Growing up Bilingual

"Growing up Bilingual is a profoundly compelling account of what it means to come of age in an economically impoverished but linguistically rich cultural environment.Without romanticising an often grim situation, Zentella tells a story that has long needed to be told. It should be read by every teacher and social worker who deals with Puerto Rican children. It should also occupy a prominent spot on the bookshelf of anyone seriously interested in language policy, ethnolinguistics, applied linguistics, bilingual education, ethnic identity or Hispanic studies."
—Alicia Pousada, University of Puerto Rico

"Along with her splendid sense of the need to portray memory and history, she brings wit, grace, and intelligence to her intimate and detailed portrayals of the life and language of Puerto Rican children and their families in New York."
—Shirley Brice Heath, Stanford University

"Zentella's book achieves its goal of describing the social and linguistic realities of New York Perto Ricans...those who advocate for an English-only society and the elimination of bilingual education, as well as their foes, should read this work and consider the significance of language for those who are subject to domination by a different culture."
—Yolanda Rivera-Castillo, University of Alabama-Tuscaloosa