Any Small Goodness: A Novel of the Barrio

Rating:
Summary: Any Small Goodness
Review:
Arturo's family has emigrated from Mexico to East L.A. The teacher at his new school wants to change the kid's names to their American counterparts. Arturo's story reveals the need to adjust and assimilate to a new, sub-culture while retaining the need to maintain integral parts of his own culture. For many, family love and values aren't enough to keep you from the outside influences that can lead you down the wrong road. How do Arturo and his amigos maintain orgullo? This is a great book to open the doors to understanding the unfamiliar characteristics that lie within Mexican culture for school children that are subject to this integration. At the same time the book will offer a sense of pride within their Mexican culture.


Rating:
Summary: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down
Review: A liberal sprinkling of Spanish with a full measure of cultural similes makes this dish a spicy/sweet offering on the menu of "must reads". Eleven year old Arturo grows up in the L.A. barrio in a loving, supportive, extended family. He learns to develop a sense of "self" and respect for his people, his culture, and his neighborhood, while resisting the influence of "cholos" (lowlifes). Arturo and his friends find a creative, covert method to counteract damage inflicted by poverty and gangs. This is a funny, touching glimpse into Hispanic culture in L.A.

Rating:
Summary: Any Small Goodness
Review: A liberal sprinkling of Spanish with a full measure of cultural similes makes this dish a spicy/sweet offering on the menu of "must reads". Eleven year old Arturo grows up in the L.A. barrio in a loving, supportive, extended family. He learns to develop a sense of "self" and respect for his people, his culture, and his neighborhood, while resisting the influence of "cholos" (lowlifes). Arturo and his friends find a creative, covert method to counteract damage inflicted by poverty and gangs. This is a funny, touching glimpse into Hispanic culture in L.A.

Rating:
Summary: Any Small Goodness
Review: Arturo (nicknamed "Turo") is a young Latino living in Los Angeles with his family. Having moved to the U.S. from Mexico not very long ago, Arturo is still trying to get used to American culture and society. It is not easy to understand and adapt to the unfamiliar culture in the new society. Life in the barrio is tough for many people, but Arturo tries to see and search for the positives in his life, his family, good food, and good friends. Almost every day, Arturo sees how dangerous life is in the barrio. His relatives try to remind him that there is both "bueno and malo" (good and bad) in the world and that "any small goodness is of value."
Turo sees "small goodness" on occasion, including the time a neighbor found their missing cat Huitlacoche (Corn Fungus in English) and returned her to the family. At other times, Turo sees difficult situations -- such as a demonstration against the school board, and outsiders threatening to disrupt a school dance.

Rating:
Summary: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down
Review: In the book Any Small Goodness, the characater Arturo gets a thumbs up. He lives in L.A. in a place where random acts of generosity and good will improve the lives of L.A. There is also another L.A. , a place of movie stars and people who are too rich and people who are too poor. But Arturo manages to survive. We like Arturo because he is a good friend that could also make him a good person. He never talks down to his friends or talks behind their backs. We also like him because he's a growing kid- just like us. Another reason is he thinks about what will happen next, the reason he has so many friends is because knows he would lose them if he talked bad about them. We make good and bad desisions just like him. We think other kids should read this book because it explains a lot about growing up.