That Girl on TV Could Be Me!: The Journey of a Latina News Anchor

Gr 1-3–Ordaz, who grew up near Sacramento, CA, is the daughter of Mexican parents who immigrated to the United States to provide a better life for their family. As a young girl, Ordaz dreamed of working on TV but was shy. Her parents offered words of encouragement by advising her to work hard and attend college. After high school, she enrolled in Sacramento State and studied Communications. After completing an internship with Channel 3 in Sacramento and graduating college, she accepted a job in Elko, NE. After a year, Ordaz became homesick. She worked at KGET in Bakersfield, CA, and the Fox station in Fresno, CA, before finally becoming a reporter for Channel 3. This bilingual narrative is organized in paragraphs of three to six lines, with a literal Spanish translation that, at times, lacks the accuracy of that language by trying to match the English text word for word. The story progresses at a lively pace. The vibrant illustrations, which utilize neutral and composite colors, showcase expressive characters and scenes of news stories. The style evokes anime and manga. This title could be suitable for an independent reader or used in a read-aloud activity in the classroom, or for story time in the public library. A glossary is included.