Authors
“Alejandra gives us a gift of courage and endurance… A magnificent book and model for all ages, schools and communities.”
–Juan Felipe Herrera, Poet Laureate of the USA, Emeritus
“Lyrically written for kids of all backgrounds, For All is a riveting story that is more important than ever in these times.”
–Innosanto Nagara, Bestselling Author of A is for Activist, Oh the Places You’ll Go, and others
“For All/Para Todos is an indispensable book. And it is, literally, for all: bilingual, full of hope and important lessons… It’s a book that goes out from one heart to another. Yes, it’s a children’s book, but it moves us all.”
–Jorge Ramos, Writer/Anchor Univision News
“For All is a tender and captivating story about a migrant family and their journey for justice. This rhyming picture book with beautiful illustrations is a needed addition to the many literary voices we must raise to stop the criminalization of migration.”
–Aida Salazar, award winning author of Land Of The Cranes and others
“For All chronicles with compassion and hope the hardships and injustices that an immigrant father and his daughter face. The book thoughtfully reflects the reality of millions of people across the United States whose story rarely gets told.”
–Duncan Tonatiuh, award winning author of Undocumented: A Worker’s Fight; Separate is Never Equal, and others
“Alejandra’s educational recipe brilliantly combines the ingredients the next generation of Americans needs to know… If we are ever to live up to our ideals as a nation of immigrants, it’ll be due to more teachers and parents teaching, and children learning, the timeless lessons in For All/Para Todos.”
–Charles Kamasaki, Fellow, Migration Policy Institute & author of Immigration Reform: The Corpse That Will Not Die
Educators
“This bilingual book with a focus on immigrant rights is very relevant and urgent for our times. I believe that it will help our children to become strong, positive and caring world changers…”
–Dr. Santiago Wood, Executive Director, National Association of Bilingual Educators
“The book works on so many levels: there’s immigration, moving, a strong female character, the power of writing, and a call to action. Every language arts teacher should have this book.”
–Bill Morgan, California Federation of Teachers and Labor in the Schools
“This beautifully written bilingual book gives voice to the experience of so many people… For students and for their parents and teachers, For All/Para Todos is a rich resource for conversation, validation, and inspiration.”
–Dr. Deborah Palmer, Professor, Equity, Bilingualism and Biliteracy, University of Colorado, Boulder
Immigration leaders/policy makers
“For All/Para Todos reminds us how my father spent his life inspiring poor people how to stand up for what they believe in.”
—Paul F. Chavez, President, Cesar Chavez Foundation
“As an immigrant myself, the book brought tears of joy thinking of the thousands of young Flors who will see themselves in this book and realize they too can make a difference.”
–Julieta Garibay, Co-founder of United We Dream
“Para Todos is a gift to the world…Para Todos will make you smile, cry, and reflect, and it will teach the little ones how migration is a difficult act rooted in love and dreams.”
–María Gabriela “Gaby” Pacheco, Program Director, TheDREAM.US; first undocumented Latina to testify before Congress
“Stories like this allows us to have a real conversation about the humanity, courage and resilience in the immigrant community. That’s exactly what we need in this moment to be able to change the hearts and minds of the American public on this issue.”
–Erika Andiola, Chief Advocacy Officer, RAICES
“A powerful story…Everyone should read this book before they opine on the fate of Dreamers.”
–Carlos Gutierrez, Former U.S. Secretary of Commerce Co-founder of TheDREAM.US
“For All/Para Todos is a beautifully written book for children and adults alike and will be instrumental in helping new generations understand what immigrant children and their families experience.”
–Marielena Hincapié, Executive Director, National Immigration Law Center
“Joyful, inspiring, uplifting and real…A needed story for every American family who believes the enduring symbol of our country is not the barbed wire fence; it is the Statue of Liberty.”
–Martin O’Malley, 61st Governor of Maryland
Labor rights leaders/ policy makers
“This is a beautiful, powerful book… This story is a great tool for educators and will inspire children to share their stories… This book should be in every library, school, and home.”
–Julie Su, California Secretary of Labor, currently Biden’s nominee for U.S. Deputy Secretary of Labor
“This timely book captures the hidden realities faced by immigrants, and lifts up their brave efforts to pursue justice for all. A must read for our times.”
–Teresa Romero, President, United Farm Workers
“An important contribution–very few children’s books address health and safety issues faced by workers today, and also how immigrants are fighting for their rights!”
–Jessica Martinez, Co-Executive Director of the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health
Review sites
Social Justice Books/ Teaching for Change
“For All Para Todos brings attention to the underrepresentation of immigrants, underscoring their particular struggles of social and economic disparity, cultural and lifestyle differences, the fear and threat of deportation, isolation and exclusion, the pressure to succeed, and the risk of exercising your voice to fight for equality. Being bilingual and utilizing a lyrical rhyme scheme makes the book accessible and appealing to all children. The book also inspires children to ask important questions, as Flor does, about who is being represented and accepted and who is being erased and rejected by the systems and policies held in society. The book motivates children to use their voices for social change.”
“…The takeaway of this book aligns with the critical race theoretical principle of critiquing liberalism and therefore questioning who is being left out of the laws and policies in place. This also relates to the concept of structural determinism, the idea that our system is ill-equipped to redress certain wrongs, including those against immigrants…This book is highly recommended.”
“Children’s books about social justice issues often try too hard to make the story neat and tidy for young readers. That’s not the case in For All/Para Todos, which encourages children and adults to join in the fight for immigrant rights rather than implying problems have been fixed.
As a child in Mexico, Flor sees all kinds of images showing what life is supposedly like “over there” in the United States. When she and her father are fall on hard times and are forced to immigrate, they begin to see the ways that those images didn’t tell the whole story.
Flor’s father works all the time, but they still don’t have piles of presents under the Christmas tree. Her father reveals the truth that the rules she believed in don’t apply to them because they are undocumented. (Children can see get an idea of what this means through several illustrations of Dad holding papers with large red X’s on them.)
As Flor learns that “justice for all” is really “justice for some,” she decides to use her growing gift at writing to work for change. This book is a powerful explanation of community organizing that is rarely seen in children’s literature. (Recommended for ages 5 -9. Mexican-American author. Bilingual Spanish-English edition. Royalties for this book are being donated to RAICES.)”
Lit Pick Five Star Review
“For All/Para Todos is a revolutionary story about a young girl’s pursuit for justice. This book is perfect for readers of all ages because it offers lessons that are valuable in any stage of life. The picture book examines the struggles of immigrants and their fight to achieve a better life. The author also includes various scenarios where Flor is tested and challenged, and she chooses to persevere. This gives readers hope in whatever struggles they are going through at the time. Readers can connect to Flor as an immigrant, a daughter, or a student. Each reader can take something away from this book whether it is inspiration or information about immigration. Ultimately, this book offers readers an educational experience through the addition of Spanish-translated text and valuable lessons about justice, strength, and hope.”
The Children’s Book Review:
“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… 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. “
California Federation of Teachers:
“There are books about strong, determined girls…[others] speak to the immigrant experience, and to the power of writing, respectively. It is remarkable, though, to find a children’s book that does all of these things, and does them all so well…It’s all here. Strong Female. Social Justice. Metaphor for the Immigrant Experience. And Writing. I used tell my students that every time they put pencil (or green pen) to paper, they changed the world. So be it. Here’s to more Flors and more excellent books like For All/Para Todos.”
Kirkus
“The story…effectively emphasizes some basic, persistent fears of struggling immigrant families…simple, sparsely colored illustrations… add richness to the tale.”