I hope Efrén Divided strikes a chord with any Latinx child who yearns to see themselves represented in books. Please finish the following sentence starters: Sadly, Efrén’s story is a reoccurring theme I see too often in the lives of the students I teach.

However, at home, Efrén puts on a brave face as he struggles to look after his brother and sister once his mother is taken away. At school, he is a happy, kind-hearted student who loves reading-the kind every teacher would love to have in his/her classroom. Like the cover suggests, Efrén’s life is divided. Jay did not simply create a beautiful cover, her concept absolutely captured the essence of the story. To answer your question, it was not so much a thought, but a mixture of joy and disbelief. I have been a fan of your efforts helping to spread the love of reading to children everywhere. What went through your head (or heart) the first time you saw it?Įrnesto Cisneros: Thank you for having me. I’ve gone back to my email inbox to look at it multiple times since you sent it to me two weeks ago. to share Jay Bendt’s powerful, memorable, and poignant cover illustration for Efrén Divided. Hello, Ernesto Cisneros! I am GRATEFUL you dropped by Watch.

Efren divided book cover