A Movie in My Pillow/Una pelicula en mi almohada

by Jorge Argueta, Elizabeth Gomez (Illustrator)

A young boy with two homelands and a delightful sense of wonder comes to life in Jorge Argueta’s first collection of poems for children. Young Jorgito lives in San Francisco’s Mission District, but he hasn’t forgotten his native El Salvador. He recalls the volcanoes, the tasty cornmeal pupusas, and his grandmother’s stories. As he changes from timid newcomer to seasoned city dweller, Jorgito’s memories and new adventures form a patchwork of dreams — the movie in his pillow — that is perfectly suited to his new bicultural identity.

Genres: Poetry, Picture Books, Immigration, Childrens, Nonfiction, Spanish Literature, International

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Jorge Argueta is a celebrated award-winning poet and author of many highly acclaimed bilingual children's books and short stories, covering themes related to Latino culture and traditions, nature, and the immigrant experience.
A native Salvadoran and Pipil Nahua Indian, Jorge spent much of his childhood in rural El Salvador. He immigrated to the United States in the 1980s during the Salvadoran Civil War.
Jorge lives in San Francisco, California.

Reviews

[James Govednik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summary: A young boy with two homelands and a delightful sense of wonder comes to life in Jorge Argueta’s first collection of poems for children. Young Jorgito lives in San Francisco’s Mission District, but he hasn’t forgotten his native El Salvador. He recalls the volcanoes, the tasty cornmeal pupusas, and his grandmother’s stories. As he changes from timid newcomer to seasoned city dweller, Jorgito’s memories and new adventures form a patchwork of dreams — the movie in his pillow — that is perfectly suited to his new bicultural identity. (ggodreads)

Response: This wonderful book of poems captures the author's memories of his childhood in El Salvador in such a way that when I finished the book, I felt like had met the author. The format has the poem in Spanish and then in English, sometimes on facing pages, sometimes alongside each other. The sadness of his abrupt departure from his home is tempered by the joy he finds in his new surroundings in San Francisco and by his sense of humor. I laughed out loud at some of the thoughts and expressions, so characteristic of 8-10 year old boys. I'd love to add some quotes (I just typed them in and deleted them), but the poems are really at their best if read them yourself.

The illustrations are in bold colors and simple lines, like similar folk art I have seen, and they support the poems beautifully.

[Andrew Jongeneel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Movie in my Pillow, written by Jorge Argueta and illustrated by Elizabeth Gomez, is an English and Spanish story about a young boy leaving El Salvador and moving to the Neighborhood of Sun, in San Francisco through the genre of multi-culture and poetry This neighborhood is a very multicultural region where there are many different cultures and languages all around the city. The boy would compare experiences from the two different lifestyles; for example, “Here, chickens come in plastic bags. Over there, they slept beside me.” With these kinds of sentences throughout the story, he does a very good job of capturing the hardships and desires of living in both El Salvador and The United States. Jorgito, the boy, remembers leaving his whole family behind in El Salvador and would have no food to eat once in The United States. He longs for his family, and would listen to his grandmother’s voice on a recording. There are also times in the story where words would come up that some kids may not know; “My bicycle is a dragon dancing cumbia all the way to El Salvador.” There would be a note off to the side explaining what “cumbia” is. In the title page, there is an illustration of North America, which gives good context to those reading the story, especially to Salvadorans kids, who can personally relate to the story. Also, the fact that this story has side-by-side English and Spanish words helps let students who speak only English or Spanish read the book and understand/relate to the story.

