Inspired by the Blessed Mother Teresa who guided her writing, Emma’s childhood memories allow us to share the ups and downs, the joys, the sadness, of the migrant life in the U.S. in the late 1950s & 60s. Through her gifted use of imagery, Emma tells the dynamic stories of her struggles in short, vivid vignettes that allows the reader to experience her life through the eyes of a child. American born Emma Gonzalez was trapped in the nomadic lifestyle of her naturalized migrant American family. Her stories expose her family’s situation that spiraled downward economically for ten migrant years. She was dragged from Ovid, Colorado to Texas, to California, the only child of the later in life marriage, decades younger than her half siblings. Alienation from her family is constant in her writing, she felt the family held her significance to the equivalent of the field mice she played with in the fields. She resisted and educated herself. By fate, a Japanese farmer literally saved her life. Emma had hope, symbolized by the wearing of her faux pearls, she focusing on a better life. The only place where she had stability was in Ovid, her teachers, classmates and the town’s people “adopted” this lost migrant kid. (Spanish version coming soon)
About the Author: Emma Gonzalez
American born Emma Gonzalez lives in Edinburg, Texas, though she grew up in Ovid, Colorado as a migrant kid while her family toiled in the sugar beet fields. Her later in life writing career was inspired by Blessed Mother Teresa. Emma published her first book "Field Mice: Memoirs of a Migrant Child and Field Mice: Memoirs of a Migrant Child Children's Edition" in 2015, her true life experiences of a migrant child and that of her family's during ten tumultuous years as migrants. Her sequel, "Paths of Pearls, After the Migrant Years" (2017) depicts Emma at age 15, as she struggles to shoulder the financial burdens after her father's death, to support her mother and herself, and fight to pursue her education and happiness. She draws strength from her past to survive this new, unsettling life. Her works have been selected by RiverSedge: A Journal of Art & Literature published by the University of Texas-Rio Grand Valley, Edinburg, Texas. Emma shares her life's story with migrant students to motivate them to stay in school, to reach for the stars, and for migrant parents, she offers heart-felt advice from her experiences. Emma lives with her husband of 45 years, loves to travel and is close to her children & grandchildren.
Reviews/Quotes
"Field Mice: Memoirs of a Migrant Child" is a must read. It serves as a reminder of the hellish work that our families of migrant workers of past and present have endured and continue to do so. It is educational about the way of life of people who help feed the world, but at times themselves go to bed hungry. "Field Mice" will make you laugh, make you sad, but will inspire you to try harder to succeed in life and not give up on your goals and dreams; to realize the importance of a good education, and always believe, "Que Si Se Puede!" ("It can be done!") Finally, like all good things in life, you hate to get to the end of it.- Jose Maria De Leon Hernandez "Little Joe," - Little Joe Y La Familia "Field Mice: Memoirs of a Migrant Child" has been an inspiring novel to read by someone who has never been a migrant worker but has worked with migrant families and students for 11 years. Emma Gonzalez, in my opinion, is a courageous and gifted author who has been able to keep the audience's attention in a spellbound captivating way by sharing her true life experiences. This book is so unique given the fact that there is no other book in print currently that is able to speak to the horrific experiences our migrant workers have to endure. Emma has a beautiful way of expressing herself in writing and in person to an audience of students and parents that have and are currently living in the same conditions in which Emma shared in her memoirs. She makes everyone feel as though they have a story to tell that deserves to be heard. As Emma herself proclaimed so eloquently, "When friendship turns up unexpectedly, be open to receive it because magic is what you make of what's given." Emma is definitely "open" to becoming a friend to every person to whom she speaks, and she is able to share the exact words that person needs to hear. I hope Emma continues to share vivid stories with her audience as she allows her writing to heal her from the past. I can't wait to read her next masterpiece! Thank you, Emma, for speaking with courage and from your heart! - Linda Aranda. M. Ed., Migrant Education Specialist, Education Service Center, Region 6 Huntsville, Texas 77341
Additional information
Book Author
Emma Gonzalez
Publisher
Language
English
ISBN
978-1517496975
Pages
175
Format
Paperback
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