Nonfiction Spotlight: Separate is Never Equal by Duncan Tonatiuh

Title: Separate is Never Equal: Sylvia Mendez & Her Family’s Fight for Desegregation

Author & Illustrator:  Duncan Tonatiuh

Publisher: Abramas Books for Young Readers

Copyright date: 2014

Target Audience: Elementary Students

Lexile Reading Level: AD870L

Major Awards Received: Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal

Summary:

This illustrated narrative is about the family behind the Mendez v. Westminster School District court case in 1947 and their fight to desegregate their public school system. Sylvia and her siblings were told that they could not attend the normal public school in Westminster, California, but instead had to go to the “Mexican School”. Sylvia, her siblings, and their mother were native born American citizens, and while her father was from Mexico, he had been naturalized well before their move to Westminster. This did not matter to the school superintendent, the county superintendent, nor the school board. Sylvia’s father fought for his children to have the right to attend the public school, which received better funding, and had better teachers that actually cared about the students it served. He filed a lawsuit and won, not once, but twice.

Separate is Never Equal page 6

The book starts in medias res, starting with Sylvia’s first day of school after her family has fought for and won the right to attend the public school with the rest of the children in town. When Sylvia comes home and tells her parents that she doesn’t want to return because the other children are mean to her, they gently remind her of why she is where she is, and the importance of her being there, for herself and for any other child facing prejudice.  The book closes with Sylvia returning to school, ignoring the bullies, and learning to make friends with children of many different backgrounds.


The book contains distinct illustrations created by the author, Duncan Tonatiuh. According to his webpage, his artwork is inspired by the Mixtec codex, a type of Pre-Columbian art. Some of the more distinguishing features of his artwork include characters’ ear shape, the very simple, yet textured background images, and the use of only profile images for the characters in the story. An example is shown to the right.


Other features of the book include an Author’s Note (p. 36), a Glossary (p. 38), a Bibliography (p.39), a note About the Text (p. 39), and an Index (p. 39).

Critique of Contents & Organization:

The content and organization of this book is spot on for the information presented and the target audience. I really appreciate that Tonatiuh provides actual dialogue from the Mendez v. Westminster School District court case. This not only adds to the book’s accuracy, but it also provides a very eye-opening example of how people really think and feel about someone who is different from them. The ability we have as readers to see Sylvia’s thoughts during the trial in response to the questions is also powerful, as it teaches children that there are two sides to every story and the importance of asking questions instead of making assumptions when they meet someone new and different than themselves.

“Segregation tends to give an aura of inferiority. In order to have the people of the United States understand one another it is necessary for them to live together, and the public school is the one mechanism where all the children of all the people go” (Tonatiuh, 2014, p. 29).

The additional features at the end of the book also provide a lot of information that furthers readers’ knowledge on the topic. I appreciate the inclusion of a glossary and index. This way Tonatiuh is able increase readers’ vocabulary and tell the story without choosing less precise words.

The use of the illustrations are also very appropriate and powerful. For instance, the images depicting the two different schools very easily tells a young reader all they need to know about which school they would rather attend. (See the two illustrations below).

Reasons to Include this Title in Your Library Collection:

In his Author’s Note, Tonatiuh, makes a statement that includes many really important reasons why his book should be included in a library collection for youth:

“My hope is that this book will help children and young people learn about this important yet little known event in the American history. I also hope that they will see themselves reflected in Sylvia’s story and realize that their voices are valuable and that they too can make meaningful contributions to this country” (Tonatiuh, 2014, p.36). 

Before reading this book, I was not aware that there were court cases on segregation before Brown v. Board of Education. I haven’t come across a whole lot of books on this topic for this particular age group either—making it even more important to purchase for a public library collection!

I love that Tonatiuh wants to encourage children to make meaningful contributions to their country. This is a very important facet of being a United States citizen, one that gets overlooked far too often. With Segregation is Never Equal, teachers and parents can open a discussion about civic duty with their children and the importance of taking care of our country and the people that live here.

Lastly, Tonatiuh states that:

“the Mendez family went to court almost seventy years ago, but their fight is relevant today” (2014, p. 36). 

 As this is a pertinent topic that resonates with several of my community members and branches out as an important topic nation wide with our government’s current stance on immigration, this book deserves a space on my library shelf.  

Use & Extension Activities:

•           Discussions about segregation
•           Discussions about immigration
• Discussions about race and nationality
• Discussions about ways students/children can better their county