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by Carmen Tafolla (Author)
An insightful novel in verse about the joys and struggles of a girl who's a warrior for her name, her history, and her right to choose what she celebrates in life
Celina and her family follow both Mexican and United States traditions, and she revels in her Mexican American heritage. But at school it feels like the world wants to erase that part of her identity, as her name is repeatedly mispronounced, her people's stories are left out of textbooks and lessons, and some classmates choose to treat her as a second-class citizen. Fortunately, she makes three wonderful friends who help her fight the ignorance. And her gramma, Celina's biggest inspiration, shows her how to build a shield of joy around herself that can't be pierced by defeat. Some days, though, it's hard to find the joy--like when her dad's deported or when a pandemic hits. Then Celina turns to her writing, which turns out to give a lot of people joy. And she determines that no matter what, she'll always live up to her last name: Guerrera--woman warrior; and use her talents and courage to make the world a more beautiful place where all cultures are celebrated.Author Biography
Dr. Carmen Tafolla (CarmenTafolla.net) received a Tom?s Rivera Book Award for Warrior Girl. She is the 2015 State Poet Laureate of Texas and the former president of the Texas Institute of Letters. An award-winning poet and children's author, storyteller, performance artist, motivational speaker, scholar, and university professor, she is the author of more than forty books and a professor emeritus of Transformative Children's Literature at UT San Antonio. Her numerous awards and distinctions include the prestigious Am?ricas Award, the designation of first city Poet Laureate of San Antonio, six International Latino Book Awards, three Tom?s Rivera Book Awards, two ALA Notable Books, the Art of Peace Award, the Charlotte Zolotow Award, and the Texas Institute of Letters Lifetime Achievement Award. She lives in San Antonio, Texas.
