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A review by joemcduck
Becoming Maria: Love and Chaos in the South Bronx: Love and Chaos in the South Bronx by Sonia Manzano
4.0
This is great personal narrative. I don’t really know what else to say about it. The stories are well told, well chosen and well organized with personality and humanity.
I feel like addressing something I’ve seen in other reviews. Pretend this book’s subtitle is its title. It doesn’t have anything to do with a Sesame Street character, or with Sesame Street. You will be disappointed and/or shocked if that is what you expect. The book deals realistically with a life that is not packaged on a kids' TV program. (Having said that, it's still of course interesting, and perhaps primarily so, in the sense of already "knowing the ending" in terms of being aware of her 45-year career performing and writing for the show.)
Manzano reads her own audio version. That adds a degree of authenticity (since it’s a voice you may know well and identify with) although at times the reading feels very deliberate.
I feel like addressing something I’ve seen in other reviews. Pretend this book’s subtitle is its title. It doesn’t have anything to do with a Sesame Street character, or with Sesame Street. You will be disappointed and/or shocked if that is what you expect. The book deals realistically with a life that is not packaged on a kids' TV program. (Having said that, it's still of course interesting, and perhaps primarily so, in the sense of already "knowing the ending" in terms of being aware of her 45-year career performing and writing for the show.)
Manzano reads her own audio version. That adds a degree of authenticity (since it’s a voice you may know well and identify with) although at times the reading feels very deliberate.