Diane Gonzales Bertrand
"I just want to write. I never set out to make any political statements. I just wanted to write stories about people like myself, and I just happen to be Mexican-American."
Diane Gonzales Bertrand, a native of San Antonio and the youngest of seven children, often created imaginary worlds and interesting characters inspired by her favorite books. Writing soon became an important way for Gonzales Bertrand to establish her individuality.
During high school, she began developing her skills as a poetry reader, winning a variety of forensic competitions, and soon began writing her own verses. Both her writing and speaking skills were challenged during her years at the University of Texas at San Antonio. She won the Battle of Flowers Oratorical Contest with a speech she wrote about José Antonio Navarro and which she performed at the annual Battle of Flowers Fiesta Luncheon. "We were supposed to talk about an individual who personified the spirit of Texas. Navarro was only one of two Mexican men to sign the independence document, and I wanted everyone to know his story. That speech is one of my most prized pieces of writing."
After earning her bachelor's degree in English, Gonzales Bertrand began her career in education, teaching at schools in the same neighborhoods where she was raised. It was during this time that her passion for writing took a new direction. Realizing the important connection between self-esteem and an ability to communicate, especially among the Mexican-American students, she wanted to learn more about teaching writing. So she enrolled in the graduate English program at Our Lady of the Lake University in 1989. Gonzales Bertrand was informed on the first day of class that a "good writing teacher is a writer herself." Ultimately those words would lead Diane towards a goal of writing for publication. Graduate school was not only a creative and intellectual challenge, it was also an economic challenge. Determined to complete her education, Diane wrote a variety of scholarship essays to help with her tuition, and not only received assistance from the American Association of University Women and the San Antonio Women's Club, but also won a National Hispanic Scholarship Award.
During graduate school, Diane wrote and published two novels with Avalon Books, a small publishing house in New York City. The main characters were Mexican-Americans, something new in popular romantic fiction. "When I couldn't find any romances with Mexican-American characters, I decided to write my own. Mexican-American people, the young women especially, need to see us reflected in a positive way in books. My lead characters are always educated, they are creative in solving their problems, and they always have a sense of humor."
She is the author of two bilingual picture books for children Sip, Slurp, Soup, Soup/Caldo, caldo, caldo (1997), and Family, Familia (1999); two novels for middle and high school audiences, Sweet Fifteen (1995) and Lessons of the Game (1999); a critically-acclaimed novel for middle school students, Trino's Choice (1999), which was named Best Book of the Year in the young adult category by ForeWord Magazine; and an intermediate novel, Alicia's Treasure (1996).
Married, with two children, Gonzales Bertrand is Writer in Residence at St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas, where she teaches creative writing. For additional information about Diane, click here.
Reviews
Alicia's Treasure
Diane Gonzales Bertrand
Alicia's the tag-along little sister on her brother's trip to the beach with his girlfriend and her family. It's a large and expansive family, burgeoning with kids and hugs and food, and Alicia is, to say the least, a bit overwhelmed. This could be any old beach trip, except she's never been to the beach before. Between sand in her mouth and tar on her new bathing suit, it's quite an experience. Alicia is a sweet protagonist, and Bertrand tells the tale simply and with character. The story transcends cultural limitations, yet the book portrays the Latino family honestly and vividly. 1996, Piñata Books, Ages 10 up, $14.95 and $5.95. Reviewer: Uma Krishnaswami
ISBN: 1-55885-086-4
ISBN: 1-55885-085-6
Family, Familia
Diane Gonzales Bertrand
Illustrations by Pauline Rodriguez Howard
Translated by Julia Mercedes Castilla
The text is in English followed by Spanish. Daniel has heard plenty of his father's boring stories about relatives in his extended Gonzalez family but his attitude changes when he accompanies his family to San Antonio for a huge reunion. There, among the lavish food tables, the mariachis playing Mexican songs, and the children breaking a piñata, Daniel makes a new friend with whom he trades candy and tosses the baseball around. When he also wins the raffle prize, a framed picture of his great-great-grandparents, he looks as if he'll eagerly look forward to the next gathering. Sharp eyes may note that Daniel's raffle ticket number shown in an earlier illustration doesn't match the later winning number. But that aside, Howard's warm and realistic colored pencil and watercolor illustrations show the various intermingled Gonzalez families joyfully celebrating, dancing, and chatting together in a park on a sunstruck day. All in all, a fine addition to the shelf of family celebration books and a good discussion starter about what families do for fun when they get together. 1999, Pinata Books/Arte Publico Press, Ages 7 to 11, $14.95. Reviewer: Susan Hepler
ISBN: 1-55885-269-7
Lessons of the Game
Diane Gonzales Bertrand
Kaylene Morales was excited to start her first job as a student teacher at Leon Creek School. But her glee quickly turned to embarrassment. While attempting to break up a fight between two students, she accidentally doused a fellow teacher, Alex Garrison, with water. It turns out that Kaylene knew Alex years before when she had a crush on him. Now, he is an assistant football coach at the same school she is beginning her teaching career. This well-textured novel traces the relationship between the two old friends, from this awkward encounter to love affair. Their ups and downs are ably described by the author who wonderfully outlines the issues confronting them, including those of workplace romance and the seemingly round the clock demands of Alex's coaching job. Although the author occasionally describes Kaylene perhaps too traditionally, as looking to please her 'man,' their relationship and its inherent compromises are artfully sketched, in a way that young readers will appreciate and relate to. 1998, Piñata Books, Ages 10 up, $9.95. Reviewer: Bruce Adelson
ISBN: 1-55885-245-X
Sip, Slurp, Soup, Soup, Caldo, Caldo, Caldo
Diane Gonzales Bertrand
Illustrated by Alex Pardo DeLange
Rainy Saturday mornings are special in this family's house because Mama takes out her special soup pot. When the tall, dark soup pot arrives, they know that it will be a caldo (soup) day. Mama's savory soup is sure to cure any ailment and warm even the coldest of eaters. Join the family as they gather and combine the special soup ingredients and anticipate the taste of the finished product. The text is written in English at the top of the page and Spanish on the bottom. The story is filled with rich Spanish traditions and a beautiful mixture of the English and Spanish languages. The bright illustrations are helpful in setting the mood of the festivities. This book would be a perfect addition to a social studies curriculum as well as a multicultural language arts program. A complete recipe for caldo is included which would make a great follow-up activity. 1996, Pinata Books, Ages 6 to 9, $14.95. Reviewer: Susan Hoyle Fournier
ISBN: 1-55885-183-6
Trino's Choice
Diane Gonzales Bertrand
Trino doesn't have much use for "school types." With a deceased father, a mother who works two jobs, three younger brothers, and a deadbeat cousin to worry about, he doesn't have much use for anything. It's too much to handle for a seventh-grader. When Trino inadvertently becomes the only witness to a brutal beating, he finds himself the target of a group of thugs, who threaten to kill him if he squeals. Running from the thugs, Trino takes refuge in a bookshop where he is befriended by a group of the "school types" he abhors and later, by an enigmatic poet who seems to see right through him. For the first time, Trino understands that he has choices, that it is possible to make decisions that will help him escape a life of crime and poverty. But the right choices are sometimes the hardest to make; it takes a violent tragedy, and the help of a pretty young girl, for Trino to take the first steps to a productive life. 1999, Piñata Books/Arte Publico Press, Ages 10 to 14, $9.95. Reviewer: Christopher Moning
ISBN: 1-55885-268-9
Added 1999
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