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لون كلماتي
For use in schools and libraries only. In a debut novel by an established poet, Ana Rosa, a blossoming young writer growing up in a poor seaside village in the Dominican Republic, must struggle to find her own voice and the means for it to be heard in a country where words are feared.
99 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
About the author
Lynn Joseph
25 books77 followersLynn Joseph's adventure travel, island hopping, and lifelong wandering have a purpose. And it's not just to find the best crepes, gelato, and champagne! She swears! Lynn writes about the places she falls in love with. She's discovered in her travels that everyone is looking for a romance and a happy ending! Especially romance authors! Her USA home base is the charming Ferry Village in South Portland, Maine, and her international home base is the Caribbean Island of Tobago, where she’s known as the Mermaid Queen. Lynn believes in protagonists of color traveling and changing the world. And falling in love, of course! She almost always finds a way to work in crepes, gelato, or champagne as part of the story (to support the research!) If you're ready for some sweet romance, join Lynn on her journey of love, food, and romantic destinations (not necessarily in that order).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 375 reviews
February 12, 2023
للكلمات هنا لون قد يبدو لك وردياً مُرقطاً برمادية باهتة ، ولها مذاق تكاد تذوب من فرط عذوبتها....
هنا الكلمات تنساب بنعومة نهر ، تلتف حول الصخور لتصل إلى البحر لكي تفعل بعدئذٍ ما يحلو لها ، ولكن كيف لا ينجرح النهر ولا ينزف دماً وهو يلتف حول الصخور وينزلق فوق سطحها القاسي بتعرجاتها المُدببة الحادة....كيف يسلم منها النهر...!!
أحببت الفتاة " آنا روزا " وأحببت حلمها في أن تصبح كاتبة ، تنطلق الكلمات من رأسها كفراشات ملونة تطاردها في يوم ربيعي مُشمس ، وضعت يدي على قلبي لكي لا يأت يوم غائم رمادي يدفع الفراشات للاختباء خلف احدى الغيمات ، ولكن أتى ذاك اليوم عندما فقدت أخاها الأكبر وهو من كان يطوقها حناناً وأماناً....
كان ذلك عندما تصدى بالكلمات أمام البنادق والجرافات والعقود والأموال ، بينما قررت الحكومة الاستحواذ على قريتهم الصغيرة بجمهورية الدومينيكان ، وطردهم من بيوتهم وتعكير صفو حياتهم البسيطة....
تراها تستطيع أن تستعيد قدرتها على مُطاردة الكلمات والوصول إليها من جديد.....
هنا الكلمات هى كل شيء ولكن تدرك بأنها إذا ما تحدثت بلسان المشاعر لا يمكنها أن تقول كل شيء....
هنا الكلمات تنساب بنعومة نهر ، تلتف حول الصخور لتصل إلى البحر لكي تفعل بعدئذٍ ما يحلو لها ، ولكن كيف لا ينجرح النهر ولا ينزف دماً وهو يلتف حول الصخور وينزلق فوق سطحها القاسي بتعرجاتها المُدببة الحادة....كيف يسلم منها النهر...!!
أحببت الفتاة " آنا روزا " وأحببت حلمها في أن تصبح كاتبة ، تنطلق الكلمات من رأسها كفراشات ملونة تطاردها في يوم ربيعي مُشمس ، وضعت يدي على قلبي لكي لا يأت يوم غائم رمادي يدفع الفراشات للاختباء خلف احدى الغيمات ، ولكن أتى ذاك اليوم عندما فقدت أخاها الأكبر وهو من كان يطوقها حناناً وأماناً....
كان ذلك عندما تصدى بالكلمات أمام البنادق والجرافات والعقود والأموال ، بينما قررت الحكومة الاستحواذ على قريتهم الصغيرة بجمهورية الدومينيكان ، وطردهم من بيوتهم وتعكير صفو حياتهم البسيطة....
تراها تستطيع أن تستعيد قدرتها على مُطاردة الكلمات والوصول إليها من جديد.....
هنا الكلمات هى كل شيء ولكن تدرك بأنها إذا ما تحدثت بلسان المشاعر لا يمكنها أن تقول كل شيء....
April 25, 2023
جميلة ومؤثرة اوي
August 30, 2024
"ولكن على شجرتي جري جري، يمكنني أن أكون أي شيء أريد أن أكونه، حتى كاتبة بكلمات لكل شيء كنت أراه من مخبأي الورقي الأخضر"
آنا روزا الفتاة الصغيرة، والكاتبة الحالمة التي كانت تختبئ
فوق شجرتها الخضراء "جري جري" على البحر لتراقب الحياة
في قريتها الصغيرة في جمهورية الدومينيكان، وتحيك أفكارًا
ناعمة لكتابة قصصها وأشعارها على دفترها قبل تطير منها بعيدًا وتعبر المحيط،
لم تكن تعرف وهي في الثانية عشر من عمرها
أن للكلمات ألوان متعددة غير لون ضوء الصباح الآخذ في البزوغ، ولون أشعة الشمس البرتقالية، ولون البحر الأزرق، ولون قوس المطر، ولون السماء الزرقاء التي تتلون بالوردي والبرتقالي والأرجواني، ولون ضوء القمر الفضي والنجوم،
وروائح آخرى غير رائحة نسيم النهر، وأزهار الكركديه الأرجوانية وفطائر أمها المحشوة بالدجاج والتوابل
حتى قررت حكومة بلدها أن تبيع أرض قريتها الصغيرة للمستثمرين الأجانب، ليستبدلوا المنازل القديمة بفنادق تطل على الشاطئ دون تعويض لأصحابها عن جدران بيوتهم القديمة، عن حياتهم وحكاياتهم وذكرياتهم،
فعرفت اللون القاتم للكلمات، لون الخوف، ولون حزن أهل قريتها، ولون الجرافات ومعدات الحفر، عرفت كلمات برائحة دخان البنادق،
فتتجمع القرية وتثور وتحارب بأبسط الأشياء من منازلهم،
وتحارب معهم آنا روزا بكلماتها في بلد تُخشى فيه الكلمات،
وبدلًا أن تخاف وتظل نهرًا ينساب بهدوء حول الصخور لتقابل البحر في قريتها، كتبت ما تشاء وظلت نهرًا ينساب بهدوء، ومنحت كلماتها الملونة بالألم أجنحة الحرية لتحلق كطيور النورس إلى أعلى مكان فوق المحيط ليسمع صوتها الجميع،
ومع الأيام تعرف أن حتى لون الكلمات القاتم النابع من ألمها وتجارب الحياة القاسية، يمكن أن يتحول إلى ضوء جديد
يبزغ من جديد مع الصباح طالما ينبض في قلبها حبها لأسرتها الصغيرة وقريتها، الحب الذي استطاع أن يحميها ويشفيها ويساعدها على تجاوز تجاربها القاسية، ويدفعها لمواصلة حياتها وحلمها لتصبح كاتبة تكتب لنفسها وتكتب لأحبابها وتكتب من أجل أن تخفف من ثقل مرور الزمن،
وأن تُبقي الذكريات الغالية حية بكلماتها الملونة بلون الأحباب
،بلون المستقبل، ولون الصباح الآخذ في البزوغ فوق قريتها الصغيرة.
