REVIEW OF INFORMATIONAL BOOK #2: SEPARATE IS NEVER EQUAL: Sylvia Mendez & Her Family's Fight for Desegregation by Duncan Tonatiuh

 

Separate Is Never Equal

 Review by Lucinda Zamora-Wiley

 1. Bibliography:

Tonatiuh, Duncan. Separate Is Never Equal. Illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh, New

York: Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2014.

 2. Brief plot summary: While many may be familiar with the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court decision in history, few may know of its critically important predecessor: the case of Mendez vs. Westminster, which effectively ended segregation in California. Tonatiuh shines the light on the inspirational story of Sylvia Mendez and her family as they fought against arbitrary racist mandates that she and her siblings attend the “Mexican school,” a profoundly inferior clapboard shack run by teachers who expected their students to drop out by 8^th grade. Mr. Mendez, Syliva’s father, demanded to know why the superintendent of Orange County schools would not permit his children to study alongside other students in the superior Hoover Elementary, especially considering that his children were American citizens fluent in English. When he was not given a sufficient rationale, Mr. Mendez hired a lawyer: Mr. David Marcus, who’d successfully fought against segregation in public places, including public pools that once hung signs reading: “No Dogs or Mexicans Allowed—Public Pool.” It took over a year of waiting for the judges’ verdict and for the Court of Appeals in San Francisco to uphold the verdict, but finally on April 15^th, 1947, The Mendez Family was victorious…the laws in California now allowed that “all children in California were allowed to go to school together, regardless of race, ethnicity, or language.” This case came seven years before Brown vs. Board of Education!

3.  Critical analysis with specific literary considerations pertinent to each genre: 

      Tonatiuh’s research for this book is exceptional; he includes a glossary of legal terms to make the legal case more accessible to young readers. In addition, his bibliography is tremendous, including personal interviews with Sylvia Mendez as a primary source. He also references legal archives from the state of California to add ethos to his informative narrative. But what is most moving beyond the story, is the “Author’s Note” among back matter and Mendez Family photographs from the 1947 era--the chronology of the narrative is easy to follow, and the conclusion and inclusion of back matter helps to make the story more meaningful to readers.

In terms of design and artistry, Tonatiuh’s own iconic depictions of characters objectively portray the various cultures represented in the story, equalizing and honoring fair representations of all involved. Tonatiuh’s depictions of the migrant farms on which Mexican-American farmers worked, as well as the depictions of the contrasting schools (Hoover vs. the Mexican school), help young readers to visualize the injustices that so many young students faced; young readers realize that separate is not equal.  Tonatiuh does a phenomenal job at making this story accessible to young readers, but it would not be difficult for a secondary history teacher to weave this potent non-fiction work into a civil rights unit during the school year. This work helps shine the light on a lesser known momentous occasion in American civil rights history.

 

4.     Awards won (if any) and review excerpt(s):

·       A Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List selection

·       Pura Belpre Illustrator Honor Book

·       Robert F. Sibert Honor Book

·       Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children Book Award

·       School Library Journal writes: “Younger children will be outraged by the injustice of the Mendez family story but pleased by its successful resolution. Older children will understand the importance of the 1947 ruling that desegregated California schools, paving the way for Brown v. Board of Education seven years later.”

·       The Horn Book writes: “The straightforward narrative is well matched with the illustrations in Tonatiuh’s signature style, their two-dimensional perspective reminiscent of the Mixtec codex but collaged with paper, wood, cloth, brick, and (Photoshopped) hair to provide textural variation. This story deserves to be more widely known, and now, thanks to this book, it will be."

·       Booklist writes: “Tonatiuh’s multimedia artwork showcases period detail, such as the children’s clothing and the differences between the school facilities, in his unique folk art style. An endnote essay recapping the events, photos of Sylvia and her schools, and a glossary and resource list for further research complete this thorough exploration of an event that is rarely taught.”

 

 5.     Connections:

·       A secondary history teacher could read this high-interest non-fiction work as a way to introduce an American Civil Rights unit in his /her course.

·       This work could be paired with a study of Brown vs. Board of Education for middle and/ or high school history courses.

·       For writing courses, teachers could have students take inspiration from Tonatiuh’s primary source interviews with Sylvia Mendez; students could find an older family member to interview in order to learn more about some of the history through which their loved one lived. Students might compose a short informational narrative based on his/ her interview and present some of their findings to their class via oral/ visual presentations.

·       Teachers might inspire students to do further research into segregation and schools in the modern era, as Tonatiuh suggests further reading in his back matter, which suggests that the issue is still a current concern in the American educational system.

·       Younger readers might also enjoy exploring additional readings by Tonatiuh, including Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote and Diego Rivera; Tonatiuh would be a great author to highlight during an upcoming Hispanic Heritage Month literary celebration.