Yenebi's Drive to School
by Sendy Santamaria (Author)
Dreamers meets School's First Day of School in this vibrant story that puts a whole new spin on one loving family's morning drive to school.
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.
WE NEED DIVERSE BOOKS: This book is from a young, up-and-coming artist of color. By reflecting and celebrating the daily details of a child that reflects the author's experience, it is a work that is universal and inviting--truly a mirror, a window, and a door.
TIMELY TOPIC: An accessible approach to a serious (and seriously underdocumented) part of American life for many young readers. Teachers, librarians, and parents will appreciate the way this book blends the importance of current events in an easily understandable narrative that kids will enjoy following along with.
FAMILY-CENTRIC: The journey described in this story--a loving family's daily trip to school--is timeless and relatable, yet wonderfully specific.
UNIQUE EXPERIENCES: Like Last Stop on Market Street, this book leans into the narrator (and creator)'s very particular experience and yet makes the individuality of such an experience highly relatable, communicating to readers that even their most personal routines are part of what connects them with all humans. Young readers who take the bus to school or get driven a few blocks by their parents will see what makes them similar to kids like the author, even if the shape of their routines are different.
FRESH APPROACH TO A CLASSIC TOPIC: The author turns the "back to school" trope on its head by making the book all about the trip, rather than focusing on apprehension or excitement about school itself.
Perfect for:
- Teachers and librarians looking for Latinx picture books
- Parents looking for bilingual content and bicultural kids' books
- Kids who want to read about experiences different than their own
- Fans of Dreamers, Our Class is a Family, and The Name Jar
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Publishers Weekly
A Latinx child narrates their family’s lengthy morning commute, across hours and over a border, in Santamaria’s vividly rendered, memorable debut. Awakened at 4 a.m. by Mami’s voice, Yenebi prepares for the day ahead: “I pack my backpack. I pack my sister’s too.” Wrapped in blankets, the two snuggle into the backseat of Mami’s car. “When we get on the road, every morning, I confront my archenemy... La Linea”—cars waiting to cross the border from Mexico to the U.S. As Yenebi and Mami debate how long it will take, vendors walk between the cars selling goods, while roadside carts offer “anything from avena to tacos al vapor.” Digital illustrations mimic the bold texture of gouache, depicting the slow crawl of traffic, while the family’s bilingual conversations render a close-knit family’s everyday trip in this warm slice-of-life tale. A Spanish edition publishes simultaneously.
Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission
JUV035000 - Juvenile Fiction | School & Education
JUV030100 - Juvenile Fiction | People & Places | Mexico
Schools
Sisters
Mexican-American Border Region
Border crossing
Border stations