"ولأول مرة عرفت أن الكلمات لا يمكن أن تقول كل شيء"
آنا روزا الفتاة الصغيرة، والكاتبة الحالمة التي كانت تختبئ
فوق شجرتها الخضراء "جري جري" على البحر لتراقب الحياة
في قريتها الصغيرة في جمهورية الدومينيكان، وتحيك أفكارًا
ناعمة لكتابة قصصها وأشعارها على دفترها قبل تطير منها بعيدًا وتعبر المحيط،
لم تكن تعرف وهي في الثانية عشر من عمرها
أن للكلمات ألوان متعددة غير لون ضوء الصباح الآخذ في البزوغ، ولون أشعة الشمس البرتقالية، ولون البحر الأزرق، ولون قوس المطر، ولون السماء الزرقاء التي تتلون بالوردي والبرتقالي والأرجواني، ولون ضوء القمر الفضي والنجوم،
وروائح آخرى غير رائحة نسيم النهر، وأزهار الكركديه الأرجوانية وفطائر أمها المحشوة بالدجاج والتوابل
حتى قررت حكومة بلدها أن تبيع أرض قريتها الصغيرة للمستثمرين الأجانب، ليستبدلوا المنازل القديمة بفنادق تطل على الشاطئ دون تعويض لأصحابها عن جدران بيوتهم القديمة، عن حياتهم وحكاياتهم وذكرياتهم،
فعرفت اللون القاتم للكلمات، لون الخوف، ولون حزن أهل قريتها، ولون الجرافات ومعدات الحفر، عرفت كلمات برائحة دخان البنادق،
فتتجمع القرية وتثور وتحارب بأبسط الأشياء من منازلهم،
وتحارب معهم آنا روزا بكلماتها في بلد تُخشى فيه الكلمات،
وبدلًا أن تخاف وتظل نهرًا ينساب بهدوء حول الصخور لتقابل البحر في قريتها، كتبت ما تشاء وظلت نهرًا ينساب بهدوء، ومنحت كلماتها الملونة بالألم أجنحة الحرية لتحلق كطيور النورس إلى أعلى مكان فوق المحيط ليسمع صوتها الجميع،
ومع الأيام تعرف أن حتى لون الكلمات القاتم النابع من ألمها وتجارب الحياة القاسية، يمكن أن يتحول إلى ضوء جديد
يبزغ من جديد مع الصباح طالما ينبض في قلبها حبها لأسرتها الصغيرة وقريتها، الحب الذي استطاع أن يحميها ويشفيها ويساعدها على تجاوز تجاربها القاسية، ويدفعها لمواصلة حياتها وحلمها لتصبح كاتبة تكتب لنفسها وتكتب لأحبابها وتكتب من أجل أن تخفف من ثقل مرور الزمن،
وأن تُبقي الذكريات الغالية حية بكلماتها الملونة بلون الأحباب
،بلون المستقبل، ولون الصباح الآخذ في البزوغ فوق قريتها الصغيرة.
"ولأول مرة عرفت أن الكلمات لا يمكن أن تقول كل شيء"
November 16, 2019
"لأول مرة عرفت أن الكلمات لا يمكن أن تقول كل شيء"
قصة الشابة الصغيرة أنّا روزا التي تدرك قوة الكلمات في تغيير الأحداث في بلدها الدومينيكان حيث يخشى الجميع الكلمة!
قصة الشابة الصغيرة أنّا روزا التي تدرك قوة الكلمات في تغيير الأحداث في بلدها الدومينيكان حيث يخشى الجميع الكلمة!
December 5, 2023
عذبة ولطيفة، هادئة وساحرة وشاعرية، وهناك تناغم في سردها والكلمات.
كنت لأعترض لو قرأتها في وقت سابق على أن تكون أدب ناشئة أو أن تقدم للأطفال، حيث جعلتني أنا أبكي بسكون.
ولكن لأنها رواية عن الأرض، والمقاومة، وعن الأخوة، وعن سياسة العالم الحقيقية وكيف تجري الأمور بها، ولأن الآن نعيش طوفان الأقصى مع فلسطين ولأن كل شىء انقلب توازنه، أبتلع اعتراضي وأرى أن لا مكان له الآن.
حتى أنني أرى أنها مناسبة جدًا للتمهيد وحكاية الحكاية وعن كيف تُنتزع الأرض كل الأرض أينما كانت ولا يهم من يَملكها...
هناك شفافية ملموسة وحية بشكل كبير ولم أتوصل للسر في ذلك إلا عندما قرأت كلمة المؤلفة، لأنها رواية من وحي الواقع المحيط بعيون الكاتبة وما شاهدته بحق في البلدة الصغيرة سوسوا شمال الساحل الكاريبي.
رواية عن الطفلة آنا روزا وجمهورية الدومينيكان البلد الذى تمنع فيه الكلمات، ويخاف الناس من الكتابة، وطفلة يمتلئ رأسها بالكثير من القصص وتسري في دمائها موسيقى الطبيعة؛ البحر الثائر وتلاطم الأمواج على الصخور بدلا من موسيقى المرينجيه التي ملأت عظام كل الدومينكانيون منذ الميلاد ورحلة تعلمها الرقص ،وجواريو الذى ظل يبحث عن المستقبل ولم يدرِ أنه هو المستقبل.
"
_ إنهم قادمون غدًا.
_من؟
_المهندسون الذين سوف يبنون الفندق. إنهم قادمون غدًا للبدء بأخذ القياسات التي يحتاجونها، وسيأتون مع الحرس.
_ ولكن كيف يمكنهم ذلك؟ الجميع في صفنا.الصحف والعمال، تقريبا الجميع على الساحل الشرقي.
_ أومأ جواريو بضجر : نعم، نعم، نعم.
_ثم ماذا حدث؟
_كلماتنا ليست كافية. إننا مجرد جنود بكلمات،وهم، لديهم كل شىء، المال والعقود والجرافات والفندق.
"
استمعت إليها صوتي، وأريد إعادة قرائتها يوماً ما.
تمت 5 من ديسمبر عام 2023م
كنت لأعترض لو قرأتها في وقت سابق على أن تكون أدب ناشئة أو أن تقدم للأطفال، حيث جعلتني أنا أبكي بسكون.
ولكن لأنها رواية عن الأرض، والمقاومة، وعن الأخوة، وعن سياسة العالم الحقيقية وكيف تجري الأمور بها، ولأن الآن نعيش طوفان الأقصى مع فلسطين ولأن كل شىء انقلب توازنه، أبتلع اعتراضي وأرى أن لا مكان له الآن.
حتى أنني أرى أنها مناسبة جدًا للتمهيد وحكاية الحكاية وعن كيف تُنتزع الأرض كل الأرض أينما كانت ولا يهم من يَملكها...
هناك شفافية ملموسة وحية بشكل كبير ولم أتوصل للسر في ذلك إلا عندما قرأت كلمة المؤلفة، لأنها رواية من وحي الواقع المحيط بعيون الكاتبة وما شاهدته بحق في البلدة الصغيرة سوسوا شمال الساحل الكاريبي.
