new posts in all blogs
Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: arte publico press, Most Recent at Top [Help]
Results 1 - 8 of 8
How to use this Page
You are viewing the most recent posts tagged with the words: arte publico press in the JacketFlap blog reader. What is a tag? Think of a tag as a keyword or category label. Tags can both help you find posts on JacketFlap.com as well as provide an easy way for you to "remember" and classify posts for later recall. Try adding a tag yourself by clicking "Add a tag" below a post's header. Scroll down through the list of Recent Posts in the left column and click on a post title that sounds interesting. You can view all posts from a specific blog by clicking the Blog name in the right column, or you can click a 'More Posts from this Blog' link in any individual post.
Review: Sabrina Vourvoulias, "Skin In The Game," Tor.com
Michael Sedano
The
first video of a black devil fish showed the creature flexing its huge jaws, the mouth gaping with needle-like teeth that cage-in a creature attracted by the phosphorescent lure dangling in the deep sea darkness from the black devil fish’s head.
In an idle flash, I thought the fish could be the model for some outer space monster only a science fiction writer could think up. Sure enough, someone has.
I don’t know if
Sabrina Vourvoulias saw that marine footage, but the critter she has roaming the zombie ghetto of Philadelphia could be the devil fish’s terrestrial prima:
The taste of her fear-driven flop sweat, her death, washes over my tongue, takes the edge off the hunger that’s always nested inside me. Taste prompts image. I see the girl, face upturned as she waits for her fix, then something striking fast at her chest. Not a knife, but a mouth with scimitar teeth that pop out like double switchblades.Monsters like that go around emptying out innards and leaving human carcasses in their wake. Blanca is a cop and her job is to identify and cleanse. Of course, things grow complicated and dangerous.
Vourvoulias’ story, “Skin In The Game” will hit the streets in the December 2 issue of
Tor.com. It’s not to be missed. “Skin In the Game” holds the reader’s interest with a fast-moving first-person story and a collective of interesting personages. The author’s use of short thematic paragraphs set the pace. Cultural materials inform the story's logic with linguistic, orthographic, nicknaming, and food datos that add richness but without complexity that could confuse exogenous readers.
The story’s notable for its raza characters and setting. Boricuas, Dominicans for instance. The central character is a Mexicana cop-of-sorts from South Philly. The City of Brotherly Love suffers a terminal case of advanced irony. Social services have all gone to hell. Cop uniforms include heavy-soled boots to guard against discarded hypodermic needles that pave the sidewalks of this barrio.
Vourvoulias writes an arresting story with an eye-opening surprise that adds dimensions to the character’s personality while confirming suspicious the author cleverly plants like a sneeze in a greek tragedy. The author passes along matter-of-fact information about cultura. Tamaleras use platano and maíz hojas. Mejor, the Tamágicos have herbal concoctions that help people make good decisions and love one another. That's soul food of the first order.
Without making a big deal of her characters' latinidad, Sabrina Vourvoulious shows how diversity in specific should work. “Skin In the Game” is one of those subversive stories science-fiction is noted for, helping people see with new eyes, to notice diversity but not make a big deal of the natural order of things, even if things are all dystopic.
Mark Vallen Eulogy for Richard DuardoQEPD Richard Duardo. Artist and serigraphy master, Duardo played a key role in the technology of art.
Mark Vallen's recent eulogy for his contemporary offers a critical appreciation for Duardo and his influence in United States arte.
Click here for Vallen's essay. Don't miss Vallen's essay on the 43 missing from Azotzinapa.
Mail BagBefore it Goes to Video
In the best of all possible cinema worlds, word of mouth would have ignited a frenzy of ticket-buying that snowballed enthusiasm to a point a major exhibition chain would pick up the title and just like that, chicano film would earn a place as a filmic investment vehicle.
Instead, like the Cesar Chávez biopic earlier in the year, the film faded after a short burst of enthusiasm.
The producers are showcasing the film at select theaters, using an internet-based ticketing service, tugg. It's a method of assuring a seat for the audience while reassuring theater owners of a likelihood of selling tickets, popcorn, and candy. But there's much more.
Producer Richard Montoya reminds, via email that this Los Angeles-area showing "will be one of the final opportunities to see W&P the way it was meant to be seen and heard - big screen and projected from the DCP drives - not high-def or blue ray but deeply saturated picture ingested into the projection system - the purest form and great sound."
Montoya invites you to share news of this special program. Find the details and link to the tug event
in Monterey Park at this link.Gifting Season: Books Always Reliably WelcomeArte Publico Press makes buying holiday presents thirty-five percent easier with an offer every book-lover may want to consider, especially with Christmas a month away.
