| BASIC INFO | LANGUAGE LEVEL | COMPREHENSION-AIDING FEATURES |
|---|---|---|
| Book Title Superburguesas (Super Burgers) Author(s) Mike Peto Illustrator(s) None named Other Contributors Andrea Giganti Dima Students from author’s 2013-2014 Spanish 1 classes Tatiana (cover photo) Published by Self-published Genre Comedy Publication date 2017 (Second edition) #Ownvoices No | From the author/publisher’s website Level (none indicated) Total Word Count (none indicated) | Illustrations YES Glossary YES Guiding Questions NO Context YES Other Free teacher’s guide with questions here. The glossary includes sentences using the words in context with English translations. |
| IDENTITIES PRESENT IN THE TEXT | SYNOPSIS | |
|---|---|---|
| Races, Ethnicities, and Nationalities White Languages spoken Spanish Sex and Genders Female Male Ages Teenager: 13-18 Mid-life Adult: 35-65 Social classes Middle class Upper class | Sexual Orientation Heterosexual (Dis)Abilities and Neurotypes No (dis)abilities or neurotypes mentioned in the text Religions, Syncretism, and Spirituality None mentioned in text Relationship and Family Structures Heteroparental Single Parent Body Descriptions Straight size | From the author/publisher’s website Rodney had no idea that the consequences of his actions would reach so far. It started as a bad joke-never washing his hands at the restaurant where he worked after school so that he would have a quiet place to study for his AP classes. By the end of the next day, however, as he was being hunted by a ruthless drug lord, Rodney realized that it has all spiraled horribly out of control. If only he had washed his hands… |
| ILLUSTRATIONS | STORY | SOCIAL JUSTICE |
|---|---|---|
| To what extent do the illustrations present positive and thoughtful representations of identities? There are a variety of hand-drawn illustrations by students depicting elements and scenes from the text- to support comprehension. The appearance of a character may differ across illustrations as they were drawn by different artists. The characters show no variation in skin color or facial features, a default to whiteness. | We understand identities are complex and no single story represents the spectrum of identity-based experiences. Also, a text may address a stereotype, misrepresentation, or generalization without relying on it. Does any stereotype, misrepresentation, or generalization affect any positive and thoughtful representations of identities in the text? Characters of diverse backgrounds are represented stereotypically, or presented as foreign or exotic or are tokenized. –> Jessica’s father, who is specifically described as a Spanish speaker, is a “narcotraficante.” There are male and female gender stereotypes. –> The males are insensitive to females and are criminals. The females cry either to get attention or over unreciprocated affection, or are seen as emotionally needy. | This section is for teachers who are working towards sourcing more texts within the four domains of anti-bias education. We are excited about reading all books and we understand that not all books are written for this specific purpose. Does this text work toward goals within any of the four domains of anti-bias education as defined by Learning for Justice? N/A |
| LLLAB’s REVIEW |
|---|
| Content warning: This book depicts guns, a theft, and a kidnapping; characters discuss the potential murder of one of the narrators. Superburguesas is the tale of a boy who resents his job at a burger restaurant and the girl who would do anything for him to attain his love. Along the way, they both get entangled with criminalized persons and situations which reveal the boy and girl’s personal and family secrets. The book seems suitable for a late level 1 or a level 2 course, and was co-created with the author’s own Spanish students. The comedic elements may draw in learners and keep them engaged. The narration from the first person perspective tells alternating stories of unrequited love, and a lack of cleanliness that leads to unintended consequences. Rodney’s parents go to Mexico (“Mis padres están en México comprando máscaras / My parents are in Mexico buying masks,” p. 38) to purchase masks; there are several illustrations of these masks in the book, which offers the opportunity to make a cultural connection. The author provides resources for this connection, as well as other materials, for free on his website. Stereotypes are present in certain parts of the story. For instance, Jessica’s father, who speaks Spanish speaker, is portrayed as a drug trafficker (p. 63). This is problematic, as he is the only character specifically identified as being a Spanish speaker, which reinforces the stereotype that Spanish-speaking individuals are often involved in drug trade. Gender-based stereotypes are also present in the storyline. Male characters are depicted as insensitive toward female characters, while only male characters are labeled as criminals. The female characters are often times seen crying for attention or over unreciprocated affection (p. 41) and are portrayed as emotionally needy. For example, the female teacher, when returning a chemistry assignment, leaves an inappropriate message for one of her students: “La profesora le escribió un mensaje especial en el ensayo. Ella escribió: «tú eres MUY inteligente… quiero que seas mi hijo.» / The teacher wrote them a message in the essay. She wrote, ‘You are VERY intelligent…I want you to be my child’” (p. 26). Additionally, the kidnapping of the character Fifi and the conversations about her potential murder (p. 51), as well as the images or presence of guns (p. 45) may not be considered appropriate for some students. |
LLLAB 