[Lizeth Matzir · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Movie in My Pillow is composed of a series of poems by Jorge Arugeta that tell the story of a young boy who immigrated to the US with his father. He ended up leaving behind the rest of his family along with many friendships when he fled El Salvador because of war. This is the case for many immigrant families that come to the US in search for a better future; they are separated from loved ones. The poems provide insight and memories on what his life was like in El Salvador and how it is living in the US. There are ups and downs that are depicted showing that life isn’t perfect, but still needs to be embraced. Many children can read the story and gain a perspective to what it’s like to have to leave their home behind and start a new life in a different country. My favorite part was the fact that the young boy continues to preserve his Salvadoran culture while becoming part of the American culture. It’s an important lesson that young immigrant children can learn about not getting rid of their culture and instead embrace it along with their new culture. The illustrations by Elizabeth Gomez use a lot of detail that are able to successfully depict the situations and emotions that are happening in the poems. The poems being translated into Spanish is a great reading resource for English Language learners who are learning to read.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good picture book with colorful illustrations. Tells the story of Jorgito who comes to live in San Francisco by way of El Salvador.As I read the poems of this book I couldn't help but notice Jorgito's constant comparisons of the things in San Francisco to his native country El Salvador. I guess he really missed home. But for everything he encountered in his new home he found some kind of way to connect it to his homeland. Take a look at Papa's Voice (page 15), My Bicycle (page 16) or Playful Tomas (page 22) and you should see what I mean.

I could see this book going over well in a classroom where there are migrant children who have been relocated from their homeland. I think being able to write about the present and connect it to the past would make them feel comfortable.

And one final comment.....A Movie in my Pillow refers to his dreaming of his homeland at night.

[Angelica Bruschi · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A Movie in My Pillow" by Jorge Argueta was an absolute thrill to read; I think that out of all the books I found, it was my favorite. Through its beautiful poems, it gracefully captures the feelings of the little boy who is learning to adjust to a new life in the Untied States.
The story was quite appealing as it is formatted into several small poems about Jorge and his father leaving El Salvador for a new life in San Francisco. The poems range from Jorge's dismay at having to leave the home he knows to his happy adjustments in his new home. The poems were rhythmic, easy to understand, and convey to a reader of any age what Jorge is going through.
The illustrations were colorful and easy to understand; definitely something that would hold young children's interests. As each poem changed, the illustration would match it, which would make a great discussion with children who are perhaps having a hard time understanding the words.
In terms of culture, "A Movie in My Pillow" is exactly what I was looking for. A story of Latino immigrants, it beautifully shows how impactful a life choice like that can have on a child. It is also a life choice I can relate to, coming from Latino immigrant parents.
"A Movie in My Pillow" is a great book to read to young children because it presents marginalized people and sheds an educational light on their experiences. That can be helpful not only with children who are unfamiliar with that plight, but also with children who come from that exact background and would benefit from representation.
While it may be a bit advanced for Kindergarten, I see no issue in introducing it to children past that grade and starting a conversation as to all the different kinds of lifestyles.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lexile: 500
Age level: Upper Elementary
Genre: Multicultural, picturebook, poetry
Award: America's Award
Unique Feature: written in Spanish and English

Setting: San Francisco
Point of view: from Jorgito
Main characters: Jorgito, his grandmother, his father

This is a book of poetry vignettes written by Jorge Argueta, a native of El Salvador, who moved with his father to San Francisco. The poems are written in language that is age appropriate for 3-5th graders.

In his poems, location, family, traditions, and migration are major themes. He describes the traditional foods such as Pupusas, and describes the discernible differences between San Francisco and his city of San Salvador. He describes the feelings of loneliness and regret as he boarded the bus with his father, having said goodbye to his mother and abuelita.

Main ideas: uprooting, leaving your home, immigration, family, memories

Personal reaction: The illustrations of this book are also striking. The flow perfectly with his prose, depicting subtle nuances in his facial expressions that tell the truth of what it means to uproot yourself from your home.

Recommend? I cannot say enough how much Jorge is able to write in such an admirable, lucid way I can taste, smell, hear, and see his home country. His writing is inspiring for anyone who feels they have been displaced from their home, whether by their choice or not. The vivid way in which he describes the parakeets, the sun, his grandmother's native Nahuatl tongue all paint a picture of what life was for him in El Salvador.

Satisfying concluding statement: I highly recommend this book as an example of what poetry can be.

