cover image Rosalia, Be Proud

Rosalia, Be Proud

Jay S. Jones. Integrity Institute Publishing, $14.95 (41pp) ISBN 978-0-9632040-0-4

Good intentions pave the way to a dispiriting destination in this story about a girl--the daughter of a Mexican American mother and an African American father--who is teased by her classmates. When she turns to her parents for consolation, her father asks, ``Do you know the history of your African and Mexican heritage?'' All Rosalia has to say is ``No, Dad and Mom tell me about my heritage'' to receive a quick lesson in the glories of the Mali empire and Aztec civilization. The didactic structure weighs heavily here (`` `African Americans have a heritage I am proud of,' exclaimed Rosalia''), and lackluster prose and occasional errors in grammar do nothing to improve the story's readability. The rudimentary artwork suffers from poorly proportioned figures, foreshortened perspectives and drab coloration. Far from fostering a sense of ethnic pride, this book unfortunately comes up short on all counts. All ages. (Mar.)