As I may have mentioned before, when I was younger, I was an excessively picky reader. Picky to the point of prejudice. I didn't understand the concept or the importance of reading about characters who were very different from me. I also created elaborate and mostly untrue stories about books based on their covers, which meant that I missed out on a lot of great books. My BFF as a tween recommended Shabanu by Suzanne Fisher Staples to me, and gracious, did I love that book. I vividly remember buying it at our local bookstore, The Neverending Story (now, sadly, closed) where my former fourth-grade teacher also worked. Right next to it on the shelf was a book called Esperanza Rising. I asked my friend about this one as well, and she said, "Eh, it was okay." I never read it. Looking at the cover, I created an elaborate story about how it was about a girl who floated and was maybe an angel and I totally did not want to read angel books.This bizarre combination of influences and wrong first impressions meant that it took me at least another decade and a half before I ever read anything by Pam Muñoz Ryan. I recently finished Becoming Naomi León, and based on the strength of that amazing book, I am going to the library shelf tomorrow and checking out Esperanza Rising posthaste. Becoming Naomi León is a quintessential coming-of-age story, but it is utterly unique and thoughtful without being didactic. Ryan's prose sings, especially when describing the vibrant culture of Oaxaca City.Naomi and her brother Owen live with their great-grandmother Mary (who's really not very old--she's 69) in a trailer named Baby Beluga in California. Naomi likes to make lists--they give her life a semblance of order and control. She keeps a notebook full of them. Her latest crisis is her name: Naomi Soledad León Outlaw. Kids at school make fun of her last name, Outlaw, which is actually her Oklahoma grandma's last name. See, Naomi and Owen live with Grandma because their mom abandoned them as babies and told their father never to try and see them. Ever. He's living in the state of Oaxaca as a fisherman ... they think. Owen, it seems, was born with a birth defect causing his body to be a little lopsided. However, he is an irrepressible optimist and a whiz at strategy and memory games. When their mother, who's renamed herself Skyla (I know, right?) breezes back into their lives, she makes it very clear that she wants Naomi, but not Owen. To Skyla, who is an alcoholic and probably also suffering from a mental illness, Owen is "damaged goods." As Naomi slowly makes friends at school, where she is very shy, she's suddenly threatened by her mother. Skyla wants to take Naomi to Las Vegas to live with her boyfriend and his child, and wants Naomi to raise this child, whom her boyfriend has rechristened Sapphire (he's the guy who came up with Skyla, by the way). When Naomi stands up for herself and her brother, Skyla becomes violent and threatens to take them away.Grandma and their neighbors make a last-ditch effort to find Santiago León, the children's father, by driving to Oaxaca. It sounds a little extreme when I put it like that, but in the book, it totally works. As it turns out, Naomi carves creatures out of soap. It's both her talent and a way to relax. In Oaxaca, she discovers that carving is a big part of the culture, and that her family is renowned for their sculptures. Her growth and odyssey in Oaxaca City is believable, touching, and it made me very hungry!This book has many layers to it, and many deep themes for readers to explore. The concept of names and meanings is very big here. Naomi wonders why her name has to be so long and strange. Soledad comes from a venerated saint in her father's home state of Oaxaca. León is his last name. She receives another name, Outlaw, from her grandmother. Slowly, Naomi grows from being ashamed of her names to embodying them and embracing them. Naomi's family relationships were messy and complicated--just like real life! She is fascinated by her mother and her mom's ever-changing hair color and the lipstick that covers the sharp "M" of her upper lip. She relishes the feel of her mother's hands sliding through her hair to braid it. At the same time, she is horrified that her mother does not love Owen. That her mother wants her to virtually work as a slave. That her mother is so selfish. But she's still Naomi's mom. It's a complicated, twisty thing, which is life. This is definitely one of my new go-tos when kids come into the library looking for realistic fiction.
Personal Reaction I really enjoyed this book. I loved learning about the Mexican culture and her experiences within the schools. It was a serious topic, but the book was presented in a lighter tone so it made it easier to read. At the end of the novel, I truly wanted Naomi to succeed in being able to stick up for herself.Read aloud to make a curricular connection: For Becoming Naomi Leon, I would incorporate the novel during a social studies unit on different cultures, specifically within North and South America. This book would help introduce children to the American-Spanish/Mexican culture, which is important to understand because we do have a lot of American-Spanish children in the United States in general. It would help students to be aware of other's peoples culture, and it would be even better since they are a part of our culture as well. independent reading: literary elements that could be taught using the book (i.e. plot, theme, characterization, setting, conflict, tone) other text elements that could be taught (e.g. figurative language) - Select at least one element and support your answerI would recommend this book for children to independently read from the ages of 9-12. This would also be a good book to read if a child felt that they were too different to fit in with the American culture. This book could also be good to show someone who has a sibling with a disability, or even a child with a disability themselves. This would be important because it shows how successful Naomi's brother, Owen, is during his childhood years, and it could give other students with a disability hope and pride to excel in what they are good at. It could also give the siblings an insight or always being supportive, as Naomi is with Owen. Conflict would be a good literary element because it is very serious. Naomi's mother comes back from being absent for the past seven years, and Naomi eventually has to stand up to her abusive mom. The conflict is intense and it is easy to discover, which would help the students be able to easily identify the conflict. Another text element that could be taught would be the idea of protagonist and antagonist. Naomi is at a conflict with her mother, Naomi is the protagonist and the mother is the antagonist, and this is easy to identify and discuss why it is thought this. This book will help children since it is a good way to introduce the idea of 'villains' in a book. Other as appropriate (e.g. reflection of diverse perspectives)There are many diverse perspectives here. Although it stays within first person the whole time, it is easy to know the other character's thoughts, since they are open with how they are thinking. The mother and her boyfriend present an interesting perspective. The mother took her children with her, away from her stable father, and abandoned him, then soon after, abandoned her own children. After coming back, children may not understand why the mother came back, or more importantly, why Naomi ends up ending her relationship with her. This is interesting to understand because children may need to discuss this in order to fully understand the situation.