[Stephie Healy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Movie in My Pillow is the story of Jorge Argueta’s journey into America. His story is told through different poems, written in both Spanish and English, throughout the book. Jorge had to leave El Salvador and move to the United States due to a civil war back home. He tells us how even though he lived in a poor village back in El Salvador, everybody was very happy there. When he moves to the city, he goes on to tell us about his new life. He compares things he sees and lives with how they were back in El Salvador. Jorge tells us about all the things he appreciates in his life, like his dad and his bike. Since he had leave a lot of his loved ones behind when he moved to the city, he really likes spending time with his father. One time when Jorge was feeling very homesick, his uncle sent him a tape with his grandma’s voice singing and talking to him in Spanish. This story is very cute and touching. It tells us about Jorge’s journey and all of his thoughts and feelings throughout it. Personally, I really liked that this book is written in both Spanish and English. My first language is Spanish, but I speak English as a second language, so I really enjoyed being able to read the book through both sides. The basic theme of this children’s book is the journey of a boy who had to immigrate from his country. I would recommend this book because it teaches readers about immigrant’s perspectives. It works as a window for the reader to take a look into the life of someone who has to leave their country and move somewhere else and how that journey may be. It can also work as a mirror if there is a kid who had to go on an unexpected journey.

[M.M. Hudson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book that I have read from this author and I like it just as much as I did the last one I read. The author writes this book completely in poetry. Each poem is short and in English but is coupled with the Spanish counterpart on each page, usually beside or underneath the English.

The words are as bold as the colorful pictures. All this describes his thoughts of being a young boy pulled suddenly from his home land of El Salvador. Only he and his Father came to the United States leaving behind his Mother, Grandmother, and younger siblings. His "movie" was really his dreams of those things that he left behind.

Eventually, the rest of his family joins him and he gets to show them his new life.
---------------
At first the only thing that confused me was the connection of the "movie" and the entire book. This might confuse children as well. As I mention above, I eventually did get the connection.

At the bottom of some pages there were explanations for some words that did not translate into English. This was ok but in very tiny print and at times, hard to find. I think I would have liked to have seen those in the back of the book in the same bold font as used with the rest of the book.

I would recommend this book for bilingual children and families as well as people who want to learn either language. Overall though, this book still gets 5 stars from me.

Disclosure: I purchased this book for my own collection. The views expressed here are 100% my own and may differ with yours.

[Juanita Serna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Movie in My Pillow is a collection of poems about a boy named Jorgito who moved from El Salvador to the Mission District of San Francisco. In each of his poems he tells how he felt or what he wanted to feel during these hard times.The author, Jorge Argueta and his family had to move from El Salvador to the U.S. because of the Civil War. He dedicates this book to all of the children from El Salvador. Within each of these poems is a description of what he saw, lived, and his dreams. He writes about his neighborhood, San Francisco, Popusas, When his family left El Salvador, and tells the stories of his Grandmother and Uncle. It is a very touching story and I would read this to a 4th or 5th grade classroom during a read aloud. It is a developmentally appropriate book for elementary school children.
Genre: Poetry, Narrative nonfiction

[Maria Salazar]

This story is about a boy named Jorge and his journey from El Salvador to the United States. Throughout the poems, in this book he recalls different memories from his home in El Salvador. Jorge describes what his father and he learned while being in America. In the poems, you can see the difference between his new culture and his home culture. I really enjoyed this book and like how the poems were in English and Spanish. This book relates to my topic because it gives a child's perspective on his transition from one culture to a new one. Many immigrant children can relate to this because every culture is different and adjusting to a new one can be hard.
This book is a poetry book with great illustrations. This book utilizes style and language that are appropriate for the children's ages and interests.

