“In one part of Lima, a well-dressed teenager might spend his after-school hours…preparing for when he will enter the family business. Just blocks away, another teen may spend her days…scouring the streets for potentially valuable trash….She cannot take time off to attend school full time in the hope of getting a better job someday.” p. 61
Reader's Annotation
Ever wonder what teens in another part of the world do after school, or for fun on the weekend? Or what they like to eat, or what their family life and homes are like? Open up a Global Connections book and find out!
About the Author
Sandy Donovan has an undergraduate degree in political science and journalism, and a master’s degree in labor policy. She has worked as a reporter, editor, and Web developer, as well as authored several books for children. She lives in Minneapolis with her family.
Genre
Nonfiction: social conditions, geography
Reading Level/Interest Age
12-14 years
Content Summary
Donovan begins with a brief introduction to the lives of teens in Peru, noting the very different experiences of those from poor families who live in the rural highlands or in shantytowns in coastal cities, and those from upper-income families who often live in cities and attend private schools. She notes that teens make up a full one-third of the Peruvian population, and that the median age in Peru is 25. Donovan divides her text into six chapters. In her chapter on schooling, she highlights that while 77% of children attend school through age 16, the quality of the school facility is quite different in rural and urban settings. In the next chapter, on housing and diet, she mentions that 95% of urban teens live in shantytowns or slums. In her chapter on friendship and family life, she describes the various ethnic groups in Peru: indigenous groups like the Quechua, mestizos of mixed Spanish and indigenous ancestry, and the descendants of the Spanish conquistadores. On the chapter on celebrations, she discusses Inti Raymi, or the Inca Festival of the Sun; Catholic holidays; and the quinceañero (spelled instead with a final “a” in many other countries) for one’s 15th birthday. In her chapter on work, Donovan discusses the prevalence of child labor. Finally, in her chapter on leisure activities, she contrasts the fact that rural teens often attend community events with their families for fun, while wealthy urban teens are more likely to have the freedom and funds to hang out at the beaches or nightclubs with their friends.
Series Note
To date, there are at least 29 books in the Global Connections series, each focusing on the lives of teens in a specific country.
Critical Evaluation
I think what I like most about this book is the stories that the photos tell. Many are of the quality that one would find in National Geographic, showing the Peruvian people in everyday settings at school, work, and leisure. The often very stark contrast between the lives of the minority of wealthier teens and the overwhelming majority of poorer teens is clear in these images, one notable example being an image of teens picking through garbage shown next to one of a group of teens strolling downtown with a digital camera (pp. 48-49). I think Donovan does quite a good job in the text of presenting each topic as thoroughly as she can in the short space she has, complete with corresponding statistics, and pronunciation guides. However, I felt that her introduction and conclusion sections were too short, and thus a bit too general in their statements. In fact, I think the Global Connections book series, as great as it is, could be even better if the length of each book were to be doubled in order to address the topic in an even more substantial way. I don’t think this would be off-putting to young teens, as I feel that most would view these books -- even at their present length -- as a reference source which they would not read cover-to-cover anyway, and would still be drawn in by the amazing photos. I appreciated the fact that the book includes a couple pages of key population, economic, and other facts about Peru; a timeline of Peruvian history; a glossary; and a list of a few related nonfiction and fiction titles and a link to Web resources.
Booktalking Ideas
• Talk about the vastly different lifestyles of Peruvian teens from different socioeconomic groups, showing images from the book which illustrate this.
• Talk about what teens do for fun in Peru.
Curriculum Ideas
• Literature: Donovan suggests some fiction titles related to Peru. Students can read one of these or select another, and discuss it informally in class.
• Language Arts: In the spirit of this series’ goal of connecting teens to their peers in other countries, teens can establish pen-pal correspondence with a classroom in Peru if possible. This may be aided by the fact that the Peruvian government is purchasing inexpensive laptops for schoolchildren, and I believe providing Internet connection.
Potential Challenge Issue & Defense
I do not foresee any challenges to this book, but if any were to arise, the following steps could be taken in defense:
• Become familiar enough with the book’s content to promote its literary merits.
• Refer to library’s collection development policy.
• Refer to book reviews from authoritative sources such as ALA, School Library Journal, etc.
• Obtain book reviews from tweens who have read it.
Why I Chose This Book
This book is very current, and when I was a young teen myself, I was much more interested in the lives of teens in other countries, than adults. I had also read favorable reviews of the series.
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