The Spanish-language edition of Lila Quintero-Weaver's highly acclaimed autobiographical graphic novel, Dark Room, about her childhood in a small Alabama town during the Civil Rights Movement La novela gráfico de Lila Quintero-Weaver que obtuvo amplio reconocimiento crítico. Por medio de impresionantes ilustraciones, la autora ofrece una memoria cautivante y conmovedora de la infancia, las relaciones raciales, la etnicidad y la identidad en el sur de los Estados Unidos. Sus dibujos de estilo sutil, pero efectivo, refuerzan dramáticament una sentida narración. En 1961, cuando la autora tenía cinco años, su familia salió de Buenos Aires, Argentina, para emigrar a los Estados Unidos y establecerse en Marion, un pueblo en el corazón del Black Belt de Alabama. En una región definida por la segregación racial, la familia Quintero, por su condición de clase media educada, se halló en una situación privilegiada para observar las tensiones que minaban la cultura y la sociedad en la que vivían. Weaver salió de constancia de lo que signifacaba ser una niña latina en una le las regiones más racistas del sur de los Estados Unidos, tratando de entender tanto un país extranjero, como el horror de las relaciones raciales de nuestra nación. Excluida de las categorías raciales empleadas por entonces, la autora observó desde muy temprana edad las desigualdades de la cultura estadounidense, regida por un ideal de belleza femenina que privilegiaba a la mujer rubia y de ojos azules. A lo largo de su vida, Weaver ha luchado por encontrar su lugar en la sociedad norteamericana cuestionando la discriminación de su entorno. Cuarto oscuro contituye su legado visual y verbal sobre esa lucha. Gr 4–8—The author's Darkroom: A Memoir in Black and White is now available in a remarkable Spanish translation. This graphic novel describes her life as an immigrant from Argentina living in Marion, AL, during the civil rights movement. Weaver does not tell her story chronologically; instead the narrative flits back and forth between indelible images from the present and the past. As a child, she tries to make sense of the protestors at a nearby church. The young Lila interacts with African American students as her school is slowly integrated. Her thoughts on racism is influenced by her point of view as a light-skinned Argentinian who is on the outside and on the receiving end of prejudice. As indicated by the title, the author uses the imagery of photography to tie the narrative together. Her father was an amateur photographer who built makeshift darkrooms wherever the family lived. Vázquez's translation is thoughtful and diligent. This is a stunning, original piece of work distinguished for its design but, more important, for its unique perspective on a very timely subject. VERDICT A strong choice for graphic novel and Spanish-language collections.—Tim Wadham, Children's Literature Consultant, Puyallup, WA Praise for the English edition “A vivid, insightful, and moving illustrated graphic memoir by Weaver. . . . In beautiful gray-shaded drawings, Weaver depicts the reality of the segregated and newly integrated South and her struggle to position herself as an ally to her black classmates, only to find that it’s a path fraught with pitfalls from both sides of the divide.” —Publishers Weekly “A truly incredible look at the civil rights movement. Darkroom offers a double view of that movement. A gem.” —Nikki Giovanni, author of Gemini: An Extended Autobiographical Statement on My First Twenty-Five Years of Being Black Poet and On My Journey Now: Looking at African-American History Through the Spirituals “From the moment I began Darkroom , I felt enveloped and embraced by its drama, tenderness, wit, and wonderful art. It is a visually powerful work whose narrative flow carried me along effortlessly.” —Howard Cruse, author of Stuck Rubber Baby Lila Quintero Weaver is the author and illustrator of Darkroom: A Memoir in Black and White and an upcoming children’s novel. She has lived in Alabama for most of her life. Since publishing Darkroom , she has spoken and lectured widely about her work at colleges and universities across the United States.   Karina Elizabeth Vázquez received her doctorate in Latin American literature from the University of Florida and currently teaches at University of Richmond in Virginia. She is the author of Fogwill: Realismo y mala conciencia and Aprendices, obreros y fabriqueras: el trabajo industrial en la narrativa argentina del siglo XX, and the coeditor of Insomne pasado: lecturas críticas sobre Latinoamérica colonial.