رواية عن الطفلة آنا روزا وجمهورية الدومينيكان البلد الذى تمنع فيه الكلمات، ويخاف الناس من الكتابة، وطفلة يمتلئ رأسها بالكثير من القصص وتسري في دمائها موسيقى الطبيعة؛ البحر الثائر وتلاطم الأمواج على الصخور بدلا من موسيقى المرينجيه التي ملأت عظام كل الدومينكانيون منذ الميلاد ورحلة تعلمها الرقص ،وجواريو الذى ظل يبحث عن المستقبل ولم يدرِ أنه هو المستقبل.
"
_ إنهم قادمون غدًا.
_من؟
_المهندسون الذين سوف يبنون الفندق. إنهم قادمون غدًا للبدء بأخذ القياسات التي يحتاجونها، وسيأتون مع الحرس.
_ ولكن كيف يمكنهم ذلك؟ الجميع في صفنا.الصحف والعمال، تقريبا الجميع على الساحل الشرقي.
_ أومأ جواريو بضجر : نعم، نعم، نعم.
_ثم ماذا حدث؟
_كلماتنا ليست كافية. إننا مجرد جنود بكلمات،وهم، لديهم كل شىء، المال والعقود والجرافات والفندق.
"
استمعت إليها صوتي، وأريد إعادة قرائتها يوماً ما.
تمت 5 من ديسمبر عام 2023م
June 23, 2008
This is a beautiful story told through poems by a 12 year old narrator who lives in the Dominican Republic. She watches as her happy existence and home are brought into the middle of a battle for worker's rights with her beloved brother as the leader. Through tragedy and triumph the girl learns what it means to live and to follow her passion to write in a country where there is no freedom of the press. This short book tells a big story and I highly recommend it.
Possible themes to teach: oppression, love of writing, alcoholism, poverty, sibling relationships, leadership, Dominican culture, music, etc.
Possible themes to teach: oppression, love of writing, alcoholism, poverty, sibling relationships, leadership, Dominican culture, music, etc.
November 17, 2019
قصة جميلة من بلد بعيد جدًا، من الدومينيكان
قصة قصيرة جدًا تحكي عن فتاة صغيرة وحلمها بأن تصبح كاتبة وتبعات ذلك الحلم على حياتها وحياة أسرتها بل وحياة قريتها كلها
قصة عن الأحلام والمعاناة والفقر والثورة والموت والنجاح
"
قال لنا إن الحكومة لن تستمع لأي شيء نقوله إلا إذا كان يؤثر على مصالحها الخاصة. والآن بعد أن أصبحنا قريبين جدًا من الانتخابات، فإن اهتمام الحكومة الأساسي كان ينصب على أن تبدو جيدة في نظر مواطنيها
"
قصة قصيرة جدًا تحكي عن فتاة صغيرة وحلمها بأن تصبح كاتبة وتبعات ذلك الحلم على حياتها وحياة أسرتها بل وحياة قريتها كلها
قصة عن الأحلام والمعاناة والفقر والثورة والموت والنجاح
"
قال لنا إن الحكومة لن تستمع لأي شيء نقوله إلا إذا كان يؤثر على مصالحها الخاصة. والآن بعد أن أصبحنا قريبين جدًا من الانتخابات، فإن اهتمام الحكومة الأساسي كان ينصب على أن تبدو جيدة في نظر مواطنيها
"
August 17, 2021
كم كان هذا العمل لطيفاً، حميماً، وممتلئاً بالمحبة.
محبة الأسرة، والأرض، والكلمات.. الكلمات.
محبة الأسرة، والأرض، والكلمات.. الكلمات.
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January 7, 2019The Color of My Words combines poetry and prose when sharing the story of twelve-year-old Ana Rosa growing up in the Dominican Republic. Each brief chapter begins with a poem written by the protagonist that draws from the content of the chapter in question. Sometimes Ana Rosa directly acknowledges writing the poems, which is an unique approach to form for middle grade fiction.
“I was wrong. It’s people who can do anything.” Guario sounded worn out. “Words are just the inventions of people, and they stand for nothing but what people decide they’ll be.”
Ana Rosa dreams of becoming a writer, but in twentieth century D.R., she cannot pursue her dreams based on totalitarian government bans on artistry. This doesn't stop Ana Rosa from writing anyway--about politics, about love, about family, and about hardship. This novel is a nice selection for a middle grade classroom, though the content would also fit late-stage elementary school. Apparent themes throughout and structured for classroom discussion.
“I was wrong. It’s people who can do anything.” Guario sounded worn out. “Words are just the inventions of people, and they stand for nothing but what people decide they’ll be.”
Ana Rosa dreams of becoming a writer, but in twentieth century D.R., she cannot pursue her dreams based on totalitarian government bans on artistry. This doesn't stop Ana Rosa from writing anyway--about politics, about love, about family, and about hardship. This novel is a nice selection for a middle grade classroom, though the content would also fit late-stage elementary school. Apparent themes throughout and structured for classroom discussion.
March 5, 2010
This book is an old favorite of mine. It tells a universal story within an individual one. The story helps us realize the power we hold behind our words. They are so strong, they have the ability to take a life. You also learn that our aspirations have a power all their own, if you allow them to be made known. The characters are real, each having a trait that reflects the real world (ex. a drunkard, an adultress, ect.). The details are spectacular and the descriptions fantastic. I feel as though I'm there with the characters, which is no doubt what the author wanted. I recommend this book to all the dreamers out there who aspire to become great in life!
January 9, 2009
The book I am reviewing is The Color of my Words by Lynn Joseph. The Color of my Words is about a 12 year old girl Ana Rosa Hernandez that loves to express her feeling on paper. Any paper she would see she would write on it like, napkins and even paper bags est. But in the República Dominicana the only person that could write books was the President and that was some thing that she wanted to do. Ana Rosa explained to her mother how she wanted to write poems and stories. “Ana Rosa,” there always has to be a first person to do something” ‘Mami said’. Her mother understood but she also knew that her words weren’t going to be heard. Unless she really put her heart into it.
When Ana Rosa’s family found out that the government wanted to buy all the land in the village so that they can build hotels which mean they would have more tourists. Ana Rose’s family was surprised because they didn’t think that the government would do that. This book was an entertaining book it had to do with Latin dancing also and that’s something that really likes to do. If you like to write poems and stories you most likely would it because this book does have poems. My favorite scene was when Guario best friend Angel Rodriguez came to Ana’s house and she couldn’t stop looking at him when they were sitting at the kitchen table and she wouldn’t stop giggling. My favorite character is Ana Rose because she is open like me and she loves to dance the same type of music as me. I was able to visualize when they heard the news about the government wanting to buy the village for hotels. I could also picture her cute 19 year old brother Guario and her family at the fiesta. I recommend this book to teenagers because it’s giving you a message how you should go for what you want. That’s something that lots of teens don’t keep in mind.
