Becoming Maria: Love and Chaos in the South Bronx

In 'Becoming Maria,' Emmy Award-winning actress and writer Sonia Manzano, beloved as 'Maria' from Sesame Street, offers a beautifully crafted memoir of her childhood in the 1950s South Bronx. She vividly portrays a loving yet troubled Latino family, grappling with an alcoholic father and the 'squalor' of their neighborhood. The narrative follows young Sonia as she finds escape and inspiration in television, nurturing her dream of becoming an actress. This book is a powerful testament to resilience, cultural identity, and the pursuit of dreams against challenging odds, offering a poignant and ultimately hopeful look at a girl's journey to self-discovery.

Set in the 1950s in the Bronx, this is the story of a girl with a dream. Emmy award-winning actress and writer Sonia Manzano plunges us into the daily lives of a Latino family that is loving--and troubled. This is Sonia's own story rendered with an unforgettable narrative power. When readers meet young Sonia, she is a child living amidst the squalor of a boisterous home that is filled with noisy relatives and nosy neighbors. Each day she is glued to the TV screen that blots out the painful realities of her existence and also illuminates the possibilities that lie ahead. But--click!--when the TV goes off, Sonia is taken back to real-life--the cramped, colorful world of her neighborhood and an alcoholic father.