Review of For All/Para Todos
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The Children’s Book Review
For All/Para Todos
Written by Alejandra Domenzain
Illustrated by Katherine Loh
Ages 6-11 | 46 Pages
Publisher: Hard Ball Press | ISBN: 978-1-73444938-7-0
What to expect: Immigration laws, moving to a new country, activism, and bilingual.
For All/Para Todos is a poignant, bi-lingual tale about an immigrant girl’s hopes and dreams as she embarks on an adventure to a new land.
Flor has a happy life in her native country until a series of sad events changes her trajectory. When her father realizes that their homeland can no longer feed them—because the land has dried up and their crops cannot grow—he decides to take Flor to a country that they have dreamed about, For All. Flor and her father believe that they will be able to make a new home for themselves in For All—but the journey is arduous and the pain of leaving behind their beloved home weighs on them.
As time passes and Flor struggles to make friends, and learn a new language and new customs, she begins to despair. One day, she meets a kind and caring teacher that helps Flor understand that her story is important and she should share it. Flor realizes that she is not alone as other students begin to share similar stories with her. This sense of community helps Flor weather injustices and propels her to speak out about the hardships that the immigrant community faces.
For All/Para Todos tackles the complex and fraught reality of the situation that immigrants face when they arrive to a new country without legal status. Told in English and translated into Spanish, the rhyming text is age appropriate, although the subject matter is often a difficult topic to address. The story ends with some background information and questions to spark further discussion. Highly recommended for readers interested in activism and learning more about the immigrant experience.
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About the Author
Alejandra Domenzain is the daughter of Mexican immigrants. She was born in the United States, and her family moved back to Mexico and then returned to stay when she was six years old.
Alejandra was always passionate about advocating for social justice, and has worked in the field of immigrant labor rights for over 20 years. This has included doing outreach and education, organizing, policy work, and research with organizations ranging from national civil rights organizations to worker centers. Most of her work has focused on expanding labor rights for immigrant workers and giving them the tools they need to improve their working conditions.
In addition, Alejandra has a California CLEAR teaching credential and taught elementary school for five years, specializing in language arts. She loves reading and writing, and believes books can open minds, fuel movements, and change the world. That is why Alejandra is using her green pen to write books that invite kids to question, dream, and stand up for justice.
Alejandra lives in the San Francisco Bay Area in California with her Brazilian husband and two school-aged children. For All/ Para Todos is her first children’s book, but she hopes to publish many more!
For more information, visit forall-paratodos.net.
About the Illustrator
Katherine Loh is an artist, illustrator, and muralist who believes that art can be not only visually arresting, but also a powerful tool for social dialogue and political change. Guided by the belief that each of us counts and that we deserve to be treated fairly and with dignity, Katherine uses her art to document and celebrate the stories of people and communities.
Katherine was born in Texas and grew up in a small town with friendly neighbors and wide, open skies. Her parents had moved from Taiwan in search of better opportunities for themselves and their family. But even though the place where she grew up was regularly filled with the sounds of other languages besides English, Katherine could not help but notice that she and others were often treated differently, more poorly, for the way they looked. This planted the seed for her lifelong passion for justice and equality for all.
It was while living in San Francisco, California in 2013 that Katherine discovered community-based art, an art form that combines direct social engagement with public art. Little by little, the idea of pursuing social justice through art took root, and she has since worked with a number of community arts organizations, including Precita Eyes Muralists and the Richmond Arts Center. This is her first illustration project, and hopefully not her last!
Currently based in Switzerland, Katherine is working to introduce art as a tool for social impact and community empowerment there. Having worked and lived across the United States and many parts of the world, her love for diversity and multiculturalism informs her work every day.
Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. This is a sponsored*, non-biased review of For All/Para Todos, by Alejandra Domenzain. Learn more about getting a book review …
