Castro has assembled this collection of short biographies in order to fill a need for information on the historical and cultural influences of Hispanic men and women….Each entry includes a brief record of the person's birth and death and an overview of their career highlights and important contributions, followed by a synopsis of their life and career path, which includes relevant details from their personal experiences. The entries are succinct and informative and are each followed by a brief bibliography of related sources….this source would serve well as a primer for upper-elementary and middle school students.” —American Reference Books Annual
“Featuring scientists, artists, and leaders rather than modern celebrities or athletes means that there are entries on many hard-to-find individuals….The narratives are clear and lively enough to engage readers who are unfamiliar with the subject. They highlight positive elements of each life, as well as less admirable ones when appropriate….[T]his volume offers a wealth of useful material in a needed subject area, presented in an accessible format and style.” —School Library Jourbanal
“100 Hispanics You Should Know is an important contribution to Latino studies. It is one of the few volumes available that actually include scientists, lesser known writers, and philosophers….[E]ngaging prose and short but information-packed biographical sketches will appeal to high school students and even undergraduates.” —Multicultural Review
“Because October is Hispanic Heritage Month, librarians will want this book to help students begin their research on important Hispanics who have made significant achievements throughout the U.S. Each article begins with the name of the person, their occupation, birthplace and date and date of death. A black and white ink drawing of the person and career highlights are given. The text is divided into Important Contributions and Career Path. Articles are three pages and end with a bibliography. The Hispanic population is growing rapidly and Hispanics are moving to almost every region of the U.S., this is an important purchase for all middle and secondary schools.” —GALE Reference for Students
“[L]ibrarians will want this book to help students begin their research on important Hispanics who have made significant achievments throughout the U.S….[T]his is an important purchase for all middle and secondary schools.” —Lawrence Looks at Books
“Starred Review This eye-opening and valuable reference is one of the few biographical compilations for young people that address the achievements of Spanish-speaking individuals across the world and throughout history, especially in the sciences, arts, politics, and military. The alphabetically arranged entries begin with key information about the individuals, such as birthplaces, birth and death dates, career highlights, and B&W portraits; then continue with important contributions; and end with bibliographies. The text is complemented by an index and an introduction by the author explaining the many reasons for writing such a book, especially the idea of using this work to inspire children of Latino descent. This indispensable book is a necessary purchase for school and public library juvenile collections. Highly Recommended.” —Library Media Connection
“Covers well-known celebrities, such as actress Rita Moreno, activist Cesar Chavez, and musician Pablo Casals, as well as more obscure individuals such as Ellen Ochoa (inventor and first Hispanic female astronaut), Augustin Lara (renowned Mexican composer), and Jose Casablanca (one of the greatest chess players of all time),” —The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education
“Writing for students in grades six to 12 (and for their instructors), Castro introduces 100 well-known Hispanic celebrities such as Desi Arnaz, Miguel de Cervantes, Rita Moreno, Cesar Chavez, Salvador Dali, Frida Kahlo, Rita Hayworth, and Pablo Casals, as well as more obscure figures like astronaut Ellen Ochoa, composer Agustin Lara, and chess player Jose Capablanca. Biographical sketches are presented in alphabetical order and include founders of nations, figures in the arts and sciences, award winners, explorers and conquerors of the New World, individuals who made contributions to the history of the US, and people prominent in the Wild West. Birth and death dates and a list of achievements are incorporated into the brief biographies, as are further resources.” —Reference & Research Book News
Gr 6 Up-These figures represent a wide range of famous and lesser-known people from around the world and spanning several centuries. Featuring scientists, artists, and leaders rather than modern celebrities or athletes means that there are entries on many hard-to-find individuals, though a mere eight are female. Only 15 of the people also appear in Rick Laezman's 100 Hispanic-Americans Who Changed American History(World Almanac, 2005), reflecting this work's global and historical focus. Each entry includes two to three pages of well-organized information. "Career Highlights" and "Important Contributions" are followed by a one- to two-page chronological overview. The narratives are clear and lively enough to engage readers who are unfamiliar with the subject. They highlight positive elements of each life, as well as less admirable ones when appropriate. These are not in-depth profiles, but they provide solid summaries with well-chosen specific details. Each article includes a bibliography. Entries are arranged alphabetically by name; the index provides access by homeland, but there is no convenient way to search by occupation or time period. Articles lack cross-references, which also makes it hard to see connections between people in related fields and eras. There are no photographs, and the simple black-and-white drawings of each figure are rather unappealing. Still, this volume offers a wealth of useful material in a needed subject area, presented in an accessible format and style.-Steven Engelfried, Multnomah County Library, OR
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