Book Description
The life story of Cuban-American journalist and talk-show host, Cristina Saralegui.

Card catalog description
A biography of the Cuban American woman who came to the United States at the age of twelve, studied journalism in college, and went on to become the host of a popular Spanish language talk show seen in over eighteen countries.

From the Publisher
Real-Life Reader Biographies present the lives of contemporary role models for young readers. These are the stories of real men and women who, despite many obstacles, followed their dreams. They are great for elementary-level research and reports and are fun to read, too. The story of Cristina Saralegui is based on author Valerie Menard's personal interviews with Cristina. Numerous photographs in the text were sent to the publisher by Cristina. She has reviewed and approved this story for print.

From the Back Cover
In 1960, the Saralegui family fled Castro's Cuba and headed for safety in the United States. Franciso Saralegui did not tell his children where they were going. There was too much risk the government would find out and stop them at the airport. As the owners of a successful publishing business, the Saraleguis were a target of the new revolutionary government. Private businesses were no longer allowed in Cuba. So Francisco only told his children to pack for vacation. But twelve-year-old Cristina, Francisco's oldest child, knew it would change her life forever. She took the time to memorize every sight and smell of her home. But the frightened little girl never dreamed that one day she would be the host of the most popular, Emmy Award-winning Spanish-language talk show on the Univision network.

About the Author
Valerie Menard has been an editor for Hispanic magazine since the magazine moved to Austin, Texas in July 1994. Before joining the magazine, she was a managing editor of a bilingual weekly, La Prensa. She is a contributing writer to the Mitchell Lane series Famous People of Hispanic Heritage. Valerie writes from a Latino perspective and as an advocate for Latino causes.

Excerpted from Cristina Saralegui : A Real-Life Reader Biography (Real-Life Reader Biography) by Valerie Menard. Copyright © 1997. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved
The family did arrive safely in the United States. But getting used to life there would take a few years. As Cristina puts it, "We came to Miami [Florida], and getting used to living in the United States was a culture shock like you wouldn't believe." With blond hair and green eyes, Cristina looked like many American girls. But her classmates saw her as different. "They treated us like we were savages," she remembers. "The American kids would come up to me and say, 'Man, your ears are pierced. Do you people pierce your noses, too?'"

ANNOTATION

A biography of the Cuban American woman who came to the United States at the age of twelve, studied journalism in college, and went on to become the host of a popular Spanish language talk show seen in over eighteen countries.

FROM THE PUBLISHER