When I was Puerto Rican

            Review by: Brandy , Lacey  and Trish  

Negi’s family started off being in poverty and then slightly made their way up to middle class.  Negi in this story was taught to be thankful for what she did have. She was also taught to look out for others and not just herself. In this story Negi had to be strong for herself and her family when her parents weren’t there to comfort and care for them.

            The story begins in the small town of Macun, Puerto Rico.  Negi’s family lives in a small cement “house”, and doesn’t have much food or clothing.  When the chance for her mother to get a job comes along, she grabs it right away, knowing she has to provide food, clothing and shelter for her 8 children.  As Negi grows older, her mother expects more and more from her, and all Negi wants to do is go outside and play like her younger brothers and sisters.

          Later in the book Negi’s father seems to desert the family. He is never around and seems to stay away and almost have another life which no one knows about.  The family moves around a lot in and out of Macun.  Her father also moves in and out of the picture.  He almost doesn’t care about them. He won’t marry Negi’s mother.

He mostly isn’t around. By the end of the book Negi, her mother, and her 7 brothers and sisters move to New York to start a new life.

          In the book Esmeralda Santiago tells how a young girl grows into a young women and what an average Puerto Rican goes through. The book describes a little of the Puerto Rican culture as well. Lacey, Trish, and I all enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone who likes to learn about other cultures