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Jovita llevaba pantalones: La historia de una mexicana que luchó por la libertad (Jovita Wore Pants)
The remarkable true story of Jovita Valdovinos, a Mexican revolutionary who disguised herself as a man to fight for her rights, told by her great-niece, award-winning author, Aida Salazar!
Jovita soñaba con poder usar pantalones como sus hermanos Ramón y Luciano.
Cuando su padre y sus hermanos marcharon a la Guerra Cristera a luchar por el derecho a practicar libremente su religión, ella quiso ayudar. Entonces sobrevino la tragedia, y Jovita se vio obligada a cortarse el pelo, ponerse pantalones y continuar la lucha. Disfrazada de hombre, se puso al mando de un batallón que la siguió sin dudar.
Jovita dreamed of wearing pants like her brothers, Ramón and Luciano.
When her father and brothers joined the Cristeros War to fight for the right to practice religion freely, she wanted to help. Then tragedy struck, compelling Jovita to cut her hair, put on pants, and continue the fight. Disguised as a man, she commanded a battalion who followed her without question.
Jovita soñaba con poder usar pantalones como sus hermanos Ramón y Luciano.
Cuando su padre y sus hermanos marcharon a la Guerra Cristera a luchar por el derecho a practicar libremente su religión, ella quiso ayudar. Entonces sobrevino la tragedia, y Jovita se vio obligada a cortarse el pelo, ponerse pantalones y continuar la lucha. Disfrazada de hombre, se puso al mando de un batallón que la siguió sin dudar.
Jovita dreamed of wearing pants like her brothers, Ramón and Luciano.
When her father and brothers joined the Cristeros War to fight for the right to practice religion freely, she wanted to help. Then tragedy struck, compelling Jovita to cut her hair, put on pants, and continue the fight. Disguised as a man, she commanded a battalion who followed her without question.
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First published March 7, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 189 reviews
August 21, 2025
The defiant (and also textually delightful) courage of early 20th century Mexican freedom fighter Jovita Valdovinos (who is not only the subject and main protagonist of the 2024 Caldecott Honour winning picture book Jovita Wore Pants but is also author Aida Salazar’s great-aunt), yes, this very specifically drives the plot-line of Jovita Wore Pants, with Salazar's text and Molly Mendoza's accompanying illustrations starting with and showcasing a young Mexican girl who prefers trousers to skirts, who actively rebels against stratified gender roles, so that when Jovita Wore Pants shows Jovita's father and her brothers joining the Cristeros (the revolutionaries fighting for their rights and especially for their religious freedom against the socialist and seemingly atheist Mexican government) she of course wants to accompany them and fight as well (but is then told a resounding NO by in particular her father).
However, with Jovita Wore Pants showing the conflict soon coming to Jovita's family and Mendoza's saturated pink and red scenes expressively, with much visual motion and feeling depicting the wanton and callously calculated destruction of Jovita's home and Aida Salazar's simple but candid prose describing all of this as well as Jovita being repeatedly assaulted by government soldiers demanding information on the whereabouts of her father, but that no matter how much they hurt her, Jovita Valdovinos remains strong and refuses to yield, and that after in Jovita Wore Pants her brothers and father are killed by government soldiers, Jovita is both textually and visually depicted as boldly cutting off her long hair, putting on pants, renaming herself Juan and indeed reigniting the revolution, leading disguised as a man a peasant army for six years until a truce is finally reached. And well, even though my adult reading self does kind of find some of Salazar's words for Jovita Wore Pants occasionally a bit simplistic (and with some narrative holes so to speak), yes, my inner child really absolutely adores how Molly Mendoza's ink and digital illustrations emphasise boldness and movement with strong colours that swirl and blend together and both gloriously mirror as well as visually expand on Aida Salazar's text (and that my original three star rating for the combination of text and images regarding Jovita Wore Pants is upped to a solid four star rating because the supplemental materials, archival photographs, author's and illustrators notes are both much appreciated and have also been very much a total and utter reading pleasure).
