Nine-year-old José Luís feels very much at home in el barrio, his neighborhood in San Francisco's Mission District. On his daily walks between his house and Cesar Chavez Elementary School, he passes brightly colored murals that tell the history of his people, both in his parent's native country, Mexico, and in José's country, the United States. In the neighborhood his culture is frequently celebrated with community fiestas and in school he learns not only about his own heritage, but about those of his African American and Asian American classmates. Over the course of several months, George Ancona documents José's life in el barrio with a concise text and with stunning color photographs that bring the neighborhood to life. (Ages 5-10)

Welcome to José's neighborhood. In his barrio, people speak an easy mix of Spanish and English and sometimes even Chinese. The masked revelry of Halloween leads into the festive remembrances of the Day of the Dead. And murals on the walls and buildings sing out the stories of the people who live here. As familiar as any neighborhood yet as strange as a foreign country, Jose's barrio isn't in Mexico or Argentina--it's in San Francisco. Award-winning author and photographer George Ancona follows José through a season in the barrio, and in the process gives readers a glimpse of a community as rich and varied as America itself.