Villasenor, V. (2004). Burro Genius. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.
Well, I have finished the entire book and I have to say, "I loved it!"
It was an amazing story about a Mexican boy who comes to America, and struggles to make it through school, due to not speaking English and suffering from undiagnosed dyslexia (no one knew what dyslexia was back then). If that isn't interesting enough for you, my favorite parts were all of the spiritual and religious wisdom Villasenor shares throughout the book. Insights from his grandmother (mamagrande,) especially. Victor's grandmother was a very spiritual, Mexican Indian woman. She taught Victor to talk and listen to the plants because "the whole Spirit World is always with us wherever we go, if we just have the ojo-eyes to see from our hearts and the orejo-ears to hear from our soul." (p120) and to realize that God, who they called Papito Dios or Daddy God (I just love that!), was in every living thing. Mamagrande said, "... animals were much closer to God than we humans were. This was why Jesus had been born in a manger, to learn about love from the animals in the barn. (p29)
Because of his love for everything in the world, Victor had very special relationships with trees, lizards and frogs, horses, dogs and even dolphins. It was quite amazing reading about his experiences with the world around him. Victor used to get a purring, humming, vibrating sound behind his ears when he was young. He grandmother explained to him that "people got this when they saw the magic glow of God's Sacred Light." (p98) Victor used to get this purring a lot as a young boy.
Salvador, Victor's father was well, faithful, vulgar, street smart, and flat out hilarious. For example, when trying to get Victor to talk to him one night, Salvador said, "I've told you a thousand times, that to the cop or the priest we might need to lie, but to ourselves or la familia, we never lie." (p138) Salvador had so many sayings he taught Victor that I think speak volumes. Such as, "Lo cortés no quita lo valiante, y lo valiante no quita lo cortés" or "manners didn't take away bravery, and that bravery didn't diminish manners." (p50) and "dime con quien andas
y te dire quien eres." or "Tell me who you walk with and I'll tell you
who you are." (p80)
Victor's father's faith was very strong because of mamagrande. Salvador told Victor she "always used to say that when the going got tough, this was when we had the real opportunity to do God's work. 'Come on, God,' she'd say in the middle of disaster, 'give it to me some more! Because I know that together, You and me, God, We can move mountains.' She didn't believe in God. No, she LIVED with GOD!...
She saw herself as Living with Papito Dios, and He needed her just as
much as she needed Him, so that His Will will be done!" (p253)
I love hearing about other's faith, and I hope to remember all of these amazing quotes. What a wonderful way to live your life. We all have hard days, weeks, or even years sometimes, but if we just remember God is always with us, maybe we can hold on. Also, if we will remember that God is in all creatures, maybe we would try to treat others a little better. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone. I will most likely be reading to my dyslexic son very soon.
Just remember:
"mañana es otro milagro de Dios', tomorrow is another miracle of God's" (p252)
It was an amazing story about a Mexican boy who comes to America, and struggles to make it through school, due to not speaking English and suffering from undiagnosed dyslexia (no one knew what dyslexia was back then). If that isn't interesting enough for you, my favorite parts were all of the spiritual and religious wisdom Villasenor shares throughout the book. Insights from his grandmother (mamagrande,) especially. Victor's grandmother was a very spiritual, Mexican Indian woman. She taught Victor to talk and listen to the plants because "the whole Spirit World is always with us wherever we go, if we just have the ojo-eyes to see from our hearts and the orejo-ears to hear from our soul." (p120) and to realize that God, who they called Papito Dios or Daddy God (I just love that!), was in every living thing. Mamagrande said, "... animals were much closer to God than we humans were. This was why Jesus had been born in a manger, to learn about love from the animals in the barn. (p29)
Because of his love for everything in the world, Victor had very special relationships with trees, lizards and frogs, horses, dogs and even dolphins. It was quite amazing reading about his experiences with the world around him. Victor used to get a purring, humming, vibrating sound behind his ears when he was young. He grandmother explained to him that "people got this when they saw the magic glow of God's Sacred Light." (p98) Victor used to get this purring a lot as a young boy.
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| Salvador Villaseñor |
Salvador, Victor's father was well, faithful, vulgar, street smart, and flat out hilarious. For example, when trying to get Victor to talk to him one night, Salvador said, "I've told you a thousand times, that to the cop or the priest we might need to lie, but to ourselves or la familia, we never lie." (p138) Salvador had so many sayings he taught Victor that I think speak volumes. Such as, "Lo cortés no quita lo valiante, y lo valiante no quita lo cortés" or "manners didn't take away bravery, and that bravery didn't diminish manners." (p50) and "dime con quien andas
y te dire quien eres." or "Tell me who you walk with and I'll tell you
who you are." (p80)
Victor's father's faith was very strong because of mamagrande. Salvador told Victor she "always used to say that when the going got tough, this was when we had the real opportunity to do God's work. 'Come on, God,' she'd say in the middle of disaster, 'give it to me some more! Because I know that together, You and me, God, We can move mountains.' She didn't believe in God. No, she LIVED with GOD!...
She saw herself as Living with Papito Dios, and He needed her just as
much as she needed Him, so that His Will will be done!" (p253)
I love hearing about other's faith, and I hope to remember all of these amazing quotes. What a wonderful way to live your life. We all have hard days, weeks, or even years sometimes, but if we just remember God is always with us, maybe we can hold on. Also, if we will remember that God is in all creatures, maybe we would try to treat others a little better. I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone. I will most likely be reading to my dyslexic son very soon.
Just remember:
"mañana es otro milagro de Dios', tomorrow is another miracle of God's" (p252)
Brandi, you obviously like this book! Faith is such a critical element in all of these books it seems. Faith in God, faith in survival. Faith in their own ability to be someone or to get out of a terrible situation. Tomorrow is just another miracle from God - and to have such faith after the loss of one child and to not lose hope in the other.
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