Becoming Kid Quixote

February 1, 2020
A shy girl takes on the world through her acting. For Sarah Sierra, a 10-year-old Mexican American girl from Brooklyn, her after-school program Still Waters in a Storm is the perfect haven. Though she considers herself a shy person, at Still Waters Sarah sings, writes, and acts along with other children and teenagers. To Sarah's surprise she is also able to easily identify with her character, Kid Quixote, as they adapt and update Miguel de Cervantes' 400-year-old novel, Don Quixote de la Mancha. The adapted play is then performed in a serialized format throughout New York and the country. Inspired by their pen pals from Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities, the actors at Still Waters often include immigration in their work. For example, Sarah uses a stuffed horse as Rocinante, Quixote's faithful steed, to rescue an undocumented farm worker who hasn't been paid fair wages. In this young reader's companion to Kid Quixotes (2020) by Stephen Haff (creator and director at Still Waters), Sarah recounts, with help from Haff, her creative process and how she uses her experiences at Still Waters to decipher and overcome real-world challenges. Through this empathetic and inspiring account of the imagination, triumphs, and worries of a child of immigrants, readers will be constantly reminded of the importance of stories to the triumph over and processing of difficult experiences. A tender, inspiring, and courageous true story. (Memoir. 7-12)

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March 1, 2020

Gr 3-6-Ten-year-old Sarah Sierra's bilingual chapter book discusses her experience as a Mexican American girl living in Brooklyn. Published to accompany the play The Traveling Serialized Adventures of Kid Quixote (an original adaptation of Don Quixote by the children of Brooklyn-based writing program Still Waters in a Storm), the diary-like chapters follow Sarah as she writes, rehearses, coaches her younger sister, and reflects on her immigrant family's life in America. Co-written by Sarah and the play's director, Stephen Haff, the young narrator's voice truly shines. The content is both educational and celebratory. For example, while many young people will already know about toronjil, the lemony herb that some Mexican parents prepare for their sick kids, others will be excited to learn about it and gain further insight into Sarah's world. Don Quixote, children in detention, food, space science, and other topics all fit flawlessly into the scope of this work. The language is simple yet reflective of the author's inner world: "People making good food is one of the first things I think of when I think about my family." The most powerful passages detail Sarah's thoughts and feelings during the writing process, how ideas came to her, and how proud she feels when she hears them performed on stage. VERDICT Sarah's story is a beautiful representation of one young Mexican American girl's journey to claim her identity. This important book spotlights a community using the arts to break down social borders.-Sierra Dickey, Center for New Americans, Northampton, MA

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2020
Grades 3-6 This is the true story of Sarah Sierra, a 10-year-old member of a traveling, performing group from Brooklyn, New York. Mexican American Sarah loves playing the lead role of Kid Quixote because, just like Don Quixote, she wants to make the world a better place. Through this memoir, adapted from the adult companion book written by Sarah's teacher (Kid Quixotes, 2020), she lets readers into her world, gathering inspiration from her family, friends, and community as she develops her character in her performances. She offers glimpses of her daily life as she celebrates D�a de los Muertos, visits her grandmother at the tortilleria, writes new scripts for the show, and eats delicious tornado crepas. Most important, Sara shares how her experiences and performances have given her the confidence to get past her shyness and speak up about issues important to her community, such as immigration and deportations. A first-person narrative and photos of Sarah and those important to her will allow readers to feel an instant connection.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)