When Ana Rosa’s family found out that the government wanted to buy all the land in the village so that they can build hotels which mean they would have more tourists. Ana Rose’s family was surprised because they didn’t think that the government would do that. This book was an entertaining book it had to do with Latin dancing also and that’s something that really likes to do. If you like to write poems and stories you most likely would it because this book does have poems. My favorite scene was when Guario best friend Angel Rodriguez came to Ana’s house and she couldn’t stop looking at him when they were sitting at the kitchen table and she wouldn’t stop giggling. My favorite character is Ana Rose because she is open like me and she loves to dance the same type of music as me. I was able to visualize when they heard the news about the government wanting to buy the village for hotels. I could also picture her cute 19 year old brother Guario and her family at the fiesta. I recommend this book to teenagers because it’s giving you a message how you should go for what you want. That’s something that lots of teens don’t keep in mind.
March 13, 2012
I began reading this book expecting very little. My type of book is typically thicker than my head and bursting with action, blood, complex characters whose motivations are fit to argue about, and the occasional zombie or dragon. Despite its initial off-putting appearance, I quickly fell in love with this book.
The rich character development was the best I have ever experienced in such a short novel. The author's ability to weave poetry into the narrative perfectly complemented the unfolding plot. Despite its length, this novel is densely packed with twists and turns to entertain any reader.
I highly recommend this book to read any time, and can't wait to begin sharing it with my students in the next school year.
The rich character development was the best I have ever experienced in such a short novel. The author's ability to weave poetry into the narrative perfectly complemented the unfolding plot. Despite its length, this novel is densely packed with twists and turns to entertain any reader.
I highly recommend this book to read any time, and can't wait to begin sharing it with my students in the next school year.
February 24, 2023
To the one who’s gone:
I may look like a sociopath touching books all day but I feel too much for the stories they have in them. I know you are fictional, sorry… were fictional but you seemed so real to me. And you just broke her heart and mine.
Now I feel like I was born to read sad, war time middle grade books….
This one handles with loss and grief. The book is really short but it left me with sorrow and sadness.
It’s so written well.
I may look like a sociopath touching books all day but I feel too much for the stories they have in them. I know you are fictional, sorry… were fictional but you seemed so real to me. And you just broke her heart and mine.
Now I feel like I was born to read sad, war time middle grade books….
This one handles with loss and grief. The book is really short but it left me with sorrow and sadness.
It’s so written well.
June 8, 2023
"و بعد ذلك هدأ كل شيء، هدأ بحيث كان بإمكاني سماع الزهور و النباتات تبكي. كان بإمكاني سماع الشمس تتنفس و البحر، البحر الأزرق الجميل هدأ و لم ترتفع موجة واحدة. لقد كان كل شيء ساكنًا و مستويًا. إنها الكلمات التي تدفع الناس لفعل أي شيء، الكلمات أفضل من أي جرافة أو بندقية"✨
May 4, 2024
لا تسعني الحروف أن تشكل كلمات لكتابة شعوري بمدى حبي للرواية، فكان نور الكلمات يسطع في الساعات التي كنت استمع فيها، نور حزين ولكنه مفعم بالأمل والقوة وبالحب وبالسطوع. هذه هي الحياة بلون أحداثها الحلوة والمرة. شكرا على هذه القراءة المميزة.
February 23, 2010
Ana Rosa’s beautiful poetry starts each chapter of this novel, as she dreams of becoming a writer in the Dominican Republic at the age of 12. Because only the president of the country writes, her dream is always challenged. She steals paper for her craft, recording everything she sees. This is a coming of age story as the heroine recounts events in her life, introducing her family, her close relationship with her older brother Guario, her first crush and the meringue filled days of her home.
When an official informs the villagers that a hotel will be built on the land where the families have lived for generations, Ana Rosa uses her skillful words to this important cause. Guario becomes the leader of the village to overthrow the government from taking the land. With Ana’s written words and Guario leadership they become a voice for their village. Though the hotel project is stopped, tragedy happens in the family. Ana Rosa realizes the importance of using her voice and the power of her words as her stories keep her family and village alive.
The protagonist’s vivid voice paints a colorful picture of the Dominican Republic and its people. I would use this Americas Award Book novel in grades 6-8 as a selection for literature circle.
When an official informs the villagers that a hotel will be built on the land where the families have lived for generations, Ana Rosa uses her skillful words to this important cause. Guario becomes the leader of the village to overthrow the government from taking the land. With Ana’s written words and Guario leadership they become a voice for their village. Though the hotel project is stopped, tragedy happens in the family. Ana Rosa realizes the importance of using her voice and the power of her words as her stories keep her family and village alive.
The protagonist’s vivid voice paints a colorful picture of the Dominican Republic and its people. I would use this Americas Award Book novel in grades 6-8 as a selection for literature circle.
March 16, 2023
رواية يغلب عليها الشعر أكثر من أساليب السرد فى الروايات.
جمهورية الدومينيكان كما لم نعتاد عليها وكما اعتدنا عليها فى الوقت ذاته نرى فيها العنف التعذيب السياسة والسلطة ولكن بلغة شاعرية أكثر فلن تجد وصف دقيق للقتل والتعذيب كما ذكرها وأحببناها مع يوسا فى حفلة التيس أوزمن عصيب لكنها غير بكلمات لونى الطفلة ذات الأعوام الأولى التي أحبت عائلتها وبيتها وشجرة أخيها كما أحبت كثيراً الكلمات وكانت قادرة على تحويلها إلى أي شيء تريده وإعادة كتابة كل شئ ولم تعلم أنها ستكون السبب فى تدمير عائلتها..
حكاية فتاة تتمنى أن تحقيق حلمها وحلم اخيها أن تكون كاتبة معروفة فى بلد مات فيه كتاب والصمت فيه دفاع عن النفس......
#فقد كنت أشعر بالأمان والسلامة بجانبه بحيث أن الكلمات بجانبه مجرد إضافات
#والكلمات يمكن أن تكون كل شي ولا شيئ فى الوقت ذاته
#فى جمهورية الدومينيكان تنمو الموسيقى في دمائنا من المهد.
#هل لى أن أحصل على بعض الأوراق لأن كلماتي هذه تذهب منطلقة بعيدة لوحدها وتضيع فى الزحام..هل لى أن أحصل على بعض الأوراق لأمسك بهذه الكلمات وأربطها فلا تتمكن من الرحيل بعيداً...
#كان يوم الغسيل هو اليوم الذي استأثر فيه بأمى بالكامل لنفسي لقد كان أفضل أيام الأسبوع
جمهورية الدومينيكان كما لم نعتاد عليها وكما اعتدنا عليها فى الوقت ذاته نرى فيها العنف التعذيب السياسة والسلطة ولكن بلغة شاعرية أكثر فلن تجد وصف دقيق للقتل والتعذيب كما ذكرها وأحببناها مع يوسا فى حفلة التيس أوزمن عصيب لكنها غير بكلمات لونى الطفلة ذات الأعوام الأولى التي أحبت عائلتها وبيتها وشجرة أخيها كما أحبت كثيراً الكلمات وكانت قادرة على تحويلها إلى أي شيء تريده وإعادة كتابة كل شئ ولم تعلم أنها ستكون السبب فى تدمير عائلتها..
حكاية فتاة تتمنى أن تحقيق حلمها وحلم اخيها أن تكون كاتبة معروفة فى بلد مات فيه كتاب والصمت فيه دفاع عن النفس......
