Tuesday, December 27, 2022

Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Mexican Freedom Fighter by Aida Salazar and Molly Mendoza - ADVISABLE


Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Mexican Freedom Fighter
by Aida Salazar,  art by Molly Mendoza
PICTURE BOOK, BIOGRAPHY Scholastic Press (Scholastic). March 2023. $20. 9781338283419 

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL - ADVISABLE 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE 

Jovita grew up on a farm with her Abuela who made her wear long full skirts - she couldn't keep up with her brothers in a skirt, so, once her Abuela couldn't see her, she'd stuff her skirts into her bloomers. When her father left the farm to fight a war, and took her brothers to fight a war, Jovita wanted to go too. She knew the countryside, she would ride as well as her brothers and she would be a good soldier. But she would have to wait. Women did not go to war. But after a family tragedy, Jovita disguises herself as a man and organizes an army of her own. 

Jovita Valdovinos was quite a remarkable woman. I really liked this picture book biography. Molly Medoza's illustrations are vibrant and artistic, and accompany the text beautifully. The biography is thorough, but is made richer by the "more about" and the author and illustrator's notes. Characters are Mexican.

Lisa Librarian

No comments:

Post a Comment

Welcome to Kiss the Book Jr.!

Welcome! Kiss the Book Jr. is for board books, picture books, early readers, and chapter books.  Also, any novels and non-fiction that we ag...