Author : Luis Rodriguez, Illustrator : Daniel Galvez
Preschool - 2nd Grade

No tiene que ser asi - It Doesnt Have to Be This Way

No tiene que ser asi - It Doesnt Have to Be This Way, Softcover, Bilingual, Book, Luis Rodriguez, Daniel Galvez, Preschool - 2nd Grade, 9780892392032, $7.95  Out of Print  :(

2000 Skipping Stones Honor Award Winner
1999 Américas Award Commended List
1999 Parent's Choice Approved Winner

Munch likes to write poems, hang out with his cousin Dreamer, and tell stories to his uncle, Tío Rogelio. Then one day, a member of the local gang tells him it's time to join up. Monchi is scared but excited. He writes his name on the school wall, steals a bike, and buys a knife. But when a tragic event changes everything, Monchi must make an important decision. This is a compelling and powerful tale of a young boy's encounter with the world of gangs—a world author Luis J. Rodríguez knows firsthand. Through his true-to-life story and the dynamic illustrations of artist Daniel Galvez, we see how Monchi is both attracted to the community of gang life and repelled by its violence. There is no easy answer to his dilemma, but the love and respect of his uncle Rogelio help him find his way out.

Listen to Vienna Rose read It Doesnt Have to Be This Way to you.  A marvelous example of the magical encounter between a child and books that we wish for all children.

"Luis Rodríguez has written a compelling story, powerfully enhanced by the superb artwork of Daniel Galvez."
      —Children's Bookwatch

"Rodríguez's personal experience, as a teenage gang member and now as an adult counselor, gives the story immediacy. The text is bilingual, first English, then Spanish, on each page, with richly colored, full-page realistic paintings that show a diverse Latino cast in the dramatic narrative. Great for group discussion about the yearning for a mentor, for community, for courage."
     —Booklist

Bilingual Collection Red Books :