And finally, just to point out that while Jovita Wore Pants does not seem to have been banned in the USA to date, well, that this is a story about about a woman rejecting traditional gender roles and dressing as well as living as a man (and leading an armed rebellion as a colonel named Juan), this, along with the fact that Jovita Wore Pants is about Mexico and Mexicans means that it is probably and sadly only a matter of time before Jovita Wore Pants (as well as author Aida Salazar and illustrator Molly Mendoza) will end up on book banning happy groups and politicians' ignorance personified hit lists.
However, with Jovita Wore Pants showing the conflict soon coming to Jovita's family and Mendoza's saturated pink and red scenes expressively, with much visual motion and feeling depicting the wanton and callously calculated destruction of Jovita's home and Aida Salazar's simple but candid prose describing all of this as well as Jovita being repeatedly assaulted by government soldiers demanding information on the whereabouts of her father, but that no matter how much they hurt her, Jovita Valdovinos remains strong and refuses to yield, and that after in Jovita Wore Pants her brothers and father are killed by government soldiers, Jovita is both textually and visually depicted as boldly cutting off her long hair, putting on pants, renaming herself Juan and indeed reigniting the revolution, leading disguised as a man a peasant army for six years until a truce is finally reached. And well, even though my adult reading self does kind of find some of Salazar's words for Jovita Wore Pants occasionally a bit simplistic (and with some narrative holes so to speak), yes, my inner child really absolutely adores how Molly Mendoza's ink and digital illustrations emphasise boldness and movement with strong colours that swirl and blend together and both gloriously mirror as well as visually expand on Aida Salazar's text (and that my original three star rating for the combination of text and images regarding Jovita Wore Pants is upped to a solid four star rating because the supplemental materials, archival photographs, author's and illustrators notes are both much appreciated and have also been very much a total and utter reading pleasure).
And finally, just to point out that while Jovita Wore Pants does not seem to have been banned in the USA to date, well, that this is a story about about a woman rejecting traditional gender roles and dressing as well as living as a man (and leading an armed rebellion as a colonel named Juan), this, along with the fact that Jovita Wore Pants is about Mexico and Mexicans means that it is probably and sadly only a matter of time before Jovita Wore Pants (as well as author Aida Salazar and illustrator Molly Mendoza) will end up on book banning happy groups and politicians' ignorance personified hit lists.
April 10, 2023
The thrilling tale of Mexican revolutionary Jovita Valdovinos who, after a childhood of defying gender conventions, cut off her hair, assumed the name Juan, and wore pants as she'd always wanted to in order to fight with the Cristeros, a revolutionary group battling the Federal forces for religious freedom and from reprisal. Excitingly told and full of emotion, a great book for discussing gender and justice.
Themes: Gender/Gender presentation, Justice, Rebellion, War, Mexican History
Age range: Elementary
Themes: Gender/Gender presentation, Justice, Rebellion, War, Mexican History
Age range: Elementary
January 7, 2024
The start of my audiobook commute initiative. The story itself is short and great, but the post-scripts about the rest of her story and the author’s and illustrator’s intentions are wonderful.
February 3, 2024
Memoir from the Mexican Revolution of the 1910s and the Cristero Revolution (Rebellion) of the 1920s.
For those who like tales of war, those like stories about females taking on nontraditional roles or those looking for stories that portray the Catholic faith in a positive light, this 2024 Caldecott Honor will be perfect.
For those who like tales of war, those like stories about females taking on nontraditional roles or those looking for stories that portray the Catholic faith in a positive light, this 2024 Caldecott Honor will be perfect.
August 5, 2025
Brilliant illustrations by Molly Mendoza in this story of an unconventional Mexican girl who dressed as a man and was a leader in the Cristero Wars in post-revolutionary Mexico.
Cautious in expressing admiration as I do not understand the history of the Cristero Wars- but Jovita was certainly brave. In addition to battlefield deaths, assault and torture are mentioned without being overly descriptive.
