Book Club Guide for Speak Up, Santiago!
Speak Up, Santiago!
By Julio Anta & Gabi Mendez
For Ages 8-12
Genre: Graphic Novel & Realistic Fiction
Santiago is excited to spend the summer with his abuela, eating her delicious food, meeting new kids, and playing soccer, but is nervous that his subpar Spanish skills make him less Colombian than the rest. When his worries take hold, it just might cost him friendships or worse. Speak Up, Santiago! by Julio Anta and Gabi Mendez is an excellent choice for tween book clubs and discussions about fitting in, friends, and family. Use these discussion questions, snacks, and activity ideas to enhance your next book club!
Discussion Questions for Speak Up, Santiago!
Get participants engaging with these discussion questions. Need more? See The Youth Desk’s Book Clubs page for general fiction and nonfiction questions.
- What did you think – thumbs up or thumbs down for Speak Up, Santiago!? Why or why not?!
- Have you tried learning a new language? What is the most challenging part for you?
- Did you try reading the Spanish word bubbles?
- Where do the kids take Santiago on their Hillside Valley tour?
- The print shop, karate school, secret gas station library, Hillside Valley Middle School, Howell Trailhead with stops at the Stony Point Waterfall, Washburn Bridge, and finally the Hillside Valley Secret Soccer Club.
- If you had to show a new kid around your town, which locations would you take them to?
- If you could find or start a secret club, what would it be about?
- Santiago complained about waking at 8:00 am on a Sunday. Is that late or early to you? What time do you usually get up on the weekends?
- Santiago’s abuela has a family recipe book that is very special to her. What recipes does your family love? Have you ever made a family recipe?
- Do you think you would have gotten as upset as Santiago when he overheard his abuela’s friends talking about him?
- Do you think you’d be able to take care of your grandma or grandpa without help from your parents if they injured themselves?
- Santiago felt uncomfortable because he wasn’t as fluent in Spanish as people assumed him to be. In the Artist’s Note at the end of the book, the illustrator Gabi Menendez said language isn’t the only aspect of culture, “Culture means so many things! You belong by just being you…” Are there times you feel like you don’t fit in with your culture or those around you?
- Will you read the sequel to Speak Up, Santiago!?
Speak Up, Santiago! Snacks
Ice Pops
When the kids give Santiago a tour of Hillside Valley, they stop at the gas station, where Sol’s sister, Luna, gives them free ice pops (aka popsicles).
A variety of delicious Colombian foods are also featured in the story, including pan de bono (Colombian cheese bread, p. 103) and sopa de Lentejas (lentil soup), which Santiago makes for his abuela (p. 182). When Santiago first arrives in Hillside Valley, his abuela makes his favorite foods: shredded beef, coconut rice, fried plantains, and cheese fritters, p. 34.
Speak Up, Santiago! Activities
Spanish Library Scavenger Hunt
Do your attendees know Spanish as well as Santiago? Challenge them to find things around the library that you’ve labeled in Spanish! Feel free to use my Spanish Library Scavenger Hunt, which includes a printable hunt sheet for attendees and labels for you.
How to Draw a Soccer Ball
You can’t discuss a graphic novel without trying your hand at illustrating! Provide attendees with white paper and black crayons or markers and challenge them to draw a soccer ball. After they’ve given it a try, show them this video to see if it improves their artwork! They may have their own tips to share with the group, too.
Speak Up, Santiago! Read-Alikes
If your readers loved Speak Up, Santiago!, they’ll also enjoy:
