About Julia
-Born in New York City
-Parents were Dominicans and traveled to the United States
-When arriving in the U.S., Julia did not know much English
-She could not tell where one word ended and another began
-Coming to the U.S. and not understanding any language is what made Julia a writer
-Went to graduate school for creative writing
-Traveled across the country with poetry-in-school programs
-Received writing prizes and small magazine publications
-In 1991, Julia published first novel "How the Garcia Lost their Accents"
-Currently lives in Vermont and is fulfilling her dream of being an author
Awards and Recognitions
There are many awards that Julia has received. Among the many, here are a few:
*How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents selected as notable book by American Library Association, 1992
*Yo! selected as notable book by the American Library Association, 1998
*Hispanic Heritage Award in Literature, 2002
*Belpre Medal for Before We Were Free, 2004
*Belpre Medal for Return to Sender, 2010
*Yo! selected as notable book by the American Library Association, 1998
*Hispanic Heritage Award in Literature, 2002
*Belpre Medal for Before We Were Free, 2004
*Belpre Medal for Return to Sender, 2010
Books and Other Works
Julia writes a variety of genres, including poetry, nonfiction, novels, and Tia Lola Stories.
"A Wedding in Haiti: The Story of a Friendship" April 2012
"How Tia Lola Saved the Summer" May 2011
"How Tia Lola Ended Up Starting Over" September 2011
"Once Upon a Quinceanera" September 2011
"Return to Sender" 2009
"The Woman I Kept to Myself" 2004
"Something to Declare" 1998
In the time of the Butterflies" 1994
Quotes and Sayings:
-Juila Alvarez
"A novel is not, after all, a historical document, but a way to travel through the human heart."
-Juila Alvarez
"And we help each other get our words out there, because one voice alone won't move the world forward, but nations of women together might."
-Julia Alvarez
"We tried, beyond work, at work, to keep what we loved."
-Julia Alvarez
Book Reflections
"A Wedding in Haiti: The Story of a Friendship" April 2012
In a story that travels beyond borders and between families, acclaimed
Dominican novelist and poet Julia Alvarez reflects on the joys and burdens of
love—for her parents, for her husband, and for a young Haitian boy known as
Piti. In this intimate true account of a promise kept, Alvarez takes us on a
journey into experiences that challenge our way of thinking about history and
how it can be reimagined when people from two countries—traditional enemies and
strangers—become friends.
"How Tia Lola Saved the Summer" May 2011
Miguel Guzman isn't exactly looking forward to the summer now that his mother
has agreed to let the Sword family—a father, his three daughters, and their
dog—live with them while they decide whether or not to move to Vermont. Little
does Miguel know his aunt has something up her sleeve that just may make this
the best summer ever. With her usual flair for creativity and fun, Tía Lola
decides to start a summer camp for Miguel, his little sister, and the three
Sword girls, complete with magical swords, nighttime treasure hunts, campfires,
barbecues, and an end-of-summer surprise!
The warm and funny third book
in the Tía Lola Stories is sure to delight young readers and leave them looking
forward to their own summer fun!
"How Tia Lola Ended Up Starting Over" September 2011
Welcome to Tía Lola's bed and breakfast! With the help of her niece and
nephew and the three Sword Sisters, Tía Lola is opening the doors of Colonel
Charlebois' grand old Vermont house to visitors from all over. But Tía Lola and
the children soon realize that running a B & B isn't as easy they had
initially thought—especially when it appears that someone is out to sabotage
them! Will Tía Lola and the kids discover who's behind the plot to make their B
& B fail? And will Tía Lola's family and friends be able to plan her a
surprise birthday party in her own B & B without her finding
out?
"Once Upon a Quinceanera" September 2011
The quinceañera, a celebration of a Latina girl’s
fifteenth birthday, has become a uniquely American trend. This lavish party with
ball gowns, multi-tiered cakes, limousines, and extravagant meals is often as
costly as a prom or a wedding. But many Latina girls feel entitled to this rite
of passage, marking a girl’s entrance into womanhood, and expect no expense to
be spared, even in working-class families. Acclaimed author Julia Alvarez
explores the history and cultural significance of the “quince” in the United
States, and the consequences of treating teens like princesses. Through her
observations of a quince in Queens, interviews with other quince girls, and the
memories of her own experience as a young immigrant, Alvarez presents a
thoughtful and entertaining portrait of a rapidly growing multicultural
phenomenon, and passionately emphasizes the importance of celebrating Latina
womanhood.