Visit Arte Publico's website for their catalog. The offer via telephone ordering expires on the 19th.
By Viola Canales
ISBN: 978-1-55885-792-6
Format: Paperback
Pages: 143
In her ode to “The Umbrella,” Viola Canales remembers a family story about her mother, who every Saturday as a child “popped open her prized child’s bright umbrella / as did her little sister / and followed their mother’s adult one / from their Paloma barrio home / to downtown Main Street McAllen / walking like ducks in a row / street after street,” until one Saturday “the littlest one disappeared / inside the wilderness of Woolworth’s.” Warm-hearted recollections of family members are woven through this collection of 54 poems, in English and Spanish, which uses the images from loteríacards to pay homage to small-town, Mexican-American life along the Texas-Mexico border.
Cultural traditions permeate these verses, from the curanderaswho cure every affliction to the daily ritual of the afternoon merienda, or snack of sweet breads and hot chocolate. The community’s Catholic tradition is ever-present; holy days, customs and saints are staples of daily life. San Martín de Porres, or “El Negrito,” was her grandmother’s favorite saint, “for although she was pale too / she’d lived through the vestiges of the Mexican war / the loss of land, culture, language, and control / and it was El Negrito to whom she turned for hope” to bring enemies together.
Fond childhood memories of climbing mesquite trees and eating raspas are juxtaposed with an awareness of the disdain with which Mexican Americans are regarded. Texas museums, just like its textbooks, feature cowboy boots worn by Texas Rangers, but have no “clue or sign of the vaqueros, the original cowboys / or the Tejas, the native Indians there.” And some childhood memories aren’t so happy. In “The Hand,” she writes: “In the morning I arrived at my first grade class / knowing no English / at noon I got smacked by the teacher / for speaking Spanish outside, in the playground.”
Inspired by the archetypes found in the Mexican bingo game called lotería, these poems reflect the history—of family, culture and war—rooted in the Southwest for hundreds of years.
Viola Canales is the author of Orange Candy Slices and Other Secret Tales (Piñata Books, 2001) and The Tequila Worm (Wendy Lamb Books, 2007), winner of the Pura Belpré Award and the PEN USA Award. A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Law School, she was a captain in the U.S. Army and worked as a litigation and trial attorney. In 1994, she was appointed by President Bill Clinton to the U.S. Small Business Administration. She lives in Stanford, California.
Dalia's Wondrous Hair/ El cabello maravilloso de Dalia
by Laura Lacámara
Spanish-language translation by Gabriela Baeza Ventura
ISBN:978-1-55885-789-6
Publication Date: May 31, 2014
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 32
Ages: 4-9
One night, while Dalia slept safely wrapped in her mother’s cool silken sheets, her hair grew and grew. By the time the rooster crowed, her hair had “grown straight up to the sky, tall and thick as a Cuban royal palm tree.” Her mother was amazed, and wondered what her daughter would do with her wondrous hair.
As Dalia looked at the flowers blooming in the garden, an idea sprouted inside her. She decorated her hair with leaves from the forest and mud from the marsh. Her mother was puzzled and could not imagine what she was. “Are you a leaf-crusted mud-tree?” she guessed incorrectly. That night, while Dalia slept safely cocooned in her mama’s sheets, something stirred and unfolded. When the rooster crowed, the girl ran outside and everyone watched in awe as she carefully unwrapped her towering hair. Could it be? Is Dalia a . . . blossoming butterfly tree?!?
In this whimsical bilingual picture book, Dalia’s hair becomes a magical force of nature, a life-giving cocoon. Author and illustrator Laura Lacámara once again delights children ages 4-9 with her vibrant illustrations and an imaginative story about a girl’s fanciful encounters with nature.
Bonus features include a guide for how to create your own butterfly garden at home, as well as a bilingual glossary of select plant and animal species native to the island of Cuba.
Dale, dale, Dale: Una fiesta de números/ Hit It, Hit It, Hit It: A Fiesta of Numbers
by René Saldaña, Jr.
Illustrations by Carolyn Dee Flores
ISBN: 978-1-55885-782-7
Publication Date: May 31, 2014
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 32
Ages: 4-8
“Today is my birthday, and I am so excited. / One piñata filled with candy. / Two hours until the party. / Three tables set for all of the guests.” Mateo counts to twelve as he anticipates the fun he’ll have at his party!
There will be family, friends and lots of goodies for the children: tops, marbles and even toy cars! But before the children can hit the piñata, they will sing the birthday boy a song and enjoy eating a delicious cake. And then Mateo will be “the happiest boy in the whole wide world,” because he gets to swing at the piñata first with everyone cheering him on: ¡Dale! ¡Dale! ¡Dale!