#فقد كنت أشعر بالأمان والسلامة بجانبه بحيث أن الكلمات بجانبه مجرد إضافات
#والكلمات يمكن أن تكون كل شي ولا شيئ فى الوقت ذاته
#فى جمهورية الدومينيكان تنمو الموسيقى في دمائنا من المهد.
#هل لى أن أحصل على بعض الأوراق لأن كلماتي هذه تذهب منطلقة بعيدة لوحدها وتضيع فى الزحام..هل لى أن أحصل على بعض الأوراق لأمسك بهذه الكلمات وأربطها فلا تتمكن من الرحيل بعيداً...
#كان يوم الغسيل هو اليوم الذي استأثر فيه بأمى بالكامل لنفسي لقد كان أفضل أيام الأسبوع
October 5, 2018
Words are a huge part of everyday life; writing words down is even more important, especially for kids because school is their job. Now, imagine not being able to write down anything; not a story, poem, or funny joke. Ana Rosa in The Color of My Words by Lynn Joseph experienced this first hand. Ana Rosa lives in the Dominican Republic with her family and it pains her throughout most of the story that she is unable to write.
This made me realize how lucky we are to live in a country that is known for its freedom. To read about a real place that at some time must have restricted writing is extremely mind boggling to me. For example, in the story Ana Rosa had to steal pieces of paper from her brother secretly so no one would find out. “The empty pages filled with wind and blew up one after the other, showing me all the lovely blank spaces waiting for words. I could write on a few pages and tear them out, I thought.” She had such a passion for writing but had to hide it from almost everyone. It is kind of like a giant secret that you want to share but cannot because it could hurt you.
Ana Rosa’s story made me wonder about current situations in the world. I bet there are people right now who aren’t allowed to do certain things in the countries they live in. This is stunting everyone from reaching their full potential. Ana Rosa’s wise brother, Guario, always talked about the future and the path he wanted to lead. When anyone (including Ana Rosa) comes to a road block they are unable to flourish. This also made me wonder if there is anything I could do to help people that are less fortunate than we are here in the United States.
Thus leading me into what this book made me hope. After reading this book I hope that I can make a change for people in the world; whether it is a tiny one or colossal one. I hope to change the world for someone. I also hope I will someday be as determined and hardworking as Guario. In the novel Guario was only 18 and he was the glue of his family. Guario never gave up on any task. “‘We will fight for what is rightfully ours. And we will not give up!’” Towards the end of the book the government threatens to take over Ana Rosa and her family's’ neighborhood. Even when the odds were completely against him Guario held his head high and powered through. I hope to have the same traits as Guario because it would help me achieve many goals and become a successful person in the future.
While reading I wished all people could be treated equally with dignity and respect. To see in the end how the presidential candidates completely disregarded Ana Rosa’s hometown made me wish things were different in society. No human should be tossed around like a bag of garbage waiting for the truck. At one point in the story the “guardia” (guards) came in with giant bulldozers chasing people around town and causing mass destruction. The problem here is the guards didn’t think about the logistics of the situation. They were given orders and followed. This is exactly what I wish would change not only in the story but in the world. People need to distinguish right from wrong themselves rather than being informed on what to do. All in all this is no single handed job and it is far fetched because of the discriminatory society we live in. However, hopefully somewhere in the near future things could start turning towards the bright side.
This book helped open my eyes and made me see just how important family, friends, and community are. Throughout the story Ana Rosa, her family, and her whole neighborhood always worked together to achieve a goal, even when things got tough. For example, the president threatened them and they stood up to him. This relates to my life because I am so lucky to have such an amazing family and town. While reading the book I connected character traits to my family: my mom is caring like Ana Rosa’s, my dad is silly just like Papi, and my brother is a huge role model to me like Guario. Overall, my new outlook after reading this is to appreciate everything while you have it, especially family.
This book made me believe everything happens for a reason. This is because although the story had an abysmal ending, Ana Rosa never gave up. She tried to quit writing to make up for what she believed was all her fault. But in the end things we love always come back to us and that is exactly what happened to her. “I have to write Guario’s story down so that everyone will know my brother. I shall write it all down on my new typewriter. Today is the day I have to start it.” Ana powered through and wrote for her brother. Obviously his death was extremely tragic but I think the author did this to prove everything happens for a reason. After his passing Ana was stronger than before and it was all because of her big brother.
All in all this book made me feel extremely connected to the characters. Whenever something went wrong my heart broke and whenever something went right my heart warmed. One part that really hit me was the end. “And as Guario fell at the bottom of my gri gri tree, he looked up and my handsome, brave brother smiled at me.” Even at the last moments Guario was his charming self. I was heartbroken to see him go but I knew it was foreshadowing something special in the future. This made me keep turning the pages because I wanted to know what would happen next.
This book is so powerful and conveys many important messages to the reader. I would definitely recommend it to many.
This made me realize how lucky we are to live in a country that is known for its freedom. To read about a real place that at some time must have restricted writing is extremely mind boggling to me. For example, in the story Ana Rosa had to steal pieces of paper from her brother secretly so no one would find out. “The empty pages filled with wind and blew up one after the other, showing me all the lovely blank spaces waiting for words. I could write on a few pages and tear them out, I thought.” She had such a passion for writing but had to hide it from almost everyone. It is kind of like a giant secret that you want to share but cannot because it could hurt you.
Ana Rosa’s story made me wonder about current situations in the world. I bet there are people right now who aren’t allowed to do certain things in the countries they live in. This is stunting everyone from reaching their full potential. Ana Rosa’s wise brother, Guario, always talked about the future and the path he wanted to lead. When anyone (including Ana Rosa) comes to a road block they are unable to flourish. This also made me wonder if there is anything I could do to help people that are less fortunate than we are here in the United States.
Thus leading me into what this book made me hope. After reading this book I hope that I can make a change for people in the world; whether it is a tiny one or colossal one. I hope to change the world for someone. I also hope I will someday be as determined and hardworking as Guario. In the novel Guario was only 18 and he was the glue of his family. Guario never gave up on any task. “‘We will fight for what is rightfully ours. And we will not give up!’” Towards the end of the book the government threatens to take over Ana Rosa and her family's’ neighborhood. Even when the odds were completely against him Guario held his head high and powered through. I hope to have the same traits as Guario because it would help me achieve many goals and become a successful person in the future.
While reading I wished all people could be treated equally with dignity and respect. To see in the end how the presidential candidates completely disregarded Ana Rosa’s hometown made me wish things were different in society. No human should be tossed around like a bag of garbage waiting for the truck. At one point in the story the “guardia” (guards) came in with giant bulldozers chasing people around town and causing mass destruction. The problem here is the guards didn’t think about the logistics of the situation. They were given orders and followed. This is exactly what I wish would change not only in the story but in the world. People need to distinguish right from wrong themselves rather than being informed on what to do. All in all this is no single handed job and it is far fetched because of the discriminatory society we live in. However, hopefully somewhere in the near future things could start turning towards the bright side.
This book helped open my eyes and made me see just how important family, friends, and community are. Throughout the story Ana Rosa, her family, and her whole neighborhood always worked together to achieve a goal, even when things got tough. For example, the president threatened them and they stood up to him. This relates to my life because I am so lucky to have such an amazing family and town. While reading the book I connected character traits to my family: my mom is caring like Ana Rosa’s, my dad is silly just like Papi, and my brother is a huge role model to me like Guario. Overall, my new outlook after reading this is to appreciate everything while you have it, especially family.