"Return to Sender" 2009
After Tyler's father is injured in a tractor accident, his family is forced to
hire migrant Mexican workers to help save their Vermont farm from foreclosure.
Tyler isn’t sure what to make of these workers. Are they undocumented? And what
about the three daughters, particularly Mari, the oldest, who is proud of her
Mexican heritage but also increasingly connected her American life. Her family
lives in constant fear of being discovered by the authorities and sent back to
the poverty they left behind in Mexico. Can Tyler and Mari find a way to be
friends despite their differences?
In a novel full of hope, but no easy
answers, Julia Alvarez weaves a beautiful and timely story that will stay with
readers long after they finish it.
"The Woman I Kept to Myself" 2004
The works of this award-winning poet and novelist are rich with the
language and influences of two cultures: those of the Dominican Republic of her
childhood and the America of her youth and adulthood. They have shaped her
writing just as they have shaped her life. In these seventy-five
autobiographical poems, Alvarez’s clear voice sings out in every line. Here, in
the middle of her life, she looks back as a way of understanding and celebrating
the woman she has become.
"Something to Declare" 1998
The rich and revealing essays in Something to Declare offer Julia
Alvarez's dual meditations on coming to America and becoming a writer. In the
first section, "Customs," Alvarez relates how she and her family fled the
Dominican Republic and its oppressive dictator, Rafael Trujillo, settling in New
York City in the 1960s. Here Julia begins a love affair with the English
language under the tutelage of the aptly named Sister Maria Generosa. Part
Two—"Declarations"—celebrates Alvarez's enduring passion for the writing life.
From the valentine to mythic storyteller Scheherazade that is "First Muse," to a
description of Alvarez's itinerant life as a struggling poet, teacher, and
writer in "Have Typewriter, Will Travel," to the sage and witty advice of "Ten
of My Writing Commandments," Alvarez generously shares her influences and
inspirations with aspiring writers everywhere.
"In the Time of the Butterflies"
Summary:
It is November 25, 1960, and three beautiful sisters have been found near their
wrecked Jeep at the bottom of a 150-foot cliff on the north coast of the
Dominican Republic. The official state newspaper reports their deaths as
accidental. It does not mention that a fourth sister lives. Nor does it explain
that the sisters were among the leading opponents of Gen. Rafael Leonidas
Trujillo’s dictatorship. It doesn’t have to. Everybody knows of Las
Mariposas—“The Butterflies.”
In this extraordinary novel, the voices of all four sisters—Minerva, Patria, María Teresa, and the survivor, Dedé—speak across the decades to tell their own stories, from hair ribbons and secret crushes to gunrunning and prison torture, and to describe the everyday horrors of life under Trujillo’s rule. Through the art and magic of Julia Alvarez’s imagination, the martyred Butterflies live again in this novel of courage and love, and the human cost of political oppression.
In this extraordinary novel, the voices of all four sisters—Minerva, Patria, María Teresa, and the survivor, Dedé—speak across the decades to tell their own stories, from hair ribbons and secret crushes to gunrunning and prison torture, and to describe the everyday horrors of life under Trujillo’s rule. Through the art and magic of Julia Alvarez’s imagination, the martyred Butterflies live again in this novel of courage and love, and the human cost of political oppression.
Reflection:
After doing a lot of research over Julia Alvarez, I knew that "In the Time of the Butterflies" was one of her most popular chapter books. I felt that it was only fit to read this story after doing the author study. In the first few chapters, this story caught my eye because of the tragic event of these young girls. I loved how the story went back and forth between the present and past. It shows how the girls wanted to do certain things in their lives, however, wound up choosing different paths. Even though this story looks back to the 1950's and flashes back to 1994, it focuses on different events that could occur in out students lives today like affairs, faith, and family difficulties. I recommend this story to young adult readers.
Resources:
Amazon: Julia alvarez. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias=stripbooks&field-keywords=Julia Alvarez books
Julia Alvarez. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 10:44, Apr 29, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/julia-alvarez-185850.
Poety foundation: Julia alvarez. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/julia-alvarez
Potts, S. (2013). Julia alvarez. Retrieved from http://www.juliaalvarez.com/books/
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