R.I.P. Arturo O. Martinez, 82, in April ("Pedrito's World")

[leno...@yahoo.com]

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/themonitor/obituary.aspx?pid=179811786

First half:

Hoboken, NJ - Arturo O. Martinez of Hoboken, NJ, a Rio Grande City native and a retired journalist and author, died Wednesday, April 27, at his home. He was 82.

Mr. Martinez was a graduate of Rio Grande City High School and attended Pan American College briefly before joining the U. S. Army. He earned a bachelor's degree in journalism at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1959.

He spent more than 40 years in journalism-as a reporter, editor, critic and columnist. Prior joining the staff of The Star Ledger in New Jersey in 1968, he was a reporter for The Alamo Messenger in San Antonio and The Lafayette Advertiser in Louisiana. During three decades at The Star Ledger, he held a variety of posts, including Entertainment and Features Editor for 20 years prior to his retirement in 1998.

During his retirement, he wrote "Pedrito's World," a fictive memoir based on his recollections and family stories from South Texas. The book, published by Texas Tech University Press, received the 2007 Texas Institute of Letters Award. Last year, he published "Pedrito Discovers America," a sequel...



http://educationservicesnews.blogspot.com/2008/02/pedritos-world-by-arturo-o.html
(about "Pedrito's World" - based on his childhood in Texas)

From elsewhere:

"Meet six-year-old Pedrito, who lives on a South Texas farm with his mother, father, and younger sister. The year is 1941, and except for a trip to the big city of San Antonio, five hours away, Pedrito's life is the farm and the school he attends in a village a few miles away. Pedrito's father has the papers he needs to work legally in the United States, but that doesn't stop the Border Patrol from harassing him and his son. Pedrito speaks only Spanish and is frightened on his first day of school when he learns that he must speak English. Luckily his teacher, Miss Garcia, is patient with her students, and soon Pedrito is sharing his new English words with his family. Pedrito also relates his opinion of outhouses vs. indoor plumbing and tells of a happy Easter decorating cascarones."

http://hoboken.bccls.org/html/book_festival_local_authors.htm
(brief bio and photo - scroll down halfway)



Lenona.