Dear 6th Grade Families,
This quarter, we will be reading Summer of the Mariposas. This is a nationally bestselling book by Guadalupe Garcia McCall, which has won several youth literature awards. The book follows five sisters on a Mexican American retelling of The Odyssey. The story takes the sisters on a journey to find themselves, each other, and their family. Using the hero’s journey structure and Homer’s Odyssey as inspiration, McCall creates a world in which Mexican folklore and Aztec legends are woven into the more realistic experiences of Odilia and her sisters. Over the course of the unit, students consider how characters change and develop, compare McCall’s retelling to episodes from Homer’s Odyssey, contrast the sisters' fictional journey to the non-fiction account of a migrant boy’s journey, and research Aztec mythology.
Here are some conversation starters that you can use during this unit to promote discussion and encourage continued learning with your student.
1. How would you describe the relationship between the sisters in Summer of the Mariposas? What about their relationships with others, including their mother and father? How do those relationships change throughout the novel?
2. What are some of the stages of the hero’s journey? Can you give me an example of how someone or something from Summer of the Mariposas fits into one of the stages?
3. McCall includes a number of Aztec or Mexican mythical characters. Why do you think she includes them? Who are some characters from your culture or heritage that might be interesting to include in a book or movie?
4. Who do you think the hero is in Summer of the Mariposas, and why? What qualities help her to be successful in difficult situations?