On the Spotlight: Joey Gonzalez, Great American


“How can I become a great American if I’m not an American in the first place?”

Third-grader Joey Gonzalez dreamed of becoming a great American. His plan? Study hard and learn everything he could. Then one day, his teacher said that because he was something called a “minority,” he wasn't smart enough to make his dream come true!
Still, something called “affirmative action” could help him, she said…But as Joey taps into the strength, intelligence and courage of his Spanish ancestors, he learns that personal pride, self-reliance and a love of learning—not special preferences—are the keys to becoming a good citizen…and a great American.

Meet the Author, Tony Robles:

Tony was born in Brooklyn, New York. After serving in the U.S. Navy, he pursued a career in law enforcement with the U.S. Customs Service. He and his wife currently live in the Pacific Northwest and have two children and one grandchild.Growing up Hispanic in a tough neighborhood supposedly made Tony Robles one of the “disadvantaged,” needing special preferences in order to compete. Tony’s mom didn’t agree, and she is the inspiration behind this book.
You can visit his website at http://www.joeygonzalez.us/

This book is bilingual, meaning that the story is written in both English and Spanish. Get your copy on Amazon.

I'll be posting my review of Tony's book on April 10th, as well as an interview with the author at Blogcritics Magazine.

Comments

Ana said…
Hola Mayra, nice book by Joey Gonzalez. Thank God when I studied in Brooklyn and Queens N.Y. my teachers were great. Always encouraging me to study.
Your book Crash is adorable Mayra
Mayra Calvani said…
Thanks, Ana!

The teacher in this story is quite mean. I'll be writing a review of this book next week.

Thanks for stopping by!

Best,
Mayra