Cautious in expressing admiration as I do not understand the history of the Cristero Wars- but Jovita was certainly brave. In addition to battlefield deaths, assault and torture are mentioned without being overly descriptive.
January 31, 2024
2024 Caldecott Honor book.
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Spencer rated this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.
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Spencer rated this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.
January 27, 2024
I love learning through picture books, and this book is an amazing example. I was lucky enough to have found the ebook and audiobook at the same time. It is an ideal combination and makes Jovitas' story extra special. The author is also the narrator of the audiobook. The illustrations by Molly Mendoza are beyond beautiful and on point for the Era.
July 17, 2023
The first I had ever heard of the Cristero Revolution in Mexico was just a few months ago when I read The Murmur of Bees. I had no idea the Mexican government had once outlawed religious practice. I know it's not realistic to know the complete history of every country on earth, but I live only a couple hundred miles from the border in Texas and I was shocked that I had never heard of this.
This children's book focuses on a remarkable woman who fought for the freedom to practice her religion in the Cristero Revolution. As the author (a distant great-niece of Jovita) says in the back matter of this book, Jovita was "a woman ahead of her time - a feminist, a leader; unconventional, daring, determined, angry, loving, and loyal." I loved learning about her from this book - the main text as well as the extensive backmatter. It's a picture book, but it's definitely more appropriate for older readers, as it deals with revolution, and the death and loss that comes with it.
The illustrations in this book are exceptionally beautiful. Every page is vibrant with swirling color and movement. The illustrator describes in the back matter why she created the illustrations this way, but I won't spoil it for you. It's enough to say that every single page is a feast for the eyes.
Highly recommended for ages 8 and up, or younger if you're prepared to discuss the heavy topics in the book with them.
This children's book focuses on a remarkable woman who fought for the freedom to practice her religion in the Cristero Revolution. As the author (a distant great-niece of Jovita) says in the back matter of this book, Jovita was "a woman ahead of her time - a feminist, a leader; unconventional, daring, determined, angry, loving, and loyal." I loved learning about her from this book - the main text as well as the extensive backmatter. It's a picture book, but it's definitely more appropriate for older readers, as it deals with revolution, and the death and loss that comes with it.
The illustrations in this book are exceptionally beautiful. Every page is vibrant with swirling color and movement. The illustrator describes in the back matter why she created the illustrations this way, but I won't spoil it for you. It's enough to say that every single page is a feast for the eyes.
Highly recommended for ages 8 and up, or younger if you're prepared to discuss the heavy topics in the book with them.
March 27, 2023
This is a really dynamic picture book biography. The artwork feels cinematic and the text is very readable. I don't know much of anything about the Cristero revolution which gives me pause--especially after seeing Salazar mention that "No person is entirely good or bad, and Jovita's life was as rich as it was complex." On the one hand, it's good that we have that caveat. On the other hand while we see mention of stories where she was the "villain and savior alike" we don't hear about them in the actual text or back matter.
Back matter includes more about Jovita with a fairly comprehensive extended biography, author's note (Jovita is Salazar's distance great-aunt and most info is taken from Jovita's memoir, "as well as anecdotes and personal interviews"), illustrator's note, no citations/bibliography which is weird since they even mention her memoir. Photo credits buried with copyright text. I'd also like to have known when these interviews took place.
I think there is some feminist content here but I also have a lot of hesitations. The lack of citations and the book coming from a family member makes this feel very one-sided which is sometimes okay but I feel like big contextual pieces are mising.
Back matter includes more about Jovita with a fairly comprehensive extended biography, author's note (Jovita is Salazar's distance great-aunt and most info is taken from Jovita's memoir, "as well as anecdotes and personal interviews"), illustrator's note, no citations/bibliography which is weird since they even mention her memoir. Photo credits buried with copyright text. I'd also like to have known when these interviews took place.
I think there is some feminist content here but I also have a lot of hesitations. The lack of citations and the book coming from a family member makes this feel very one-sided which is sometimes okay but I feel like big contextual pieces are mising.