[Julee Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jorge Argueta does a great job telling his immigration story through poems. The poems are intriguing and the illustrations are wonderful. All the poems are written in both English and Spanish. This would be a great book to help represent students from immigration families. This would also be a great book for English language learners. Argueta is immigrated from El Salvador at a young age, this books encapsulates the culture of where he comes from amazingly. In part of the book, Argueta speaks about the many different cultures in San Fransisco. I loved how he incorporated his heritage is every poem. This book would also be great to use in a classroom to teach about immigration. Argueta explains why their family left El Salvador while also speaking about the culture is a positive light. Over all a great book.

[Irma Dogic · Rating 4 out of 5]

This awesome tale tells a story of a young boy Jorge, strictly through poems. Each poem is in english and coupled with Spanish translation. As an audience we are able to see the life of a young boy suddenly pulled from his native land of El Salvador because of war. He and his father are the only ones to come to the United States, leaving behind the rest of his family. The movies that the title suggests are the dreams this young boy has of the things he left behind. As time passes, the rest of his family soon joins him and he is able to show them his new land. This is a wonderful story and is a great teaching opportunity for teachers. This book is a great tool to teach students about immigration and appreciate cultures.

[Brenda Aguilar-Hernandez · Rating 3 out of 5]

"A Movie in My Pillow/Una pelicula en mi almohada" is a poetry book because it is composed of poems. It tells the story of a young boy who is now living in San Francisco but doesn't leave his appreciation for his hometown El Salvador behind. However, when moving to a new country, he had to leave the rest of his family behind with the exception of his dad. This book provides poems who talk about his life in El Salvador and life in the U.S. This book connects to my text set of immigration because the story talks about a second generation immigrant child arriving to the U.S. The story is comprehendible for students in the higher grades like third and above. This book's story provides true characters that can relate to real life situations. The pictures in this book truly represent the text's information like where things are happening, who is involved, and what is happening. They are detailed and very colorful throughout the whole book. In terms of culturally speaking, the author is very much involved and connected with the story because he faced the same experience as well. The characters in the story of course also demonstrate the culture in which they belong too. I believe this book is a good book to read because it offers a unique way to show the immigration experience through a poetic form.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the beauty of rural El Salvador to a confusing but delightful new home in San Francisco - complete with family reunification - this story told in lovingly illustrated poems is a must-read for anyone looking for stories about the immigrant youth experience. It is based on the author's life coming to the U.S. from El Salvador during the violent civil war.

My favorite poem is Nido Familiar/Family Nest, towards the end of the book:

"Today my mama
and my little brothers
arrived from El Salvador

I hardly recognize them
but when we hug each other
we feel like a big nest
with all the birds inside"

[Hannah Cussen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: poetry
4th-6th grade (could be read to/by some younger students).
I liked the poem form of this book. It made it unique and different. I realized how incredibly difficult it would be to suddenly have to leave your family and friends without saying goodbye. It must have been a little while before his mom and brother came since he could barely recognize them. I also thought that his grandma's tape/song was sad and moving.

[Yvensong · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful collection of poetry in Spanish and English. The author uses his poetry to describe what it was like to move from his home country of El Salvador to the United States as a young boy.

I, primarily, picked out the book to help with my attempts to learning Spanish, but found myself enthralled with this collection of poems.

[Kiana Davee · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautiful: multicultural

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t see these poems catching the attention of the page turners

[Rolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely and poignant poetry collection about the salvadoreño immigrant experience.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

The poems are touching. They are very child-like in the sense that I felt a child wrote this, like a diary almost -- does that make sense?

[Nicole C. · Rating 4 out of 5]

