Childhood: Heritage Lost. Heritage Found.

Islandborn by Junot Díaz ill Leo Espinosa

Lola por Junot Díaz ilustrado por Leo Espinosa

"Every kid in Lola's school was from somewhere else"

Lola is faced with a dilemma. Her teacher has assigned each member of the class the task of creating a picture of the country of his/her origin. Lola has no recollection of her native land.  She left the country of her birth when she was a baby. After consultation with the teacher, she devises a plan. She will ask family, friends, and people in her community about her homeland. She hears delightful memories of sights and sounds, learns of special places and contented feelings. Her conversations expose not just the good things about her island home. She also learns of the horrors inflicted on innocent people, which forced her family to flee the island.

Lola fulfills the assignment, creating a pastiche of images incorporating joyous memories with painful ones. The finished product is evidence her of understanding of the past, appreciation for the present, and hope for the future of her homeland.The evil that once threatened this island will not destroy the life and love and hope of its people. ​

Without mentioning a specific individual, Díaz uses the imagery of a monster to explain the cruelties of life under a ruthless dictator. He handles this difficult topic with a sensitivity and understanding appropriate for young readers.

Espinosa's vibrant illustrations capture the wonder and vitality of the island. Pages brimming with details of island life invite exploration. The full-page spread depicting the monster attacking the island is frightful. However, the overall tone of the images throughout the book, especially facial expressions and body language, depicts a family that offers reassurance and security in times of distress.

Islandborn is the English edition and  Lola, the Spanish edition of this picture book from 2008 Pulitzer Prize winner Junot Díaz.

"Just because you don't remember a place doesn't mean it's not in you."

Extending the family story experience

The beauty of this book is the acknowledgement of this universal truth: often children do not remember events from early childhood. They rely on family and others within their circle to help them construct a sense of identity, history, and heritage.

After reading Islandborn, youngsters can be encouraged to search for information about their own family history and heritage. Research may take the form of interviews, family stories, music, recipes, artifacts, and more. Many years ago, I attended a workshop presented by Alma Flor Ada. She suggested that schools can help children discover and appreciate their identity and heritage. I was inspired by her presentation and decided to implement a few of her suggestions with a group of eight-year-old youngsters. Here's what we did:
Each student interviewed a family member, organized the results of individual research into a biography, and published the personal narrative as a book. Text was enhanced with copies of family photographs and student-created illustrations. We also (a suggestion from Dr. Ada) solicited recipes from families and compiled a cookbook of family recipes. A copy of the cookbook was prepared for the family of each student.
Then came the celebration! Families were invited to school to read the amazing family stories and to sample the delicious dishes from a variety of cultures. This became an annual event, shared with extended families.

Review, images, and text based on uncorrected copy.

Pub date: March 13, 2018 Publisher: Dial Books ISBN: 978-0735229860 (English)  978-0525552819 (Spanish)