Separate is Never Equal

Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez & her Family's Fight for Desegregation. Written and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh. Abrams Books, 2014. ISBN 978-1-4197-1054-4

Reader's Annotation: "You don't belong here!" and "No Mexicans allowed!" were the harsh words that Sylvia Mendez heard as a young Mexican-American girl in 1940's California. Will her family win the battle against this discrimination so that Sylvia and her brothers can attend the nearby school? 

Summary: In 1944, the Mendez family moved to Westminster, California where Sylvia's father had leased a farm. When trying to register Sylvia and her two brothers for school that fall, Mr. Mendez is dismayed to realize that his children will not be allowed to attend because they are Mexican-American. The Mendez children are sent to the "Mexican school", which lacked quality teachers, a sufficient building, and a playground.

Sylvia's father founded the Parents' Association of Mexican-American Children and, with the assistance of attorney David Marcus, dedicated all his time to ensuring that Mexican-American children in California would have access to quality, desegregated education. Other families and social justice organizations joined the effort, and the lawsuit filed to fight this injustice traveled all the way to the State Court of California where a ruling was made that forever changed our nation's history, and the opportunities available for thousands of Mexican-American children.

Critical Evaluation: Tonatiuh has crafted an account of our country's troubled history of segregation that is drawn from many primary sources, including interviews with Sylvia Mendez herself. Many informational books can focus so heavily on facts that the text becomes dry and uninteresting, but Tonatiuh has achieved the opposite effect: a factual accounting of true events that is not only interesting, but also inspiring. 

The courage and tenacity of the Mendez family in the face of discrimination offers an excellent example for children facing their own battles today. As Tonatiuh points out in the author's note, educational segregation towards Black and Latino children is on the rise again, and the struggles faced by Sylvia Mendez and others like her, remain extremely relevant.

His style of hand-drawn and collaged illustrating is modeled after ancient Mexican art, and is strikingly different from most current children's book illustration. This unique work would be valuable in a study of equal rights, and could encourage empathy and fair-mindedness among children of all races.

Age or Interest Level: Grades 2 to 4

Lexile Level: 870L

Awards: 2015 NCTE Orbis Pictus Honor Book; 2015 Pura Belpré Award, Honor, Illustrator; 2015 Robert F. Sibert Medal, Honor Book; ALA Notable Books for Children 2015, Middle Readers

Why Included? This is a fascinating account of a little-known chapter of American history that resulted in a tremendous change of attitudes and opportunities for many, many people.