Becoming Naomi León by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Becoming Naomi León ~

Pre-reading:

On the cover, we see a little travel trailer, a girl sitting under a tree and a tiny lion (puppy?)

Introduction

Reading the introduction we learn that Naomi's full name is Naomi Soledad León Outlaw.  The meaning of her full name is:

Naomi - beautiful

Soledad - that's a Spanish cognate: Solitude

León - Lion

Outlaw - meaning outside of the law, or bandit

Naomi mentions that she thinks her name is a problem, do you think she likes it?

Chapter 1 

We are introduced to Naomi and her small family, Gram and Owen.  They live in the little travel trailer that Gram calls "Baby Beluga." Naomi is half Mexican and half White - specifically from Oklahoma.

We learn a bit about what her Gram teaches her, that if she thinks in a positive way, focuses on what she wants and how she wants to achieve it, and practices that she will eventually become it.  She gives the example of saying; "I am the best speller in the whole school;" practicing that then eventually becoming the best speller in the school will happen.

We also learn that she seems to worry a lot, enjoys going to the library, and that she enjoys making lists.  One of these lists is a list of Splendid words.  In this chapter, we come across two words that make it into her splendid words list.  One of them is sanctuary (there's a word that's very similar to this one in Spanish--- do you know it?) and the other is flourish.

Time to write back!  

Let's use this blogger account as a way to respond to our reading.  You may write about any of the following questions:

• What else did we learn about Naomi?  
• Why do you think Naomi worries so much?  
• What do we know about Owen and Gram? 
• What do you think the title of the book means?

~ Raff