Los sueños de Xóchitl (by Virginia Hildebrandt) Unique Word Count 300

Description

Almost 15 years old, Xóchitl is desperate to experience life outside of her rural village in Guatemala. American magazines and English classes are a welcome distraction from her mundane existence of cleaning, cooking and caring for younger siblings. Her daydreams turn into reality when she is offered the incredible invitation to study in the United States.

Will Xóchitl be able to adapt to a lifestyle, climate and culture so different from what she knows?

Will this once in a lifetime opportunity be cut short by tragedy at home, her lack of money or mean girls at Roselawn High School?

More about this book
This book is the sequel to Las lágrimas de Xóchitl. It is written and designed for novice-mid to novice-high readers or intermediate level Spanish students.

Although this book can be enjoyed on its own, it is recommended to read Las lágrimas de Xóchitl first, in order to fully appreciate the cultural perspectives of the people and places portrayed in Los sueños de Xóchitl.

Teachers should note that this book was intentionally designed to promote independent reading. If students have read and acquired the vocabulary and common structures found in Las lágrimas de Xóchitl, they should be able to read this book with little support.

The glossary in Las lágrimas de Xóchitl can be used for vocabulary help if needed, but the first half of Los sueños de Xóchitl is written using the same structures. The second half of this book provides extensive footnotes with glossary items that may be unfamiliar.

The village, families and events in this story are a blend of real with imagined and ideology with fantasy. The rugged reality of the indigenous rural landscape is the backdrop for the hopes, dreams and disappointments that transcend the human experience.

What Readers Think

“I just read Los sueños de Xóchitl myself this year. I think it may be the best CI book yet.”
—Greg Gross
Spanish teacher and trainer, Fort Worth, TX

Targeted Level:

• Level 2
• Unique Word Count: 300
• Total Word Count: 6,900