The Jumping Tree

I absolutely loved the book! I felt, even though Rey and I are really different, the author shapes the character so that anybody can relate to him. I enjoyed reading as he struggled to field right and wrong, which everyone does from time to time. And especially the personal things, like his Tio Angel dying, I can totally relate what Rey went through. His defined writing makes Rey almost real. I have had to set the book down and remember that Rey is a character in a story. It is that good.

Rene Saldana's young adult novel, The Jumping Tree, is perfectly crafted to broaden your view of the youth of today. I have read it twice now and am still inspired by his stories of Chicano youth and the common (and often hilarious) misadventures that we all experience as we grow into young men & women. I especially love the frequent use (almost every page)of the spanish language in dialogue and descriptions...it's a bonus pleasure to learn another language while reading of Rey's growing pains! In short, it's like Harry Potter...but in Texas..and the magic is the only real kind: Human love!

René Saldaña's The Jumping Tree tells the story of Rey Castañeda, a boy growing up in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, where I am from. This is one genuine book. The things Rey and his friends do in this book are the same kinds of things I did with my cousins and friends growing up. With a style that actually made me laugh out loud, René writes about playing King of the Mountain, throwing pretend grenades at each other and jumping down from a tree to try and catch a branch. He does a superb job of showing readers that most Mexican kids' games are based on proving your friend is a bigger "chicken" than you are. He also has a great ear for South Texas slang. You read what these characters say to each other and you are transported. If you're from the Valley you're hearing your friends or cousins talking to you all over again. If you're not, you're given a rare opportunity to visit a wonderful place that is full of hilarious people with great stories to tell. I plan to use this one in the classroom as an engaging read-aloud. I look forward to reading more from this promising young author. You got it, René! Dale gas!

Saldana does a wonderful job chronicling the life of a Chicano boy growing up in a Texas border town through lively and entertaining episodes that richly exhibit the world inhabited by Rey Casteneda and his family. Rey is a good boy with a supportive family who help him to overcome the crises and problems that arise when trying to straddle two cultures that are often at odds with each other. What Saldana does best in this book is portray Rey's sense of joy and pride with himself, his family, and and especially with his father.

Saldana does a wonderful job chronicling the life of a Chicano boy growing up in a Texas border town through lively and entertaining episodes that richly exhibit the world inhabited by Rey Casteneda and his family. Rey is a good boy with a supportive family who help him to overcome the crises and problems that arise when trying to straddle two cultures that are often at odds with each other. What Saldana does best in this book is portray Rey's sense of joy and pride with himself, his family, and especially with his father.