The Bolivars take Milly to the mountains, where they visit with an old blind woman, Dona Gloria, who knows the history of Los Luceros. When the Bolivars decide on a return visit, Milly joins them. Television newscasts of elections in Latin America announce a triumphant Liberation Party, with the dictator fleeing the country. the longing hurt too much and I was afraid of falling into a big black hole of sadness!' to my birth family?' Unable to sleep that night, Milly ponders: ' I felt itchy inside, as if I was allergic to myself', while ' feeling helpless and adrift not knowing my story, who my birth parents had been, why they had given me up. Milly asks her Dad, ' Is that what might have happened. and people living sub-human lives under oppressive regimes'. Dad converses with the Bolivars about ' the state of the world. When the Kaufmans invite the Bolivars into their home, Mrs. Pablo's country is in revolt against a cruel dictatorship and he has relatives in the midst of the turmoil. Pablo recognizes Milly's eye color (brown with yellow flecks) as common to people in Los Luceros. She has never told any of her classmates about her adoption. When Pablo Bolivar enters ninth grade at Milly's school after immigrating from the same country with his family, she becomes uncomfortable. Milly now lives in Vermont with her parents and siblings. We also read Cuando era puertorriqueña by Esmeralda Santiago.F inding Miracles is the story of teen Milly (for Milagros, meaning miracles) Kaufman, who was adopted as an infant by an American couple serving in the Peace Corps in Latin America. This year I also used some short stories by Matute, García Márquez and Allende with my 8th grade heritage learners. It's 7th grade and up, depending on the student.

Some of my 8th graders have loved the Allende young adult trilogy- El bosque de los pigmeos, El reino del dragón de oro and I can't recall the name of the 3rd. La casa en Mango Street (6th and up)- CisnerosĮl regalo mágico- Nicholasa Mohr (6th and up)īéisbol en abril y otros cuentos- Gary Soto (7th and up) For example, a book for independent reading is usually less challenging then a book you might be working on in a literature circle.Įsperanza Renace or Yo, Naomí Leon- Pat Muñoz (or is it Pamela?)- (4th-5th grade reading level, some low 6th graders)Įl color de mis palabras-= Lynn Joseph (6-8, depending on level)Īntes de ser libres, Yo!, De como las muchachas García perdieron su acento, En busca de milagros- all J. The grade levels are APPROXIMATE- it totally depends on kid and how it's taught. Some books I've used and loved (all Latino authors, some are written originally in Eng then translated to Spanish).

En Busca de Milagros by Julia Alvarez