October 27, 2023
5 stars. Fabulous biography of an, unknown to me, heroine Mexican freedom fighter. Likened to Joan of Arc, she dressed as a man in pants to use the fighting knowledge her father instilled in her. An extensive background note fills in her history, including photos and the author’s distant family relation to Jovita. Expansive and vibrant illustrations. Thank you Jovita for breaking the way for women to wear pants!
June 20, 2023
GREAT book! Would definitely use for a read aloud in grade 3 and independent reading in grade 4. Beautiful illustations and the story flows wonderfully. The main text is a literary retelling of a historical figure and the end of the book is traditional and interesting nonfiction prose.
March 7, 2023
Great way to learn history! A short and engaging story for children and more information in the back for those who want to know more. Also, the art is gorgeous!
March 13, 2023
beautiful illustrations
April 27, 2025
I didn't personally love or hate Jovita Wore Pants, a picture book biography about a revolutionary Mexican woman from the early-20th Century.
Jovita is on the 2024-2025 Texas Bluebonnet list for Grades 3-6. That means many school librarians and teachers in Texas will be reading this book aloud with students in these grades. It also won a Caldecott Honor in 2024, so it's clearly getting some attention from award committees.
But for me, I am not sure who I'd give this book to, or if many students will love it enough to return to read it again. There are also some very traumatic events like .
If reading aloud with a class, teachers will need to give some backstory about WHY girls at this time could not wear pants, WHY Jovita could not do the things her older brothers did, and WHY she could not go off to war. These are not really explained in the book. Yet there will be girls in the class who do wear pants, who do the things their older brothers do, and who have female family members in the military.
Some students might wonder, why can't Jovita wear pants? Traditional gender roles in the early 20th Century will need to be clearly explained before reading the book aloud. It also needs to be said that women wearing only dresses did not just happen in Mexico, and that in some countries, these rules for women are still the norm today.
All in all, Jovita is an important story to tell, and I'm glad it exists. It just feels more like a book teachers and award committees love more than young readers do. The book is more of a healthy vegetable kids need to read rather than a delicious book chocolate cake. There is nothing wrong with that, but I don't see students absolutely loving this.
Jovita is on the 2024-2025 Texas Bluebonnet list for Grades 3-6. That means many school librarians and teachers in Texas will be reading this book aloud with students in these grades. It also won a Caldecott Honor in 2024, so it's clearly getting some attention from award committees.
But for me, I am not sure who I'd give this book to, or if many students will love it enough to return to read it again. There are also some very traumatic events like .
If reading aloud with a class, teachers will need to give some backstory about WHY girls at this time could not wear pants, WHY Jovita could not do the things her older brothers did, and WHY she could not go off to war. These are not really explained in the book. Yet there will be girls in the class who do wear pants, who do the things their older brothers do, and who have female family members in the military.
Some students might wonder, why can't Jovita wear pants? Traditional gender roles in the early 20th Century will need to be clearly explained before reading the book aloud. It also needs to be said that women wearing only dresses did not just happen in Mexico, and that in some countries, these rules for women are still the norm today.
All in all, Jovita is an important story to tell, and I'm glad it exists. It just feels more like a book teachers and award committees love more than young readers do. The book is more of a healthy vegetable kids need to read rather than a delicious book chocolate cake. There is nothing wrong with that, but I don't see students absolutely loving this.
April 11, 2024
• 2024 Caldecott Honor Book •
What an amazing story of such a heroic and brave woman! Beautiful illustrations and loved the use of color to express emotion. The campfire scene was delightful. I thought it was neat that the author is related to Jovita!
Materials used: “created using sumi ink and composed digitally in Procreate using digital brushes and color”
Typeface used: text: Gill Sans MT; display: Rockwell
What an amazing story of such a heroic and brave woman! Beautiful illustrations and loved the use of color to express emotion. The campfire scene was delightful. I thought it was neat that the author is related to Jovita!