This book made me believe everything happens for a reason. This is because although the story had an abysmal ending, Ana Rosa never gave up. She tried to quit writing to make up for what she believed was all her fault. But in the end things we love always come back to us and that is exactly what happened to her. “I have to write Guario’s story down so that everyone will know my brother. I shall write it all down on my new typewriter. Today is the day I have to start it.” Ana powered through and wrote for her brother. Obviously his death was extremely tragic but I think the author did this to prove everything happens for a reason. After his passing Ana was stronger than before and it was all because of her big brother.
All in all this book made me feel extremely connected to the characters. Whenever something went wrong my heart broke and whenever something went right my heart warmed. One part that really hit me was the end. “And as Guario fell at the bottom of my gri gri tree, he looked up and my handsome, brave brother smiled at me.” Even at the last moments Guario was his charming self. I was heartbroken to see him go but I knew it was foreshadowing something special in the future. This made me keep turning the pages because I wanted to know what would happen next.
This book is so powerful and conveys many important messages to the reader. I would definitely recommend it to many.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 4, 2015
The Color if My Words is a great heart touching book! The way Lynn Joseph really put a lot of thought in to this book really paid off! The description of the characters, setting, and generally what's happening in the story is all things that this author did well! Even though this could be a sad book, I greatly recommend this book to anyone! I rate this book 5 stars! Really great book! Thank you Mrs. Barrett!
December 4, 2015
This book was one of the best books I've ever read!:)
November 3, 2021
This is the first novel I have read in Spanish in 15 years, so forgive me as I write my review in English. I am easing back into Spanish fluency and comprehension with the help of my 10-year old son and have found it to be very rewarding. Together we read this novel that was recommended to him by his Spanish Literature teacher. On a motherly note, I am tremendously proud to say my son was very emotionally impacted by this book, which mostly astounded me because of the depth of his reading comprehension in Spanish. I was lagging behind him, trying to decipher meaning and lost most of the deep emotion provided in the story while trying to understand.
Ana Rosa lives in the Dominican Republic. She is 12 years old in the story and is an aspiring writer who likes to sit in her favorite tree and write. We know she is poor, as she did not have money for a notebook for a long time as it would cost as much as two dinners, but the book makes a strong effort to show how rich Ana Rosa is in relationships with family, neighbors, and her community. Words were feared in the Dominican Republic at the time this story takes place, under a dictatorship that would ultimately try to destroy the town Ana Rosa lived in to create room for tourists and hotels and cause her to lose a dear family member who rebelled against the dictator when their home was going to be taken without permission or compensation. The story was incredibly sad (I am gauging this by my son's tears) but a beautiful portrayal of the love and loyalty of family and the incredible community found within the people native to the Dominican Republic. For those interested, there is an English version of this book as well: The Color of My Words by Lynn Joseph.
Ana Rosa lives in the Dominican Republic. She is 12 years old in the story and is an aspiring writer who likes to sit in her favorite tree and write. We know she is poor, as she did not have money for a notebook for a long time as it would cost as much as two dinners, but the book makes a strong effort to show how rich Ana Rosa is in relationships with family, neighbors, and her community. Words were feared in the Dominican Republic at the time this story takes place, under a dictatorship that would ultimately try to destroy the town Ana Rosa lived in to create room for tourists and hotels and cause her to lose a dear family member who rebelled against the dictator when their home was going to be taken without permission or compensation. The story was incredibly sad (I am gauging this by my son's tears) but a beautiful portrayal of the love and loyalty of family and the incredible community found within the people native to the Dominican Republic. For those interested, there is an English version of this book as well: The Color of My Words by Lynn Joseph.
August 12, 2015
Each month as I sit down to write the review for our featured book, I find myself stuck. I’ve run out of different ways to say “I love this book.” I’m certainly not complaining. As educators, I think we’re quite lucky to have access to so much amazing literature that also provides a way for us to teach about Latin America. This month’s book was no different—I loved it. Oddly enough, I’ve found that the more I love a book, the harder it is for me to convey my thoughts and feelings in a review. I usually feel like I just can’t do the experience of reading it justice. But, here’s my attempt. If my words fall short in convincing you, I hope you’ll still give Joseph’s book a chance. It deserves it.
As a mix of both poetry and prose, The Color of My Words was the perfect follow-up to last month’s Caminar. Each chapter opens with a poem written by the protagonist, Ana Rosa. While it reads as a novel, each chapter functions as a vignette or short story told from Ana Rosa’s point of view, allowing the reader to experience some of the more significant events of Ana Rosa’s life the year she was 12. With openness and vulnerability Ana Rosa walks us through the year that would forever change her. This aspect of the book is reason enough to use it in the classroom. Part of what Ana Rosa learns in this year is the power of words, particularly her words. Ana Rosa finds her voice in her writing. The power of writing is something that I wish all students would learn. While we may not all be writers like Ana Rosa, our writing is still powerful. It’s a way to express and process one’s experiences, thoughts, and emotions. It’s important for our students to see that there’s more to writing than essays, reports, and extended response questions on standardized tests. While these are important skills that we often need at some point in our lives, the ability to process our experiences and how they have impacted us is equally essential. This is a novel that would pair really well with Linda Christensen’s “Where I’m From” poetry in which students reflect on the people and events that have most influenced the person they’ve become.
It would also be a great novel to pair with an activity in memoir writing. While it’s fiction, it provides a creative and approachable way to do more autobiographical writing. I love the way each chapter’s poem is focused on an event or object that then becomes the central theme for the whole chapter, such as “Wash Day,” “The Gri Gri Tree,” or “One Sunday.” We often ask students to write autobiographies, but it could be a far more reflective and personal activity if we asked them to write about one object, experience, or day that was especially meaningful. Asking them to not only describe it, but to explain why it was so profound. There’s also something to be said for how Joseph portrays Ana Rosa’s family members. One of the struggles in doing autobiographical writing is how to portray the people who’ve played such important roles in our lives. No one is perfect, but how much of those imperfections do we want to share in our writing. Joseph lets us see Ana Rosa’s family as flawed, real people, but she also lets us see those moments where they shine. She depicts them as the complicated and complex people that they are. This is a valuable lesson to learn in doing this kind of writing.
As we focus on the many different ways we can teach and talk about love in February’s upcoming posts, I’ve been thinking about how we teach about emotions, and specifically love. Emotions are a seemingly basic part of our human experience, but how much time do we really spend discussing these things, helping our students understand their emotions, or deal with situations or experiences that bring about difficult emotional responses? If we look at our common core, standardized test based curriculum, there doesn’t seem to be much space for topics like this, yet they seem like such essential parts of an education that prepares our students to be successful both in and outside of the classroom. Literature is one way to begin to encourage these kinds of conversations with our students. The Color of My Words is one means to provide the space to begin these conversations, as we find love of family, community, and love and acceptance of one’s self as important themes. But love isn’t the only emotion that Ana Rosa learns about in this pivotal year, she, and so the reader, must also grapple with loss and death. As much as Ana Rosa loves and is loved by her family and her community, she must also realize that these things can’t protect her from the deep hurt of loss and grief. However, she will come to recognize that it is love that can help her move through and survive those painful experiences, so she can continue to do the work that gives her life meaning.
