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In Featherless/Desplumado, we meet Tomasito, a boy who just can't seem to fit in. First of all, he's new at school and hasn't yet made friends. And then there's his wheelchair. Tomasito has spina bifida, a condition that affects his spinal cord and backbone and makes it impossible for him to walk. All he wants is to be able to be part of his friends' activities. Luckily for him, Tomasito's father and classmates are dedicated to helping him figure out that he can do almost anything he wants, including play soccer. With the help of a featherless bird, Tomasito learns that there's more than one way to fly.
Juan Felipe Herrera's expressive prose brings Tomasito's
story to exhilarating life, while Ernesto Cuevas, Jr.'s
illustrations brilliantly demonstrate the power of the imagination.
Together, they illustrate, in more ways than one, the challenges
of being an outsider. Featherless/Desplumado
explains that moving is tough for everyone, but it's especially
challenging for Tomasito. As students read the story, they
will learn about the physical and emotional challenges facing
differently-abled children. Regardless of their own abilities,
students will recognize and identify with Tomasito's struggles
and his growing belief in his ability to reach any goal,
on or off the soccer field.
One child in a thousand is born with spina bifida,
a condition that is statistically more common in the Latino
community. Most of the activities described in this guide
are designed to expose children to the challenges facing
the differently-abled. However, you may have differently-abled
children in your classrooms that already know these challenges
all too well. In either situation, be sure to lead these
activities in a manner that is sensitive to the needs and
emotions of your students and that demonstrates respect,
rather than pity, for every individual regardless of ability.
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Mexican American; Differently-abled
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Ability and Disability: differently-abled people; physical abilities; sports and athletes
Overcoming Obstacles: fighting fears; self-confidence; resourcefulness and solving problems; father-son relationships
Newcomers: moving to a new school; making friends; creating community
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Juan Felipe Herrera is a nationally recognized poet and author. His family members were farm workers. His love for language and writing began the moment his mother sang corridas to him when he was a child. As an adult, he has received degrees from UCLA, Stanford, and the Iowa Writer's Workshop. Searching for new avenues to reach diverse audiences, he has founded bilingual theater groups as well as music and poetry troupes, and toured the Southwest and Mexico with much acclaim. His first book for children, Calling the Doves, received the prestigious Ezra Jack Keats Award honoring the most promising new author for children. He also received the Latino Hall of Fame Poetry Award for 2000 and 2002.
Imagination, poetry, culture, and good-hearted
humor are some of the key ingredients in Juan
Felipe's literary repertoire. He says, “Comedy
is the most elastic form of knowledge.”
As a creative writing teacher, his goal is to
awaken students' appreciation of their own voice,
cultural life, and personal expression. In addition
to teaching full-time at the California State
University, Fresno, Juan Felipe also travels
throughout the United States, conducting book
readings and theater and writing workshops for
students of all ages. Creative writing, multimedia,
theater games, and topics on culture and change
are typical features in his workshops. He lives
in Fresno, California, with his wife, Margarita
Luna Robles, who is also a writer, and their
children, Robert and Marlene. |
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Ernesto Cuevas, Jr. is a painter, illustrator, and muralist. He grew to love the arts through his experiences in the fields with his parents, who, like Juan Felipe Herrera's, were migrant farm workers. Ernesto holds a bachelor's degree in fine art from Dartmouth College and is also the founder of RedCielo LLC, a graphic design firm based in Atlanta, Georgia. In addition to being a successful artist and graphic designer, Ernesto enjoys doing work for many organizations throughout his community. He is the former Director of Cultural Events at the Georgia Hispanic Network, and he frequently volunteers at his local Boys & Girls Club of America, where he also donates his artwork.
The influence of his Chicano heritage is evident
in Ernesto's art. He uses bold lines and vibrant
colors to depict the characters and their landscape.
To create the paintings for Featherless/Desplumado
Ernesto drew from his many childhood experiences
and tapped his closest inspiration—his
son, Roberto—as the model for the story's
main character. Featherless/Desplumado
is Ernesto's first book for children. He lives
in Powder Springs, Georgia. |
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Our thanks to the Irwin Home Equity Foundation for their
support in the production of this Teacher's Guide.
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