Use these links to supplement and complement students’ reading of the work and to increase their overall enjoyment of literature. Challenge them to discern parallel themes, engage through visual and aural stimuli, and delve deeper into the thematic possibilities presented by the title.

Recommended Texts for Pairing

Crying in the Bathroom: A Memoir

• a 2022 memoir by Erika L. Sánchez
• similar to I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter in terms of content

The House on Mango Street

• a 1984 novel by Sandra Cisneros
• similar in character and setting to the novel
• The House on Mango Street on SuperSummary

The Tortilla Curtain

• a 1995 novel by T.C. Boyle
• relates to the themes of Mexican American communities as well as violence at the U.S.-Mexico border
• The Tortilla Curtain on SuperSummary

Other Student Resources

Scene between Julia and Amá from Steppenwolf Theatre Company

• a scene from the stage version of the novel, performed during the Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s 2019/2020 season
• relates to the same themes of the novel

Interview with Erika L. Sánchez

• an in-depth interview with the novel’s author during the Chicago Humanities Festival in 2017
• relates to the novel’s themes

Real Women Have Curves

• the IMDb webpage of the 2002 movie with actress America Ferrera
• relates to themes from the novel

Teacher Resources

Recognizing Signs of Self-Harm

• National Alliance on Mental Illness article on self-harm
• an important resource for those who might be self-harming, or to recognize the signs of self-harm in another person

Teaching Material with Trigger Warnings

• University of Waterloo’s article on teaching material that might be triggering
• provides tips and resources for educators who are planning lessons with potentially triggering topics