There’s so much I could continue to write about The Color of My Words, but I’ll wrap it up here with one last thought. Here at Vamos a Leer, social justice is an important piece of the work we do. It’s a topic that we feel needs to have a prominent place in the curriculum taught in classrooms. The Color of My Words aligns perfectly with that aspect of our approach to education. As I mentioned above, this is a story of a young girl finding her voice through her writing, but what I haven’t discussed is why this becomes so important to her. At the climax of the story, Ana Rosa’s village is told that the government is selling all of their land to foreign investors. The villagers are expected to move from the only homes their families have known for generations, with no compensation, and somehow start their lives over. The village comes together to fight back, and Ana Rosa’s writing becomes a pivotal part of their campaign as her brother travels throughout the Dominican Republic telling others of the corruption of the government. Despite the dangers in doing this, both Ana Rosa and her brother make the commitment to save their village. While Ana Rosa will experience a tragedy she never imagined, she’s also empowered to continue her battle for social justice. I’ll end with a quote from the opening of the book. It’s one that I hope student readers will get the chance to contemplate because I think the truth in it is quite empowering:
“Sometimes you have no control over what will happen next, as I discovered the year I was 12 years old—but sometimes you do. And when you do, that’s when it is time to take charge because you sure don’t know when the chance will come again.”
Our free educator’s guide is available on our wordpress blog Vamos a Leer at http://wp.me/P27SUF-1zh.
As a mix of both poetry and prose, The Color of My Words was the perfect follow-up to last month’s Caminar. Each chapter opens with a poem written by the protagonist, Ana Rosa. While it reads as a novel, each chapter functions as a vignette or short story told from Ana Rosa’s point of view, allowing the reader to experience some of the more significant events of Ana Rosa’s life the year she was 12. With openness and vulnerability Ana Rosa walks us through the year that would forever change her. This aspect of the book is reason enough to use it in the classroom. Part of what Ana Rosa learns in this year is the power of words, particularly her words. Ana Rosa finds her voice in her writing. The power of writing is something that I wish all students would learn. While we may not all be writers like Ana Rosa, our writing is still powerful. It’s a way to express and process one’s experiences, thoughts, and emotions. It’s important for our students to see that there’s more to writing than essays, reports, and extended response questions on standardized tests. While these are important skills that we often need at some point in our lives, the ability to process our experiences and how they have impacted us is equally essential. This is a novel that would pair really well with Linda Christensen’s “Where I’m From” poetry in which students reflect on the people and events that have most influenced the person they’ve become.
It would also be a great novel to pair with an activity in memoir writing. While it’s fiction, it provides a creative and approachable way to do more autobiographical writing. I love the way each chapter’s poem is focused on an event or object that then becomes the central theme for the whole chapter, such as “Wash Day,” “The Gri Gri Tree,” or “One Sunday.” We often ask students to write autobiographies, but it could be a far more reflective and personal activity if we asked them to write about one object, experience, or day that was especially meaningful. Asking them to not only describe it, but to explain why it was so profound. There’s also something to be said for how Joseph portrays Ana Rosa’s family members. One of the struggles in doing autobiographical writing is how to portray the people who’ve played such important roles in our lives. No one is perfect, but how much of those imperfections do we want to share in our writing. Joseph lets us see Ana Rosa’s family as flawed, real people, but she also lets us see those moments where they shine. She depicts them as the complicated and complex people that they are. This is a valuable lesson to learn in doing this kind of writing.
As we focus on the many different ways we can teach and talk about love in February’s upcoming posts, I’ve been thinking about how we teach about emotions, and specifically love. Emotions are a seemingly basic part of our human experience, but how much time do we really spend discussing these things, helping our students understand their emotions, or deal with situations or experiences that bring about difficult emotional responses? If we look at our common core, standardized test based curriculum, there doesn’t seem to be much space for topics like this, yet they seem like such essential parts of an education that prepares our students to be successful both in and outside of the classroom. Literature is one way to begin to encourage these kinds of conversations with our students. The Color of My Words is one means to provide the space to begin these conversations, as we find love of family, community, and love and acceptance of one’s self as important themes. But love isn’t the only emotion that Ana Rosa learns about in this pivotal year, she, and so the reader, must also grapple with loss and death. As much as Ana Rosa loves and is loved by her family and her community, she must also realize that these things can’t protect her from the deep hurt of loss and grief. However, she will come to recognize that it is love that can help her move through and survive those painful experiences, so she can continue to do the work that gives her life meaning.
There’s so much I could continue to write about The Color of My Words, but I’ll wrap it up here with one last thought. Here at Vamos a Leer, social justice is an important piece of the work we do. It’s a topic that we feel needs to have a prominent place in the curriculum taught in classrooms. The Color of My Words aligns perfectly with that aspect of our approach to education. As I mentioned above, this is a story of a young girl finding her voice through her writing, but what I haven’t discussed is why this becomes so important to her. At the climax of the story, Ana Rosa’s village is told that the government is selling all of their land to foreign investors. The villagers are expected to move from the only homes their families have known for generations, with no compensation, and somehow start their lives over. The village comes together to fight back, and Ana Rosa’s writing becomes a pivotal part of their campaign as her brother travels throughout the Dominican Republic telling others of the corruption of the government. Despite the dangers in doing this, both Ana Rosa and her brother make the commitment to save their village. While Ana Rosa will experience a tragedy she never imagined, she’s also empowered to continue her battle for social justice. I’ll end with a quote from the opening of the book. It’s one that I hope student readers will get the chance to contemplate because I think the truth in it is quite empowering:
“Sometimes you have no control over what will happen next, as I discovered the year I was 12 years old—but sometimes you do. And when you do, that’s when it is time to take charge because you sure don’t know when the chance will come again.”
Our free educator’s guide is available on our wordpress blog Vamos a Leer at http://wp.me/P27SUF-1zh.
October 10, 2017
The color of my words
I read the book called the Color of my words. This book talk about teenagers who want to be writer. And how the life looks like in Dominican Republic . little bit about dancing. The tree keep coming again and again because it was her favorite tree and she saw the monster from the tree.
Pros the main plot of the story where Ana rose became writer. I’ve never read a story like this before. other people gave her a paper to write story. it inspiring me to do good things that win people's heart. Ana taught people how to dance. I thought that is interesting because I want to learn how to dance.
Con her brother died on her birthday it related to me my cousin pass away in festival then we don't get to celebrate.
Ana Rose was a brave teenage. This book is best for tanager who are depression or struggling with their future because it inspires you to not give up what you are doing.
I read the book called the Color of my words. This book talk about teenagers who want to be writer. And how the life looks like in Dominican Republic . little bit about dancing. The tree keep coming again and again because it was her favorite tree and she saw the monster from the tree.
Pros the main plot of the story where Ana rose became writer. I’ve never read a story like this before. other people gave her a paper to write story. it inspiring me to do good things that win people's heart. Ana taught people how to dance. I thought that is interesting because I want to learn how to dance.
Con her brother died on her birthday it related to me my cousin pass away in festival then we don't get to celebrate.
