For Black History Month, Welsh Valley welcomed author and teacher, Torrey Maldonado!
On February 20th Mr. Maldonado himself came to Welsh Valley.
He held a writer’s workshop during ninth period for 5th and 6th grade, while the 5th to 8th graders participated in a live Q&A session in the library during I/E.
Here’s an overview of his work.
Secret Saturdays his first book follows the journey of Justin and Sean. Justin notices his best friend Sean has been acting weird, getting into trouble at school, telling lies and hanging out with the wrong crowd. Justin discovers that Sean has been seeing his father in prison. Will Justin be able to help Sean in what he’s going through. To find out more check out Secret Saturdays in the Welsh Valley Library.
Eight years later Torrey wrote his second book Tight. Tight follows Bryan as his friend Mike is peer pressuring him into doing stuff he doesn’t normally do like hopping turnstiles, subway surfing, and getting into all kinds of trouble. Will Bryan be able to resist Mike’s peer pressure or will he succumb into this madness. To find out more grab a copy of Tight from the Welsh Valley Library.
In Torrey Maldonado’s third book, What Lane? Stephen is questioning whether or not he can do everything his friends can. As a mixed kid, he often feels like he’s living in two worlds at once, worlds with very different rules. So when his friends decide to break into an abandoned building, he isn’t sure if it’s his lane, but he doesn’t know what his lane is. So in the end, he goes. But still, one question lingers in his head: Can he do everything his friends can? He’s starting to realize that he’s treated differently than his white friends…..
Torrey’s most recent book is titled Hands. It tells the fictional story of a twelve-year-old boy as he learns to handle conflicts without using his hands. It is told through brief chapters, simple words, making it an easy read and a fast-paced narrative. It is told from the perspective of young Trevor, a caring boy who shows his love for his community comes out clearly in the first-person narration.