1. Culture or group portrayed: Latin-Americans.
2. Summary: Young Jorge comes to the United States from El Salvador, which is in the midst of civil war. He and his father settle in the Mission Hills district of San Francisco; his mother and brothers are able to come later. In English and Spanish, the author’s poetry speaks of being a child straddling two cultures, the one in which he was born and the one in which he lives.
3. Cultural/Multicultural evaluation: A Movie in my Pillow is a dual-language book; each poem is in English and Spanish. The illustrations are done by Elizabeth Gomez, who is also Latin-American (she was born in Mexico City); they evoke a colorful neighborhood in California. Mr. Argueta’s poems show the differences between his new culture and his home culture – one poem speaks of mangoes in cans, when he used to just pick them from trees; chickens are wrapped in plastic here, where he used to sleep next to them in El Salvador. Some of the poems are also about being a kid – his bike, a yo-yo, and even an amusing one about his friend telling him how birds actually fly. The author uses some words that may be unfamiliar to readers, such as papusas, but they are explained in little footnotes at the bottom.
4. Conclusion/verdict: I highly recommend this for upper elementary students. I feel it is a good addition to a library collection, as it speaks to those of other cultures trying to navigate their way through American culture. Also, the poems are simple, yet beautiful, and accessible to everyone.

[Laura Rumohr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary-
Jorge Argueta writes beautifully in this book a poems. A Movie in My Pillow is intended for readers in grades 4-8. In this collection of poems, each poem is written in both English and Spanish alternating between which is presented first on the page.

Young Jorge and his father leave their home in El Salvador and move to the Mission District in San Francisco. The poems touch on Jorge's move, his family that he misses back home, simple things in life like a bike and truck, and friendships. Although Jorge loves his new home in San Francisco, he will never forget his old home in El Salvador.

The poems are complemented with beautiful and vibrant illustrations.

[Macromolecule Thrompleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

No leí este libro por el argumento, sino para practicar mi Español. Aunque no me interesó mucho el argumento, no me puedo quejar porque el libro me ayudó tanto mejorar la lectura. Definitivamente, recomendaría este libro a cualquier principiante que quisiera practicar su Inglés o Español.

I didn't read this book because of it's plot, but rather, to practice my Spanish. Even though I didn't find the plot that interesting, I can't complain because the book helped me better my reading comprehension. I would definitely recommend this book to any beginner who wants to practice their English or Spanish.

[Mary L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book of short poems that tell the tales of a young boy's transition from El Salvador to San Francisco. His poems tell stories inspired by family. They are filled with his longing for the land he misses as well as his journey through childhood in a new city that becomes his home.

This book won an Amercas Award for Latin American Literature. It is appropriate for all grade levels, especially primary. The illustrator does an excellent job capturing the essence of each poem.

[Tiffany Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book of short poems that tell the tales of a young boy during his transition from El Salvador to San Francisco. His poems tell stories that are inspired by his family as well as his homeland. They are filled with his longing for the land he misses as well as his journey through childhood in a new city that becomes his home. Great for a short read aloud in your classroom. A teacher could read a poem at the end of the day for students.

[Samantha Lazar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a young boy's adventures as he came from El Salvador to the United States. There are poems in Spanish and English, and this book would be great in an ELL class, a Spanish class, or during a Multicultural unit. This book is appropriate for students grades 3-8. The pictures in this book are very vibrant and lively, and this is a book that sutdents will enjoy.

[Hatka Kecalovic · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book A Movie in My Pillow by Jorge Argueta is a book of poems, which are written in both English and Spanish. The book describes the experiences of a boy from El Salvador. The book can be used for bilingual students who speak and read both English and Spanish. This book can be used in Kindergarten-5 grade classrooms. Using this book with ELLs will be very benefitual.

[Evelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a set of short poems that tell the story of a boy who immigrates from El Salvador to America. It is written in both English and Spanish. This book could be used to describe the differences as well as the similarities between the Hispanic culture and the American culture. it could be used to talk about different families and customs. It could be read to students in grades K-5.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a boy Argueta and his father left war-torn El Salvador for San Francisco. These moving poems are drawn from his own childhood experiences. At night when he dreams, he remembers his homeland -- "as a movie in my pillow."

Very little written about El Salvador. Excellent, authentic source and voice.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book of poetry has absolutely beautiful language. I used "Barrio lleno de Sol" for my 7th grade Spanish class since we started a unit on cities and neighborhoods. This book is full of beautiful poems. This book is not only educational, but truely enjoyable.