Materials used: “created using sumi ink and composed digitally in Procreate using digital brushes and color”
Typeface used: text: Gill Sans MT; display: Rockwell
May 6, 2024
Looking for an award winning book that incorporates the theme of courage? Jovita Wore Pants by Aida Salazar is the biography of a Mexican Freedom Fighter that has won both the Caldecott honor award and the Notable books for a global society award. Jovita never wanted to wear the big skirts that she was forced to wear and as she grows up, she finds her passion for wanting to be a soldier. At the climax of her story, Jovita found out that the government had taken someone close to her but she still persisted on becoming a soldier. There were many things that Jovita had to overcome and it was shown through the illustrations. One powerful spread that shows just how strong Jovita is when her house was set to flames by the government. The illustrator used paint strokes and deep pink/orange colors to show this tragedy that took place in her life. In addition, a spread on the last page shoes Jovita standing in pants, powerful, and determined which shows how strong and independent Jovita was. I could not put this book down, determined to find out if Jovita succeeded!
September 24, 2024
Wow! Keren! Baca bacaaa
Cerita + moral: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Ilustrasinyaa: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Cerita + moral: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Ilustrasinyaa: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
January 1, 2025
This is stunningly gorgeous
February 1, 2024
gorgeous. prettiest book i've seen in a long time.
April 24, 2024
Thank you for the backmatter with photos of the real Jovita. Excellent illustrations.
February 17, 2024
A remarkable story about Jovita Valdovinos, a courageous female who didn’t allow the cultural patriarchy to keep her from fighting for what was right. Her love of family drove her determination in all that she did.
The illustrations are vibrant; the turbulence, courage and determination are portrayed beautifully on the pages of the story.
The illustrations are vibrant; the turbulence, courage and determination are portrayed beautifully on the pages of the story.
January 27, 2024
This was a remarkable story about a girl who grew into a female warrior, dressing as a man, though that flouted the rules of her times. I didn't find the illustrations all that exceptional.
June 22, 2024
Jovita wanted to wear pants, but in traditional Mexico in the 1920's and 1930's a girl wearing pants was unacceptable. Jovita played with her brother Ramon in the rancho. She knew the countryside well. When revolution came to Mexico, Papa and two of her brothers joined the revolutionaries fighting for their rights. She was captured by soldiers and tortured for information about her father, but she wouldn't provide information. Eventually, she cut her hair and became known as Juan and led a group of revolutionaries! She lived a remarkable life, and the author's note states that she was known as both a hero and a villain.
November 12, 2022
Told by her great niece, this picture book biography tells the fascinating and inspiring true story of Jovita Valdovinos, a Mexican revolutionary who disguised herself as a man to become a leader in a fight for religious freedom in the Cristeros War. Vibrant, stirring illustrations by Molly Mendoza.
February 16, 2023
Amazing story about Jovita, a Mexican freedom fighter with beautiful illustrations! Jovita had a passion to fight alongside her father and brothers. However, since was a woman, she was told to wear a skirt and to stay behind. This did not stop her from defying society’s rules and becoming a leader.
May 7, 2024
The illustrations are colorful and dream-like. They remind me of the book "Thunder Rose". The story felt like a Mexican Mulan. An illustration that stuck out to me was how the illustrators represent her captivity; the character Jovita is angry and she's stuck in big hands that represent the controlling government. It's really well done and beautiful.
The story is about Jovita, a wise, cunning, determined young woman. The story begins when she's a girl and she desires to wear pants to run and play like her brothers. She does so sneakily, while still respecting her duties and elders. As she grows into a young woman, she convinces her dad to let her fight against the government soldiers who were trying to ban Catholicism. This is known as the Cristero War. After her brothers and father were killed, she led a revolution, but now as Juan, with short hair and pants. She led the revolutionaries to success. She was honored for her courage by President Cárdenas.
The story contains beautiful onomatopoeia (coo-coo-roo-ing) and alliteration (rollicking rivers) of the animals and wildlife in Jovita's outdoor adventures as a young girl.