Acclaimed kids’ book author René Saldaña, Jr. creates another winner with his first picture book, illustrated in vibrant colors by Carolyn Dee Flores, for children ages 4-8. In this birthday-themed counting book, children will relish practicing their counting skills while dreaming about hitting a piñata at their very own fun-filled fiesta.
- Lupita's First Dance / El Primer Baile de Lupita
- by Lupe Ruiz-Flores.
- Illustrated by Gabhor Utomo.
- Translated by Gabriela Baeza Ventura.
ISBN-13: 9781558857728Publisher: Arte Publico PressPublication date: 11/28/2013
Lupita is excited about dancing la raspa, a Mexican folk dance, with her first-grade class at a celebration of Children's Day. But she's devastated when she learns right before the show that her partner Ernesto sprained his right ankle.
She had been practicing for weeks. And now her family won't get to see her, swishing and swaying in her beautiful dress full of colorful ribbons. Lupita sadly watches the other dancers from backstage behind the blue velvet curtain. But suddenly, she finds herself on stage, in the spot where she and Ernesto should have been. She begins to dance the routine she knows so well, holding her arms out to an imaginary partner, and almost flees when the audience laughs at her.
But the sight of her mother encourages her to be brave. She continues the dance, becoming the star of the show—at least in the eyes of her proud teacher and parents.
Let's Salsa / Bailemos Salsa
by Lupe Ruiz-Flores.
Illustrated by Robert Casilla.
Translated by Natalia Rosales-Yeomans.
ISBN-13: 9781558857629
Publisher: Arte Publico Press
Publication date: 11/28/2013
Estella can't help but giggle when she sees her neighbors, Doña Rosa and Doña Maria, shaking their hips while dancing and sweating at an exercise class at the community recreation center. A few days later, when her mother complains about gaining weight, Estella encourages her to join the class.
Every day after school, Estella enjoys watching the women dance to the rhythmic music. And she's especially thrilled when the instructor invites her to join them in dancing salsa. “Salsa? That's what it's called? I thought salsa was to eat with chips!”
But one day, kids are banned from the class, and Estella is forced to go to a boring crafts class instead. She'd much rather be dancing! So when Estella learns that women had to fight to gain the right to vote, she decides she'll petition for kids' rights to enjoy salsa dance classes at the community center!
In this bilingual picture book for children ages 5-9, a young girl learns that dancing is good for fun and fitness, and that even kids can change the way things are done.
Dancing with the Devil and Other Tales from Beyond
Bailando con el diablo y otros cuentos del más allá
By René Saldaña Jr.
- ISBN 9781558857445
- Published 30 Apr 2012
- Bind Trade Paperback
- Pages 64
- Age Group 11 and up
This bilingual collection of tales features
supernatural elements rooted in Latino folklore
Joey is excited and nervous about the school dance because Marlen, the love of his life, has agreed to be his date. But Joey has heard rumors that she might be meeting someone else, and as he waits for her to show up he can’t help but worry the gossip may be true. Sure enough, a suave, well-dressed stranger asks Marlen to dance before Joey can even get to her. And soon the handsome couple is burning up the dance floor—literally!
In this collection of stories based on Mexican-American lore, author and educator René Saldaña, Jr. spins age-old tales with a contemporary twist. Lauro and Miguel run for their lives—with La Llorona’s cold breath on their necks— after being caught smoking cigarettes down by the river. There’s Felipe, who’s so determined to win back the Peñitas Grand Master Marble Champion title that he’s willing to make a deal for a shooter with a supernatural edge. And when Louie’s leg swells up after he cuts his toe playing with a knife, he can’t help but wonder if his mom’s warning could be true. Are his guts really going to spill out of his wound because he cut himself doing something stupid?
Set in the author’s native South Texas, these are the stories parents have told their children for generations to discourage bad behavior and encourage kids to stay close to home. But Saldaña breathes new life into these traditional tales with contemporary settings, issues and conflicts that are sure to resonate with today’s youth.
