Pura Belpre Medal Book

The Tequila Worm

Author: Viola Canales

Grade Level:

7th and 8th

This book would be great for 7th and 8th graders because the main character is starting high school, making it relatable to this age range. Also, the situations in the book are appropriate for 7^th and 8^th graders.

Summary:

The Tequila Worm is a first person narrative told by Sofia, a Mexican American teenager living in the border town of McAllen, Texas. In the beginning of the book, Sofia is offered a scholarship to a prestigious boarding school far from home. Sofia struggles to convince her family that going to the school is the right decision. The climax of the book is when Sofia’s father becomes really sick and she travels back home to see him. In the end, her father passes away and Sofia becomes more connected to her unique beliefs and culture.

The Tequila Worm in the classroom:

I would use The Tequila Worm in the classroom to create a lesson about the appreciation of different cultures. The students would create project boards about their own culture or a culture they are interested in finding out more about. The students would then present to the class and would be encouraged to bring in cuisine, music, and other props to represent the culture.

ESOL strategies and The Tequila Worm:

Because the text in The Tequila Worm uses both English and Spanish I would place ESOL students in small group and have them help to create word walls for the classroom. The word walls would have the Spanish word next to the English translation. The students can also place pictures or drawings next to the words for better understanding.

 Read Aloud:

41-44

I would read these pages aloud because it is the part of the book where Sofia finds out that she has received a scholarship to go to a boarding school. I think these are good pages to read because it offers insight into her conflict of staying in McAllen where she will most likely become a wife and mother, or go to the boarding school which would offer her an entirely different kind of life.

Personal Opinion:

The Tequila Worm was my favorite book I read for this class. It is very culturally rich and offers amazing insight into a Mexican American home. The conflict in the book was very relatable for me as a Cajun from a small town because most of my high school classmates graduated, got married, and started having children right away. I had to make a decision that turned my back on the norm while still appreciating the culture of where I am from. I would recommend this book to anyone. It’s a must read in my opinion.