LEARNING ABOUT
MICHELLE MARKEL

I've always felt steeped in two cultures. I was born in America, but my grandparents came from Russia and Eastern Europe. I knew my heritage was different than the kids I went to school with.

My father loved to travel and taught me to appreciate other cultures. In college I studied French, Spanish, and journalism. As an intern at the Los Angeles Times, I wrote articles about immigrants from Central America and other parts of the world. The stories were about their adjustment, their problems and their dreams for a better life. In the back of my mind, I remembered how my grandmother painstakingly taught herself English, and how my uncle could only speak Yiddish on his first day of kindergarten.

After my daughters were born, I became familiar with Central American women who worked as babysitters in my neighborhood. I was touched by the love I saw between them and the children they cared for. This was the inspiration for my picture book Gracias, Rosa. Now when I visit schools, I share my experience that we can be enriched by our contact with other cultures.

Michelle Markel has an MA in French Literature from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA,) a BA in French from the University of Southern California (USC,) and a BA in journalism from California State University, Northridge. During her junior year she studied and traveled extensively in Europe.

Michelle. Markel's publications have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, and other newspapers and magazines. She has worked as a journalist, a translator at the 1984 Olympics, and a teacher of French and creative writing.

Michelle Markel is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, the California Reading Association, the Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People and the Children's Authors Network.

".. .this picture book tells a contemporary story about the special friendship that develops between a young girl and her Latina babysitter, and the cultural bridge that is built through their relationship."
Booklist. June 1/15, 1995, pp.1787-88.

"Heartwarming . . .Through the well-written, first-person narrative, children learn about friendship, a different culture and a new language."
School Library Journal

"Gentle watercolors capture the evolving friendship in this affectionate story."
The Horn Book Guide

"Rosa's loving stories teach Kate and the reader much about the rich Guatemalan culture and Rosa's personal experiences. Lush watercolor illustrations enhance the cultural beauty and tenderness of this story."
Association for Childhood Education International

IDEA SHEET FOR GRATIAS, ROSA DEVELOPED BY MICHELLE MARKEL

Anyone may download this Idea Sheet for use at home, in classrooms or libraries.

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. Why didn't Kate want Rosa to be her babysitter?
2. Kate said Rosa had a different way of doing things. Explain what she meant.
3. What did Rosa teach Kate about Guatemala?
4. What did Rosa like about Los Angeles? How was it different from where she came from in Guatemala?
5. Why was Rosa crying when she saw that Kate didn't eat her onions?
6. Why did Kate want to give something to Juana?
7. What happened after Rosa went back to Guatemala?

ANALYSIS/SYNTHESIS/EVALUATION QUESTIONS

1. Have you ever had a babysitter? How did you feel the first time someone new cared for you? How did you feel about that person after you got to know them? Was your reaction similar to Kate's?
   
2. Write a paragraph about the first time someone new took care of you.
3. Would you have given a toy for Rosa to give to Juana, if you were in her place?
4. What else could Kate have done? Did she do the right thing? Why or why not?
5. At first, Kate didn't want to have a babysitter who spoke Spanish. Why did her feelings toward Rosa change? What lesson did she learn?
6. Would you like a babysitter like Rosa? Explain.
7. Do you think Rosa should have tried to act like an American, and never tell Kate anything about her country? If you were living in another country, what would you do?
8. How would the story be different if it was told from Rosa's point of view?
9. What are some foods/customs/words you know from Central America?
10. What would the sights and sounds be of a village in Guatemala compared to a city in America?
11. What do you think Rosa and Juana would be doing during the day? What would Kate and her mom be doing?
12. Are there any questions you might like to ask Rosa? Write her a letter.
13. Have you ever met someone from another country? Did they tell you how they do things differently there?
14. If you were going to give something from America to a child from another country, what would it be?

ART ACTIVITIES

1. Draw a picture of Rosa. What 3-6 words would describe her?
2. Draw a picture of the three most important parts of the book. Tell what part you thought was most important, second most important, and third most important.
3. Draw a picture of Kate visiting Rosa in Guatemala.

CONTACTING THE AUTHOR

To arrange TV, radio, conference and school appearances, contact:
Michelle Markel
23291 Mobile Street
West Hills, California 91307