Yenebi's Drive to School
Full Description
Every morning, I'm up at four o'clock.
I brush my teeth, get dressed, and drag my sister Melanie to the car where Mami's waiting for us.
Se nos va hacer tarde! Apurarse!
For the next two hours, we'll be in the car driving-past tamale vendors (my favorite part), through la linea (my least favorite part), and across the US border. That's how we get to school every day. This is our normal. Vamos!
In a winning, sunny voice in a bright, friendly palette, debut author-illustrator Sendy Santamaria tells the story of one girl's commute, a commute Sendy herself made growing up as an American citizen living in Mexico. Yenebi's Drive to School takes readers on a trip to school that many will recognize as very similar to their own.
Sendy Santamaria is an Oakland-based Xicana illustrator and designer from the US-Mexico border region. She primarily paints traditionally with acrylic but has extended her palette with a variety of mediums including embroidery, ceramics, hand-lettering, printmaking, and mural arts. Her work celebrates hard work, family tradition, and observational narratives. She currently works at 826 Valencia: Tenderloin Center as a Design Associate, and she lives in Oakland, California.
★ “A going-to-school story elevated by a mother’s devotion and a child’s dedication.” — Kirkus, starred review
★[A] memorable debut…the family’s bilingual conversations render a close-knit family’s everyday trip in this warm slice-of-life tale.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Santamaria's bright, colorful artwork nicely captures the bustling commerce of the border region in eye-catching scenes that celebrate culture and tradition. The intermingled use of English and Spanish in the text perfectly befits a story set on the border.” — Booklist