The theme of 'courage despite all odds' is present in all of Jovita's actions. I would absolutely use this story in the classroom with middle to upper grades. With my new fifth grade curriculum this year, we did a Hispanic heroes project after reading poems out of the book "Bravo" by Margarita Engle. I think this picture book would be a great addition to a unit like that.
I found this book through this link (https://www.madisonpubliclibrary.org/...) and read the e-book on my laptop through my local library.
The story is about Jovita, a wise, cunning, determined young woman. The story begins when she's a girl and she desires to wear pants to run and play like her brothers. She does so sneakily, while still respecting her duties and elders. As she grows into a young woman, she convinces her dad to let her fight against the government soldiers who were trying to ban Catholicism. This is known as the Cristero War. After her brothers and father were killed, she led a revolution, but now as Juan, with short hair and pants. She led the revolutionaries to success. She was honored for her courage by President Cárdenas.
The story contains beautiful onomatopoeia (coo-coo-roo-ing) and alliteration (rollicking rivers) of the animals and wildlife in Jovita's outdoor adventures as a young girl.
The theme of 'courage despite all odds' is present in all of Jovita's actions. I would absolutely use this story in the classroom with middle to upper grades. With my new fifth grade curriculum this year, we did a Hispanic heroes project after reading poems out of the book "Bravo" by Margarita Engle. I think this picture book would be a great addition to a unit like that.
I found this book through this link (https://www.madisonpubliclibrary.org/...) and read the e-book on my laptop through my local library.
February 15, 2024
It wasn't that long ago that female students in my own high school weren't allowed to wear pants to school, attire that most folks probably take for granted nowadays. This picture book biography of Mexican heroine Jovita Valdovinos describes her formative years and her later involvement in the fight for religious freedom in her homeland. With her father and brothers deeply involved in that movement, Jovita longs to become involved. Her father allows her some small level of involvement. After the death of her family members, she leads an army of peasants and hides her identity as a woman, even cutting off her hair. Written by a great niece with enthusiasm and deep appreciation for her courage, the book portrays the young Jovita longing for pants similar to what her brothers wore so that she could move more freely and then later taking on the mantle of leadership to carry on her family's fight. The text captures her spirit and determination while the artwork, filled with bright colors and shapes rendered through Sumi ink and Procreate, lends an intensity and urgency to every scene depicted here. The scenes are not static at all, somehow capturing the vivacity and movement of Jovita as she moves into that important role. Not a single corner of the book's pages is wasted as the illustrations almost leap from the page. The illustrations grew on me as I came to appreciate them more with each reading. Add this one to a classroom collection dedicated to strong women, individuals who made a difference, and revolutionaries. Readers won't want to miss the back matter, which includes actual photos of Jovita, additional background, and notes from the author and from the illustrator.
July 2, 2024
Beautiful non-fiction picture book detailing the little known facts about Jovita Valdovinos and her determination to fight for the rights of Mexican Catholics in the early 1900s for readers/listeners in grades 2-5. Young Jovita loved her home and the countryside surrounding it and spent as much time as possible exploring it. Wearing the skirts that were required by the culture of the time and place made this difficult and thus came Jovita’s first act of defiance-wearing pants! Later she followed her father and two brothers when they joined the Cristero Revolution in an attempt to regain the right to worship as Catholics, establish parochial schools and for priests and nuns to be able to control the money given to the church. At first she was not allowed to fight, but after the deaths of her father and brothers, she not only kept on wearing pants, but cut her hair short, changed her name to Juan and led the Cristeros until they were granted the freedoms they deserved. Great story about standing up for what you believe and fighting for your rights as well as those of a whole group of people. Gorgeous illustrations by Molly Mendoza were created using Sumi ink and composed digitally in Procreate and enhance the text perfectly. The text in the bulk of the book seldom exceeds 4 or 5 sentences, is set in a large font and has plenty of space between lines. Back matter is fairly extensive and elaborates on the life of the Mexican hero which makes this picture book also useful for older elementary readers.
