Latino Heritage and Parents' Guide to Boys
A Better Man (2009, Brandylane Publishers, $25.95) is a Q&A- and essay-style book in which true American heroes speak to young men about “love, power, pride and what it really means to be a man.” The book gives parents reason to rejoice because it pushes past negative influences and gets to the heart of being a man. Notables in this book of 26 heroes are sports stars, celebrities, lawyers and judges, military officers and local standout Kevin Smith, a youth counselor at San Diego’s Juvenile Hall. Smith, who has spent more than 16 years counseling some hard-core criminals, gives this advice: “… if you allow yourself to become a man controlled by anger, you will live your life being vulnerable to every outside influence, every annoyance.” A perfect, pick-it-up-in-any-spot book to read in short doses, that packs a powerful, meaningful punch for today’s growing boys.
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From bully to bad guy, boys tend to get labels from teachers or other adults that stick with them for perhaps longer than they should. In The Way of Boys: Raising Healthy Boys in a Challenging and Complex World (2009, HarperCollins Publishers, $25.99) author Anthony Rao targets the normal development of boys to help parents successfully relate to their sons. Rao asserts that child experts should reevaluate and drastically alter how to deal with younger boys, including stopping diagnosing and medicating every young man who doesn’t fit in at home or school. The book suggests that “troublesome behavior can be shaped and improved upon with the right tools.” For example, the chapter dealing with competition describes how a boy’s basic desire to be the best never goes away and there are viable ways to channel that passion in every young man.
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That Crumpled Paper Was Due Last Week: Helping Disorganized and Distracted Boys Succeed in School and Life (2009, Penguin Publishing, $15.95), hit home with me both as a parent and a teacher. In this book, author/academic counselor Ana Homayoun identifies ways for disorganized boys and their frustrated parents to come together to create success. While individual personalities and circumstances differ, Homayoun describes basic factors impeding success for pre-teen and teenage boys: multitasking, over-involved parents, technology temptations, sleep deprivation and the fear of making wrong choices. Topics covered include attitude and approach of both boys and their parents, test-taking strategies, creating a place to study and identifying your son’s (dis)organized style. I found traits of olved parent and let each one become the master of his own destiny.
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The truly amazing story of desert war dog Nubs and his U.S. Marine owner Brian Dennis has touched the hearts of people around the world. Dennis, of San Diego, and Nubs, of Iraq, bonded in the desert during the marine’s tour and their journey is documented in Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine and a Miracle (2009, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, $17.99). Nubs, a German shepherd-border collie mix, befriended Dennis along the Syrian border of Iraq and trekked more than 70 miles alone through the desert to find Dennis when his unit relocated. Faced with losing the pet, Dennis mounted a Save Nubs email campaign that raised the more than $3,000 needed to fly the dog to the States and a new home in sunny San Diego. The book is filled with photos of this heart-warming story that has been broadcast around the world.
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For a kid-friendly introduction to Latino culture, pick up A Kid’s Guide to Latino History (2009, Chicago Review Press, $14.95) by Valerie Petrillo, for children ages 7 to 9. This book is filled with 50 hands-on activities, games and crafts that explore the diversity of the Latino culture. From building an Afro-Cuban bongo, making capirotada (Mexican bread pudding) and playing loteria (Mexican bingo), this book can be used at home and in schools. Filled with tidbits of history and Spanish words, each chapter also includes biographical sections recognizing the achievements of Latinos in the United States and around the world. There’s also a section with recommendations on Latino books, movies, museums and Websites. Since California is one of three states (including Texas and Florida) with the largest Latino populations, this is a good resource for finding out more about the Hispanic culture.
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Finally, the rock, blues, Tex-Mex and R&B-influenced group Los Lobos tackles timeless Disney song treasures in its first album in three years, Los Lobos Goes Disney. Giving a distinct sound to favorites like “Heigh-Ho” from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and “I Will Go Sailing No More” from Toy Story, this CD is a musical treat for Disney fans. Used in the album are instruments unique to Mexican culture such as hidalguera, requinto, jarana and bajo sexto. Released in October 2009, the album is available on CD or download for $18.99 wherever music is sold. www.loslobos.org.
Freelance writer Eileen Cornish lives in Santee with her husband Steve and their three sons,: Ben, Brad and Andy.
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