I AM NOT YOUR PERFECT MEXICAN DAUGHTER
A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Sánchez, E. L. (2017). I am not your perfect Mexican daughter. First edition. New York, Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children's Books. ISBN: 978-1524700485
B. PLOT SUMMARY
Perfect Mexican daughters do not go away to college. And they do not move out of their parents’ house after high school graduation. Perfect Mexican daughters never abandon their family.But Julia is not your perfect Mexican daughter. That was Olga’s role.
Then, a tragic accident on the busiest street in Chicago leaves Olga dead and Julia left behind to reassemble the shattered pieces of her family. And no one seems to acknowledge that Julia is broken, too. Instead, her mother seems to channel her grief into pointing out every possible way Julia has failed.But it’s not long before Julia discovers that Olga might not have been as perfect as everyone thought. With the help of her best friend Lorena, and her first love, first everything boyfriend Connor, Julia is determined to find out. Was Olga really what she seemed? Or was there more to her sister’s story? And either way, how can Julia even attempt to live up to a seemingly impossible ideal?
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS( INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
Sanchez’s book describes a family’s struggle to remain grounded after their oldest daughter’s tragic death as she crossed a busy Chicago street leaving Julia, the youngest, feeling guilty and responsible for the incident. Julia is an intelligent, yet rebellious high school student who does not conform to the traditional b Mexican culture that her family holds dearly.
The author immediately enthralls the reader into the story as she explains each situation with such detail that it leaves the audience with nothing to want. The characters are introduced and are so completely developed that she makes the reader feel as if they have had a personal relationship with each of them.
As the title very clearly states, Julia is definitely not the perfect Mexican girl. Julia’s constant struggle with traditional Mexican culture and expectations leave her frustrated and angry with life and with the way her parents treat her. She is constantly being compared to Olga, her deceased sister, leaving Julia with nothing but strong feelings that make her want to go as far away from her home as possible. Julia’s dream is to become a writer, but her parents don’t feel that it is a good career for her as she will not make any money. Her parents’ idea of a career is working as a secretary in an air conditioned office. A notable instance of Julia not wanting to comply with her parents’ expectations is her reluctance to participate in her quinceanera. She feels that it is money ill-spent and that the money could be used for something else. The author provides instances where Julia and Amá (her mother) encounter culture clashes such as the ones where she and Amá are cleaning upscale homes and she (Julia) is repulsed and feels degraded having to clean their bathrooms. Julia wants to break the traditional, stereotypical view of her ethnicity and wants something more exciting that does not conform to everyone else’s expectations.
This book is an excellent read. Readers from distinct backgrounds will relate to the situations the characters faced as many have probably encountered similar situations. It is, however, not a book that is apt for younger readers as adult situations and vulgar language are prevalent throughout the book.
D. REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist:“An earnest and heartfelt tale.”
SLJ, Starred: “A timely and must-have account of survival in a culturally contested world.”
E. CONNECTIONS
Students can compare and contrast the characteristics of the characters.
Students can do a before and after character analysis on Julia.
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