Honoring multiple poetic traditions, They Call Me Güero is a classic in the making and the recipient of a Pura Belpré Honor, a Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children's Book Award, a Claudia Lewis Award for Excellence in Poetry, and a Walter Dean Myers Honor. And when life gets tough for this Mexican American border kid, he knows what to do: He writes poetry. Güero faces the start of seventh grade with heart and smarts, his family’s traditions, and his trusty accordion. (Don’t cross Joanna - she's tough as nails.) Together, they joke around and talk about their expanding world, which now includes girls. Güero is also a reader, gamer, and musician who runs with a squad of misfits called Los Bobbys. He feels at home on both sides of the river, speaking Spanish or English. Like the Mexican boxer Canelo Álvarez, 12-year-old Güero is puro mexicano. Sometimes people only go off of what they see. They call him Güero because of his red hair, pale skin, and freckles. One says it is not derogatory but can be used that way. Here’s a source that offers a couple of different definitions. Guero (pronounced WHERE-oh) is a Spanish slang term generally used to refer to white people. An award-winning novel in verse about a boy who navigates the start of seventh grade and life growing up on the border the only way that feels right - through poetry. OK, a bit of linguistics so we’re all on the same page here.
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