The Wind Called My Name

By Mary Louise Sanchez
Hardcover: $20.95

In this heartwarming historical middle-grade set in the 1930s — perfect for fans of Esperanza Rising and Hattie Big Sky— Margarita Sandoval and her family try to navigate the shifting winds of belonging in their new Wyoming town.

Audiobook Edition

Description

Some days, ten-year-old Margaríta Sandoval feels as if the wind might blow her away. The country has been gripped by the Great Depression, so times are hard everywhere. Then she has to leave her família in New Mexico — especially her beloved Abuelita — to move to Fort Steele, Wyoming, where her father has taken a job on the railroad.

When Margaríta meets Evangeline, she’s excited to have a friend her own age in Wyoming. But it often seems like Evangeline, and everyone else in town, doesn’t understand or appreciate the Sandovals’ Hispanic heritage. At the same time, the Sandovals discover they might lose Abuelita’s land and their ancestral home unless they can pay off her tax bill. Can Margaríta keep her friend, help her family in New Mexico, and find a place in Fort Steele for good?

About the Creators

Mary Louise Sanchez

Mary Louise Sanchez is a retired schoolteacher and librarian. The Wind Called My Name, her debut novel, is based in part on her family history, particularly the life of her mother, who grew up in Wyoming in the 1930s. A winner of the Tu Books New Visions Award, Mary Louise lives with her husband near Denver, Colorado.

Awards

  • CCBC Choices

    Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC)

Reviews

  • "Margarita tells her story with warmth, honesty, and compassion, and through her portrait of saints and sinners, we recognize ourselves among them. The Wind Called My Name opens minds, warms the heart, and renews our faith in one another."

    - Clare Vanderpool, Newbery Medal-winning author of Moon Over Manifest
  • "This is an important book for our time, compelling and touching. As Mamá would say, '¡Que bueno!'"

    - Karen Cushman, Newbery Medal-winning author of The Midwife's Apprentice
  • "A hopeful historical story with a strong heroine."

    - Booklist
  • "An industrious, clever, and plucky protagonist worth rooting for."

    - Kirkus Reviews
  • "Debut author Sanchez, a winner of the SCBWI Emerging Voices Award, has created a rich slice-of-life tale with a protagonist who learns to advocate for herself and her family."

    - Publishers Weekly
  • "A much-needed and well-written addition to the slate of middle grade novels set during the Great Depression."

    - School Library Journal

Hardcover

  • ISBN 9781620147801
  • Publication Date Oct 30, 2018
  • Trim Size 7.5 × 5 in
  • Weight 0.875 lbs
  • Page Count 288
  • Interests

  • Audience Middle Grade
  • BISAC Category 1 JUV / People & Places / United States / Hispanic & Latino
  • BISAC Category 2 JUV / Historical / United States / 20th Century
  • BISAC Category 3 JUV / Social Themes / Friendship
  • Themes Childhood Experiences and Memories, Courage, Cultural Diversity, Discrimination, Empathy / Compassion, Families, Fiction, Forgiveness, Friendship, Grandparents, History & Civics, Home, Identity / Self Esteem / Confidence, Immigration, Latinx / Latino / Hispanic, Middle Grade, Neighbors, Overcoming Obstacles, Persistence / Grit, Poverty, Respect / Citizenship, Social & Emotional Learning, United States History
  • Reading Levels

  • Age Range Ages 8 - 12
  • Grade Range Grades 3 - 7
  • Guided Reading V
  • ATOS Book Level 8
  • DRA 50
  • Interest Level Grades 4 - 8
  • Lexile Code HL
  • Lexile Level 700
  • Reading Level Grades 3 - 7
  • Bebop Reading Fluent
  • This Book is Included in These Collections:

    • 60
      Social and Emotional Learning Collection
      Collection of 60 books: $958.00

      441 in stock

    • 107
      High-Low Books for Teens: Middle and High School
      Collection of 107 books: $1,639.70