verse, but really enjoyed this look at a Mexican-American family living in L.A. during World War II. I didn't know much about the Zoot Suit Riots (which the author notes really should have been called the Sailor Riots), and feel like I learned a lot, while remaining invested in the characters. I thought the portrayal of the reporters could have used more nuance, but maybe Engel went broad so that younger readers could really grasp the power of media narrative. The novel's focus on WWII's hometown heroes, especially those of color, is a welcome addition to the canon of WWII kidlit, which more often focuses on battles or the Holocaust.
Good for tweens and teens who want unique historical fiction, or those who like novels in verse. It could also be used as a somewhat gentler look at police brutality and the dangers of of racism, because there is no language/sex/drugs, and the violence - though present - isn't gory or gratuitous.
September 28, 2019
Margarita Engle’s quick-read, Jazz Owls, provides a dense discussion of the social misconduct of the 1950’s Zoot Suit Riots. The text takes the perspective of multiple members of the Latino community as they struggled to navigate the racist world of the time. Engle provides Latino/a mothers, daughters, sons, and lovers with eye-opening voices roughly half a century after they ebbed through silenced, challenged and beaten lives. Hearing from the marginalized showcases their innocent and exuberant culture of jazz owls who danced to forget their woes, not to frighten or bother members of other cultural communities. As concerned mothers, deserted sweethearts and helpless sisters detail the inhumane attacks their sons, and brothers suffered from whites who disrespected them, audiences gain a clear understanding that the Race Riots inaccurately pegged Latino teens as criminals. The follow-up story of Marisela and Lorena highlights that these strong owls’ overcame adversity in becoming social justice advocates.
Engles’s reader-friendly verse makes it possible for students of middle and high school English classes to truly grasp its arguments and well-supported claims. This text could be approached from a historical, poetic, narrative or even argumentative lense to really educate students on social stigma, community unification, and the need of civic advocates.
Engles’s reader-friendly verse makes it possible for students of middle and high school English classes to truly grasp its arguments and well-supported claims. This text could be approached from a historical, poetic, narrative or even argumentative lense to really educate students on social stigma, community unification, and the need of civic advocates.
December 30, 2019
This is an example of a novel in verse that takes advantage of its form--the poetry matters in this one. It's still more about moving the narrative forward, but the poems (from multiple points of view) are in very different voices for different characters, and the language matters.
I'm not a bit surprised that I had never heard of the Zoot Suit riots in L.A., but this story should be taught as part of American history class. Engle does a very nice job of showing how politics and journalism fanned the flames--and how and why little was done to stop sailors and other servicemen from rioting and beating up Mexican American boys and other young men of color.
I'm not a bit surprised that I had never heard of the Zoot Suit riots in L.A., but this story should be taught as part of American history class. Engle does a very nice job of showing how politics and journalism fanned the flames--and how and why little was done to stop sailors and other servicemen from rioting and beating up Mexican American boys and other young men of color.
August 20, 2018
Fascinating, covering a piece of history I didn't even know existed. But it was written in poetry style, meaning there was no chance to get to know the characters or become invested in the "plot." It was interesting, but not amazing by any means.
November 2, 2017
A powerful read about race and the Zoot Suit Riots in 1942 - 1943 told in verse and poetry with Spanish words sprinkled throughout. Quick read that pulls you in from the beginning.
December 11, 2017
An amazing and important work. Full review to come.
May 10, 2018
Highly recommended for all young readers.
June 2, 2018
This is a good quick read for those who love to read books in verse and historical fiction.
June 26, 2018
A quick summer read perfect for history buffs, dance enthusiasts, and poets.
October 18, 2018
I liked the information afforded in the book but didn’t enjoy the writing style.
This is a historical novel written in free verse.
This is a historical novel written in free verse.
December 21, 2018
A possible theme is stand up for what you believe.
May 3, 2019
Amazing look at piece of history that might be lesser known. However, it's repeating itself now. Emotional. Well written. Easy to read, but hard to process due to context/that emotional punch
January 18, 2021
This is an excellent historical fiction novel in verse about the 1943 so-called "Zoot Suit Riots", which need to be renamed the Sailor Riots, because it was sailors who rioted against the Mexican-American and Latinx local youth who wore "zoot suits." The story focuses on three teen siblings, two girls and a boy, of Latinx heritage, who live in Los Angeles during the war. They work in a cannery or a factory by day and by night they go out dancing to jazz and swing. The brother, Ray, wears a "zoot suit" because it's the hippest fashion and because it is baggy and drapey and allows for full movement when dancing. But his suit makes him a target for racist attacks, even before the riots. The girls are not allowed to speak bilingually at school or work; they're discriminated against in many ways, and called un-American, while their older brother and later their father is fighting the war overseas on behalf of the US Army. As the riots start to happen, we get new POV character poems, from policemen and reporters, which helps to show how those folks fanned the flames of racism while they claimed to be just doing their jobs. The subject matter is important, a tough story to tell, and still, sadly, very relevant today. We do get a happy ending for our family, though, which was nice!
Want to read
May 5, 2024Jazz Owls by Margarita Engle a Cuban-American writer spreads acknowledgment to a less-known part of American history: The Zoot Suit riots. Engle likes to refer to the zoot suit riots as the sailor riots because of the lack of accountability on the WW2 sailors' side of advancement in racist acts towards African and Filipino American youth. Predominantly the African and Filipino Americans were targeted for their use of zoot suits, which was hated because of the excess amounts of materials that were wasted for making them. Engle’s free verse poetry style allows its readers to dive into vivid imagery through detailed descriptions. This is one literary aspect that I would like to include as a teaching idea within my classroom. Engles depicts the setting, characters, and events thoroughly. Also teaching my students about free verse poetry through the swiftly styled and conversation-like lines can teach them to create realism through their writing and how it plays into the addressed themes of the book.
May 10, 2021
Review to come
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