A 2024-2025 Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee.
A 2024-2025 Texas Bluebonnet Award nominee.
March 10, 2024
I liked the actual book part a lot better than the author's note. Jovita was a real woman who lived in Mexico during the time of religious persecution by the government in the 1920s and 30s. I had no idea all that happened. We're so blessed to live in a country where we've had religious freedom. Anyway, she decided to wear pants and fight the government who was wrongfully oppressing Christianity. So I liked the nonfiction story.
There were a couple things I didn't care for in the author's note. One was that she chose her theme as a symbol of defiance. It's not being defiant to be who you are. If you are a woman who prefers pants or wearing your hair short, why does that have to be defiant? Why can't it just be being who you are? (I don't typically look at defiance as a positive thing.)
The other thing was that the author wants all girls to be "unstoppable, ferocious, and amazing." I have a small daughter. I want her to grow up to be humble of heart, kind and respectful to everyone, and hard-working. Because sometimes things do stop you. We aren't always "unstoppable," so I find that to be kind of a ludicrous goal. And calling yourself amazing would be very arrogant. It's also not a very tangible goal. What is amazing? That's different to everyone, and some people's definition of amazing would be the exact opposite of what I would want my daughter to grow up to be. But hard-working is a very tangible goal. So those are my gripes.
There were a couple things I didn't care for in the author's note. One was that she chose her theme as a symbol of defiance. It's not being defiant to be who you are. If you are a woman who prefers pants or wearing your hair short, why does that have to be defiant? Why can't it just be being who you are? (I don't typically look at defiance as a positive thing.)
The other thing was that the author wants all girls to be "unstoppable, ferocious, and amazing." I have a small daughter. I want her to grow up to be humble of heart, kind and respectful to everyone, and hard-working. Because sometimes things do stop you. We aren't always "unstoppable," so I find that to be kind of a ludicrous goal. And calling yourself amazing would be very arrogant. It's also not a very tangible goal. What is amazing? That's different to everyone, and some people's definition of amazing would be the exact opposite of what I would want my daughter to grow up to be. But hard-working is a very tangible goal. So those are my gripes.
February 22, 2024
This is the last Caldecott Honor book I have to read for 2024. I thought the artwork was amazing. It was different and colorful. Some pages looked like stained glass. The color tone represents the mountains and area that Jovita lived in. There's a wild energy in the artwork that fits with Jovita.
This is a non-fiction story of a woman who was a fighter. There was a revolution in Mexico where they tried to outlaw the Catholic Church. The people stood up for their religion. This is around 1920 or so. Back then woman wore dresses and Jovita hated dresses - they got in her way. She was active like any boy.
Eventually, Jovita became a fighter. She cut her hair and wore pants and won them freedom.
There are about three pages at the end with information on Jovita. There is some great stuff in there. The story for children is only a brief outline. The end gives more details. One of my favorite things is that she had several marriage proposals. The problem was all her husbands to be expected her to wear dresses. That was a deal breaker. She turned them down. No one would tell her what to wear. So she owned a rough bar.
I didn't know about any of this, so I got an education this morning. Nice. This is not a book for beginners. This is for older children like second grade or above.
This is a non-fiction story of a woman who was a fighter. There was a revolution in Mexico where they tried to outlaw the Catholic Church. The people stood up for their religion. This is around 1920 or so. Back then woman wore dresses and Jovita hated dresses - they got in her way. She was active like any boy.
Eventually, Jovita became a fighter. She cut her hair and wore pants and won them freedom.
There are about three pages at the end with information on Jovita. There is some great stuff in there. The story for children is only a brief outline. The end gives more details. One of my favorite things is that she had several marriage proposals. The problem was all her husbands to be expected her to wear dresses. That was a deal breaker. She turned them down. No one would tell her what to wear. So she owned a rough bar.
I didn't know about any of this, so I got an education this morning. Nice. This is not a book for beginners. This is for older children like second grade or above.
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