Animal Jamboree: Latino Folktales
La fiesta de los animales: leyendas latinas
By Judith Cofer
Translated by Natalia Rosales-Yeomans
- ISBN 9781558857438
- Fiction Young Adult
- Published 30 Apr 2012
- Bind Trade Paperback
- Pages 96
- Age Group 8-12
A bilingual collection of Puerto Rican folktales
re-told by acclaimed author Judith Ortiz Cofer
Once upon a time, a lion and a lioness lived in a forest at the edge of a field. They think they are better than all their neighbors, even though the other animals—horses, burros, cats, cows and even a goat—aren’t starving like the lions. But the lion has a brilliant idea to end the rumbling in their stomachs:
Alicia's Fruity Drinks / Las aguas frescas de Alicia
By Lupe Ruiz-Flores
Illustrated by Laura Lacámara
Translated by Gabriela Ventura
- ISBN 9781558857056
- Published 31 May 2012
- Bind Hardcover
- Pages 32
- Age Group 5-8
A girl teaches her teammates about a delicious Mexican drink
Seven-year-old Alicia and her parents are enjoying the annual festival celebrating Mexico’s independence. There are mariachis strolling across the festival grounds, folkloric dancers twirling in their colorful costumes and brightly colored booths lining the plaza.
But the hot day has made Alicia thirsty. Her mother suggests aguas frescas and points to a booth lined with jars of brightly colored fruit juice: there’s watermelon, strawberry, mango and even papaya. The watermelon juice is so delicious that Alicia drinks it all. “Mami, this tastes better than that red soda I drink after soccer practice. Can we make some of these at home?” Soon, Alicia is perfecting her own recipe and sharing it with her teammates after soccer practices and games.
In this bilingual picture book for children ages 5-8, a young girl discovers a treat from her mother’s Mexican-American childhood and becomes her friends’ favorite player with her healthy, frothy fruit drinks.
Sofía and the Purple Dress / Sofía y el vestido morado
By Diane Gonzales Bertrand
Illustrated by Lisa Fields
Translated by Gabriela Ventura
- SBN 9781558857018
- Published 31 May 2012
- Bind Hardcover
- Pages 32
- Age Group 6-9
This bilingual picture book for children portrays
one family's goal to adopt healthy habits
Sofía loves her older cousin, Rosario, and she’s always excited to receive her hand-me-down clothes. This time, the box of clothes comes with a pink envelope: an invitation to Rosario’s quinceañera. And as she digs through the box of clothes, a beautiful purple dress catches her eye. It will be perfect for the quince! But when Sofía tries on the dress, her younger sister Mari giggles and tells her she looks like a purple sausage.
Sofía and her mom make a pact to change their habits; they agree to help each other eat healthier and get more exercise. The next morning, the girls are surprised when their mother says they’re going to walk to school instead of driving. And after walking home in the hot afternoon sun, they drink water instead of soft drinks. At the grocery store, they fill their cart with healthy snacks like bananas, oranges,
Sorry I have been so busy the past few months I have neglected my blog!!! I have been working on my first picture book ¡A Bailar! and handed in the final paintings at the end of November. It is written by Judith Ortiz Cofer and will be published by Arte Público Press's children's division, Piñata Books and is scheduled to release October 30th of this year!! The very first thing I did when I painted that last stroke, put down the paint brush, and rubbed my sleepy eyes was scatter all my paintings on a table and take this picture. "Whoa I did it," I said with a big sigh of relief, "my first book, all finished."
I have also been working on a few paintings recently for a possible new project I will hopefully have some details on that in the near future.
I went to the SCBWI Conference and had a blast!! I was able to work hands on in a small group with the amazing and award winning illustrator EB Lewis. He gave much insight to the career of illustrating children's books. He showed us much inspiration and how creativity can be viewed in the every day life. One thing he did say that was interesting was that you are not considered to be an expert in your craft until you have put forth 10,000 hours practicing it. That would take about 10 years if you never once put down your brush. He was so knowledgeable and motivating I couldn't wait to go home and paint again!
I also met with Christine Tugeau who is an agent at her own agency. She gave me some helpful tips with my portfolio and some advice for my new forth coming picture book. I also met with Donna Mark, the art director of Bloomsbury Press who was very helpful in showing me my strengths and what I should focus working more on in future paintings.
I can also officially say that I will be illustrating a bilingual picture book written by Judith Ortiz Cofer. Our book will be out Spring 2011 and is being published with Arte Público Press! Yay!! I am super
excited and will definitely have my work cut out for me since this is my first book. This was the preliminary concept I sent into them in order to get the contract. I will have to make a few changes to the characters. Stay tuned!!
No one who's seen Water & Power has walked away from the motion picture disappointed. Disappointment comes from the paucity of gente who bought tickets during its premiere theatrical run.
Thanks for the post, Rene. I had fun writing these two books. I hope readers enjoy them and the beautiful illustrations.
Thanks, Rene & Lupe. These look like great books with strong female characters. We need more of these for children and young readers. I'm also happy to see that the stories have to do with moving el cuerpo. I love the illustration of Estella getting down on the cover of Bailemos Salsa! I will definitely check these out.