El Barrio (Multicultural)

El Barrio 

Written by Debbi Chocolate, Illustrated by David Diaz

(Multicultural/Primary reader)

Join a young boy as he travels through his vibrant neighborhood (el barrio). Along the way, learn about the parts of life that make up his culture from his sister’s quinceañera and music to church and family.

Some multicultural literature explores cultural similarities and differences. Other culturally diverse literature looks deeply at a particular cultural (Galda, 2010, p. 25). El Barrio is an example of the latter approach to this genre; it is a beautiful picturebook-rendering of Latino culture in an urban setting (Chocolate, 2009). As the author shows many facets of Latino culture including holidays and treats like churros and pallets, she incorporates Spanish words seamlessly into the story. There is a glossary of these words in the back of the book. At the same time, the book invites all readers, regardless of cultural background to think about their own neighborhoods and the things that define their life experiences. The book supports a positive understanding of the culture it represents by depicting a community-minded, multi-generational experience, one that is full of music, color, and celebration.

The setting is in an urban neighborhood but is defined broadly to include “Spanish Harlem, Humboldt Park, and tar-beach parties” (Chocolate, 2009). The main character acts like a guide through the book rather than a fully-developed character within a narrative. The text is written from his perspective, and he appears in most illustrations, showing his place in the neighborhood. Themes include community, culture, and family.

The text is fairly simple, though very evocative: “El barrio is a shimmering cold hydrant spray on a hot summer day, vegetable gardens instead of lawns, and brightly colored houses that look like villages” (Chocolate, 2009). There are typically only one or two sentences per page spread. With limited text, El Barrio’s illustrations are a major part of telling the story. The illustrations are mixed-media and use elements of outline style by emphasizing line and shapes (Galda, 2010, p. 84). The illustrations have a smooth texture, although color and line give images shape and depth. The use of color is one of the most eye-catching aspects of these illustrations. Bold, varied, and at times neon, illustrator David Diaz represents the mood and experience of el barrio with his color palette. Illustrations are designed as full-page spreads, giving them a larger-than-life feel. Each illustration is bordered by a photograph of mosaics, textures, or murals taken from the illustrator’s Southern California neighborhood (Chocolate, 2009). Sometimes these photographs become part of the main illustrations as well, giving them additional texture and depth.

        

ACTIVITIES

1. Examine the book’s illustrations as a class and have a discussion about visual art elements represented in the images and how the illustrations make the students feel. Because there is so much rich detail in the illustrations, you could also have a scavenger-hunt type of activity with the book by asking children to say what they see on each page, or search for specific things. This could lead to a discussion about why the artist might have included certain objects and images and how artists build their work.

2. Ask students to make an artistic representation of their neighborhood. Encourage mixed-media art projects to mimic David Diaz’s use of media in this book. Have students think about what colors they would use to show their neighborhood and why, as well as objects, types of buildings, people, and events that go on.

READER RESPONSE QUESTIONS

1. Why is the narrator’s sister having a quineañera party? How are they celebrating? Do you have any special celebrations for young people in your family or community?

2. Look through the book for words about music. What kinds of music are in the book? What instruments? What kind of music do you like to listen to?

The combination of text and illustration in this book makes it completely immersive. I felt transported to another world while reading it, particularly because of the illustrations. I think children will discover a lot within these pages. This is a good book choice to use to introduce children to a rich culture and a non-English language. Both the author and illustrator are award-winners, so their other works are worth checking out as well. Debbi Chocolate has received the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award as well as the Parents’ Choice Award.

References

Chocolate, D., & Diaz, D. (2009). El barrio. New York: Henry Holt.

Galda, L., Cullinan, B. E., & Sipe, L. R. (2010). Literature and the child (7th ed.). Belmont, CA:

            Wadsworths, Inc

Images from https://www.amazon.com/El-Barrio-Debbi-Chocolate/dp/B005K64FAU