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Reviewed by: Taylor Coonelly, Elementary School Librarian Title: Daughter of the Light-Footed People Author: Belen Medina Publisher: Atheneum
Year: 2024 Good for Grades: PreK-12 Genre/Type of Book: Elementary Nonfiction Picture Book
Content Warnings, or things that other School Librarians should be aware of: N/A Recommended for a school library: Yes Reason(s) for choosing the book: Nominated for the CYBILS award in Elementary Nonfiction - I am a judge for this award If you were tasked by the publisher with writing a short quote for the back cover of this book, what would it be:
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Review:
This book is a biography of the Rarámuri marathon champion Lorena Ramírez, following her 60 mile run whilst wearing the traditional clothing and practicing the traditional customs of her tribe, known as "the light-footed people". Lorena dominated over five hundred other racers from 12 countries in the Ultra Trail Cerro Rojo in 2017, catching people's attention internationally not only for her skill, but because of her brightly colored skirt and rubber made sandals (huaraches). Lorena wears traditional dress and drinks traditional Rarámuri foods (pinole) to "give value to the Rarámuris...[and] be representative of what refuses to die". The Rarámuri live in a remote region of northwest Mexico, and are known for their endurance as they often must travel miles to obtain food and money for their families. Lorena and her tribe often compete in marathons to provide for their families and preserve their culture.
The text of this biography is beautifully written, and follows Lorena's journey during her runs. The illustrator not only captures the landscape of the terrain, but Lorena's connection to her people and nature while she runs using bright colors and intricate design. The illustrations in this book compliment the text, and create a wonderful, vibrant read aloud and informational text. The author has used sources (cited in the back of the book) to give credibility to the story and Lorena's character.
I absolutely think students would be inclined to pick up this book, as the illustrations are colorful and engaging.
I could see this book highlighted in several curricular ways. As a biographical text, this can be used as a story time book with an informational tie-in to indigenous culture, a research project text on change making individuals, a connection to social studies curriculum for appropriate grade level lessons, and more. This book could be utilized in elementary classrooms (as marketed), but also in middle and high school lessons as it is rich in textual and illustrative information that benefits all readers.
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For more resources about Daughter of the Light-Footed People see TeachingBooks.net
For more information about this book, see the Publishers Website
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