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Library Science |
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LS540:Multicultural
Library Services and Sources
Charles J. Kader
LS540
Hispanic / Young Adult (1/2)
Sotomayor, Antonio. Khasa Goes to the Fiesta. New York: Doubleday, 1967.
In this book by the author Antonio Sotomayor, a depiction of rural and urban lifestyles in early twentieth century Bolivia is presented through the wide eyes of the main character Khasa, a young Bolivian boy. Khasa stands out socially due to his two missing front teeth, and develops a social anxiety about the missing incisors. While traveling to the Copacabana celebration with his uncle, a traveling musician, Khasa becomes separated and must fend for himself for much of this book.
This is a coming-of-age tale which involves the perspective of the main character as he not only undergoes an adventure, but also observes traditional Bolivian culture and practices. As this setting takes place near the Andes mountains, the traditional language of the South American aboriginal peoples is utilized and mixed in with Spanish-to-English translations. This adds an authentic flavor to this simple, but effective tale. It constitutes an opportunity to view South American historical and cultural practices.
The author of this book, Antonio Sotomayor, also serves as the illustrator. I identified the author through the literature reference resource series Contemporary Authors. Mr. Sotomayor was born in Bolivia in 1902 and attended educational institutions in his home country, and later, in America after Sotomayor immigrated in the nineteen twenties. He later served as an art educator at a number of California educational levels. He has written two books and has also contributed to encyclopedic entries in the Encyclopedia Americana. He has retired to the northern California area.
This book received favorable critical reviews, especially for the detailed illustrations that accompany the story text. Sotomayor is acknowledged as a resource to the presentation of South American rural culture to international students.
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