Becoming Naomi León (Scholastic Gold)

I loved this book and I love Naomi, who, still suffering from the effects of abuse and abandonment by her mother several years before, is shaken up again when the mother drops back in to Naomi's life, intending to take her back for the welfare money she can get, while abandoning again little Oz, who has a number of physical difficulties. One of the reviewing summaries stated that the mother was "demonized" in the story, but I find that offensive, since there are countless parents who were and are just like that, who use and abuse their children. By that same token, the family court judge, even with all the evidence of Skyla's "parenting" from everyone who knew and worked with the children over the years, and also their father, who financially supported them, was all ready to dismiss all of it and grant Skyla custody only because she was the natural mother. Even when Naomi was able to find her voice and tell the judge everything, including about the hellish life she would have with Skyla, the judge only had a problem with Skyla only wanting Naomi and not Oz. The POV that children belong with their mothers no matter what kind of parent she is, and dismissing those who wrapped the children in love and support, is out of the 1950s. I loved how the author brings the reader into the lives of the Mexican relatives, experiencing and learning about their culture, and how Naomi found her true self there.

Becming Naomi Leon is a story about a shy unpopular girl whose life turns upside down at the unexpected return of her mother. Naomi and her little brotherhave been raised in Lemon Grove Trailer Park with their great grandmother, a feisty, loving, and wise old woman. Naomi and her brother a different - they don't havethe right clothes and can't seem to make many friends but they live a peaceful and structured life with their grandma and older residents in the trailer park. One dayNaomi's recovering alcoholic mother shows up unannounced and decides she wants to take part in her children's lives.The kids are thrilled to see their mother but their great grandma is suspicious of her motives from the start.From that moment on Naomi, her brother, and grandma are taken on a journey with many highs and lows. Her structured and routine world is shaken upand Naomi begins to discover the reasons for her mothers and fathers abandonment. While reading this story I was rooting for the kids andhoping that their mother would not cause them any pain or angst. I was disappointed to find that Naomi's mother did not have good intentions forher children. The story takes an uplifting turn when Grandma is forced to hitch up the trailer and flee to Mexico to locate Naomi's long-lost father. Itis imparative that they find him and the clock is ticking because Naomi's mother wishes to take her and move her away from herbrother, grandma, and home.This journey was hard and confusing for little Naomi but she was able to discover her past, who she is, and where she belongs.Pam Munoz Ryan did a beautiful job writing this story. The theme of the story is that your family is whomever happens to love you andtake care of you. Whoever would go to the ends of the earth to keep you safe and protected. It would serve to speak tomany children who have different types of family structures, those that don't have the traditionalmother and father home.

Out of all the children's book that I have ever read, this book is by far the most insprational. It describes the self discovery of this young preteen girl and the challenges she faces one the way. The hardest challenge she faces is her name. At school she was made fun of and mocked because of her strange name. Her full name was Naomi Soledad Leon Outlaw. As one can see, this name would cause problems in any middle school classroom. However, through the course of the book she learns the true meaning of her name. When she goes to Mexico and meets her father for the very first time she begins to understand the purpose of her name. She learns that her name stands for bravery and beauty. This give her courage to face other because she is no longer ashamed of her name, but proud to be a Leon.This describes the struggle every young adult goes through at some point or another. Even though they might have a completly different battle, the question still lies inside. Who am I? What is my purpose? What am I made to do? These questions lie within every person. Some people still deal with these questions way into their adult years. That is why this book is such a strong insprational book for all ages because it allows us to think about these very issues that burn within us. If we never discover who we really are we are no help to anyone.

I was intrigued with the book, Becoming Naomi Leon by Pam Munoz Ryan because the main characters rang true and the author was able to help me make a connection to them. The story was interesting from the very beginning and held my attention through the very end. The events were believable and written with such description as to make me feel as if I was there. Naomi was a strong and positive female character, a good example for any young girl. Her mixed ancestry of White and Mexican American was depicted in a positive way, so I can see why it was a Pura Belpre Award honor book. This award recognizes Latino authors who have not only completed a well written children's book, but have brought Latino customs to light with a positive take (American Library Association, 1999).This book is a contemporary realistic fiction story of a young girl who realized she must find her voice to find herself. Readers will relate to Naomi Leon as her emotions and thoughts are presented through a third person point of view. The main characters, Naomi, her brother Owen, and her Grandma, are believable and well rounded. The author stated in an interview, that she used her own personal experience of Oaxaca, Mexico and southern California to bring to life the settings of this story. This is a book I would recommend for any classroom library.