Ana Rose was a brave teenage. This book is best for tanager who are depression or struggling with their future because it inspires you to not give up what you are doing.
July 6, 2021
"'We must fight them with our words.'"
This was a great read, especially for middle-grade readers. It transports the reader to Sosúa, Dominican Republic, where the MC is a 12-year-old writer in her town.
The book is a testament to the power of words and family. The writing was lyrical and descriptive. I liked how each chapter started with a poem, and there was Spanish language and Domincan culture sprinkled throughout.
The book deals with difficult issues like poverty and government violence in a way that makes it accessible to younger readers, without diminishing the pain or reality of it.
The Color of My Words is a strong book. I look forward to reading the author’s others.
Recommended for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo.
This was a great read, especially for middle-grade readers. It transports the reader to Sosúa, Dominican Republic, where the MC is a 12-year-old writer in her town.
The book is a testament to the power of words and family. The writing was lyrical and descriptive. I liked how each chapter started with a poem, and there was Spanish language and Domincan culture sprinkled throughout.
The book deals with difficult issues like poverty and government violence in a way that makes it accessible to younger readers, without diminishing the pain or reality of it.
The Color of My Words is a strong book. I look forward to reading the author’s others.
Recommended for fans of Elizabeth Acevedo.
May 25, 2022
" و لأول مرة عرفت ان الكلمات لا يمكن ان تقول كل شئ."
إذا كنت في مزاج سئ، لا تقرأ هذا الكتاب أرجوك، سيحطم قلبك.
من أكون أنا، من أكون أنا؟ ذكروني ارجوكم.
" و أنها كانت لديها مجموعة كاملة من الكلمات و الأسئلة تصارعها مثلما فعلت، و لو لم نبق إلى جانب بعضنا البعض فإن هذه الأسئلة ستأكلنا في ليلة مظلمة و تلفظ عظامنا فوق الرمال.
لم أجرؤ على النظر إلى الأسفل إلى أن شعرت بالأمان بالأعلى..
إذا كنت في مزاج سئ، لا تقرأ هذا الكتاب أرجوك، سيحطم قلبك.
من أكون أنا، من أكون أنا؟ ذكروني ارجوكم.
" و أنها كانت لديها مجموعة كاملة من الكلمات و الأسئلة تصارعها مثلما فعلت، و لو لم نبق إلى جانب بعضنا البعض فإن هذه الأسئلة ستأكلنا في ليلة مظلمة و تلفظ عظامنا فوق الرمال.
لم أجرؤ على النظر إلى الأسفل إلى أن شعرت بالأمان بالأعلى..
January 31, 2023
This is a great book! Loved it! 😍
October 14, 2019
Why are middle grade books so depressing?!
September 18, 2017
3.75 stars
This was a very quick read with a somewhat very sad story to tell.
Ana Rosa is 12 years old growing up in the Dominican Republic with her family. She lves to write, but where she lives, writing is somewhat looked down upon as it is reserved for higher officials such as the President. But despite that, Ana Rosa continues to write. And when certain events take place and the more she writes, she wonders if words can fix everything or make things worse.
This was really short and started each part with a short poem of Ana Rosa's. I liked the poems and characters which made this seem so real. I didn't like the pacing. It kinda jumped everywhere. The most random things would happen each part. I say "part" because there really are no chapters. The flow was kinda off and somethings didn't make sense to me. Then again, this is a children's book so maybe I'm wrong??
The characters showed the strength and struggle of family: Papi with his excessive drinking, Mami who worries, the brother Guario, who supports them all with his job and worries for his future, and Angela, the older sister, who is only good for flirting with the boys (sounds like MY older sister >.<) Also, the neighbor where they live has a group of character that are great, but a few I felt weren't developed enough. And one character pops up randomly before leaving and never mentioned again. Thats my BIGGEST book peeve.
One part that struck close to home was Ana Rosa's potential love interest, Angel, Guario's best friend, whom she was in love with. He ended up rejecting her as a lover and her reaction made me reach out because hello? I've been there (too many times >.< F#$! you Mikkail)
For me the near end was where things picked up and it got really complex and sad:
The goverment threatens to take their land and move them away from the island. When they all revolt, problems arise and a family member dies. Ana Rosa struggles to be happy again and to find her words again. It was very movig and heartbreaking to read the end, which HAD to be the best part.
Overall, solid. Lacking in development, but emaotional and touching
#TheColorofMyWords #LynnJoseph #3.75Stars
This was a very quick read with a somewhat very sad story to tell.
Ana Rosa is 12 years old growing up in the Dominican Republic with her family. She lves to write, but where she lives, writing is somewhat looked down upon as it is reserved for higher officials such as the President. But despite that, Ana Rosa continues to write. And when certain events take place and the more she writes, she wonders if words can fix everything or make things worse.
This was really short and started each part with a short poem of Ana Rosa's. I liked the poems and characters which made this seem so real. I didn't like the pacing. It kinda jumped everywhere. The most random things would happen each part. I say "part" because there really are no chapters. The flow was kinda off and somethings didn't make sense to me. Then again, this is a children's book so maybe I'm wrong??
The characters showed the strength and struggle of family: Papi with his excessive drinking, Mami who worries, the brother Guario, who supports them all with his job and worries for his future, and Angela, the older sister, who is only good for flirting with the boys (sounds like MY older sister >.<) Also, the neighbor where they live has a group of character that are great, but a few I felt weren't developed enough. And one character pops up randomly before leaving and never mentioned again. Thats my BIGGEST book peeve.
One part that struck close to home was Ana Rosa's potential love interest, Angel, Guario's best friend, whom she was in love with. He ended up rejecting her as a lover and her reaction made me reach out because hello? I've been there (too many times >.< F#$! you Mikkail)
For me the near end was where things picked up and it got really complex and sad:
The goverment threatens to take their land and move them away from the island. When they all revolt, problems arise and a family member dies. Ana Rosa struggles to be happy again and to find her words again. It was very movig and heartbreaking to read the end, which HAD to be the best part.
Overall, solid. Lacking in development, but emaotional and touching
#TheColorofMyWords #LynnJoseph #3.75Stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 10, 2018
The color of my words by Lynn Joseph is about a girl named Ana Rosa that loves writing that lives on a little island, but her dream was to write, but Ana Rosa and her family confront many issues. I liked this book because It is interesting and it really gets into my feelings because this book made me laugh and in some part of the book was so sad. My favorite part of the book was when they give Ana Rosa the present from her birthday. I would recommend this book to others because it's an awesome book and you will enjoy it. the type of reader who would really enjoy this book would be teenagers because the main character is a teenager and teens will really enjoy this book because is about teens experience.
December 10, 2018
The book The Color Of My Words by Lynn Joseph is about a girl who is 12 years old who likes to write about stuff that happens on her island . And is sad because she get to know that she doesn't have a dad. I did not like this book because it was sad that the guardia killed Ana Rosa's brother named Guario. My favorite part of the book was when Ana Rosa and Guario helped each other and when Guario told her that he was going buy her notebooks so she can keep writing her poems. I could not recommend because it is too sad. The type of reader would really enjoy this book would be kids who have siblings because is about a sister and a brother.
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