The Jumping tree

By: René Saladaña, JR.

I enjoyed reading this book a lot and I see a lot of good uses for it in the classroom. I like the way that it addresses issues and perspectives that are not typically promoted in the classroom like poverty. Poverty is definitely a force in this book, but I like the way that it is not the main focus, and is just a part of life. It takes a taboo issue and normalizes it; from talking about free lunch at school to the fact that the family did not have air conditioning because they couldn’t afford it. I think it is important for a child to feel their life is validated in the eyes of the school – and this book can definitely provide such validation. It uses a lot of Spanish vocabulary in a very natural way. It definitely has a specific audience in mind, however, Spanish is still integrated in such a way that a non-Spanish speaker could still understand what was going on and get something out of it as well. A lot of other important issues for discussion are brought up. A common idea was “what does it mean to stand up for yourself?” Also there is room for discussion on bullying and gender roles. Racism was also a present force with much room for discussion. It is authentic and insightful, with a lot of good imagery. I think both teachers and students could learn a great deal and gain some insight.