What do You think about Becoming Naomi León (2005)?
Personal Reaction:I absolutely loved this book! I think it's a book that really belongs in the classroom because it has problems that children really do deal with. Living with grandparents, parents with drinking problems, abusive parents, low income, being different and disabilities. This book has a strong theme of being brave and standing up for yourself and never giving up. This book also shines a wonderful light on the Mexican culture, the characters actually travel to Oaxaca, Mexico for a radish carving festival. I looked this up, and this is a real event. When I started reading this book, I didn't want to put it down.Purpose:This is a good book for 5th and 6th grade girls. I don't think most boys would be too interested in this story, it comes from a girls point of view, although the problems in the story are very real to both boys and girls.Great book for independent reading.This is the perfect book to give a really good book talk, there is really strong suspense that would be a perfect cliffhanger. This book would also be good for a book for a book conference, I think it would create really good conversations.Something really interesting that the main character, Naomi, does is make lists about everything. She has "Splendid Words" lists, "Weird Names" lists, "Things She Knows About Her Dad" lists and many others. If I were to read this book aloud I would have the students make different lists of their own like Naomi. It's a good way to put your thoughts on paper, organize your ideas and reflect. I think students would think it was fun.
—Ciara Plackett
I really don't like the review, the stars, or my own reaction I'm designating to this book. I especially don't like that I'm giving up on it after...well, after not too many pages. Maybe I'm a little burnt out after reading something as fantastic as Burial Rites, or maybe I've finally subconsciously made the switch to adult fiction. Whatever the case, this book really grated on my nerves.The book stars Naomi Soledad Leon Outlaw, a fifth grader who lives with her great-grandmother and physically disabled little brother in a trailer park. I thought the book was charming and original and cute and dimensional-all those lovely things. Then Skyla was introduced.Skyla is Naomi and Owen's (her brother) absentee mother, who shows up literally on their doorstep after years of abandonment. What I really didn't like about Skyla, and eventually her boyfriend Clive, who is also introduced, is that they're so one-dimensional. The author tries so hard-too hard-to make them the "bad guys" that she resorts to piling bad quality after bad quality onto both of them, when in all actuality, it's not necessary and it's really just annoying. I'm supposed to already hate Skyla for leaving her kids; Mrs. Ryan, there's really no need to convince me otherwise!And yet the effect was so grating I found myself starting to root for Skyla! Yes, the absentee mother who is quickly discovered to be an alcoholic! I just couldn't help it; I felt bad for her treatment by the author. Instead of maybe making her somewhat redeemable and generally flawed, like an ACTUAL HUMAN BEING, Mrs. Ryan decides against it. There's multiple scenes where Skyla is shown piling gifts into Naomi's lap and giving none to Owen, proving how ebil she is by doing so! What?!?! How DARE she not give presents to her other child??? Instead of maybe treating it where she BOTH gives them presents and turn it into some naive little quality of hers, thinking that she could win her children's love, they make her ableist on top of all the levels of evil she already possessed!!!!I'll end with a pop culture reference before I stroke out from the stupidity of it all. In Once Upon a Time, that show you sometimes hear about on ABC, there's this character. The premise is complicated but I'll just say that in "one world", this character is known as the Evil Queen. At first introduction, this Evil Queen-named Regina-is pure evil. But as you delve deeper into her character, you see she's got lots of baggage, including her own set of mommy issues, that eventually turned her dark. I know this is a children's novel and not a prime time television show, but...how hard could that have been?? How hard??Final verdict? Barely two stars. Sorry.
—Emiliann
Naomi and her younger brother, Owen, live with their Gram, who is raising them in a small trailer in Lemon Tree, California. The children face many hurdles throughout their young lives, leaving Naomi shy and unsure of herself, while Owen remains positive and happy, despite his physical disabilities. Naomi takes to soap carving as a hobby and a way of expressing herself. Unexpectedly, their mom re-enters their lives, along with a new boyfriend and his younger daughter. At first, Naomi and Owen are excited, until mom shows signs of alcohol use and instability. Naomi suspects ulterior motives when mom plans to take Naomi to Las Vegas to live, while leaving Owen behind. Refusing to let this happen, Gram packs up the trailer and the children and sets off to Mexico to find the their father. Once Naomi meets her father, who is also a carver, she begins to find her identity and discover who she really is inside. Naomi’s story is one of courage, as she struggles to find her voice when she needs it most. This touching tale is warm, inspiring, and sprinkled with Mexican culture. In classrooms, it could be used as a choice for literature circles, or to enrich the study of Mexican culture and heritage. It is appropriate for grades 4 through 7.
—Mary Hoch
