Lake County Gazette

Kelly Brenner from the WPS Educational Services Center has submitted the second entry in the Bookmarks series, focusing on "Mafalda" by Quino. The comic strip features a 6-year-old girl named Mafalda who lives in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Written during the 1960s and 1970s, "Mafalda" uses irony and empathy to address topics such as economics, war, poverty, global politics, and gender roles. Through her perspective, Mafalda expresses disappointment with her parents’ generation and the government.

"Mafalda has captured public imagination in Latin America and beyond! Quino’s beloved comic strip about a 6-year-old named Mafalda brings the streets and neighborhoods of Buenos Aires, Argentina to life. Written during the 1960’s and 70’s, Mafalda uses irony and empathy to reveal her disappointment with her parents’ generation and the ruling government. Precocious and passionate, Mafalda and her friends tackle topics such as economics, war and poverty, global politics, and gender roles in a sincere desire to create a better world. Generations of readers have discovered themselves in Mafalda, and learned to question, rebel, and hope."

The Bookmarks series invites community members to share books they enjoy or believe would appeal to young readers.

Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 represents several schools across Lake County including Andrew Cooke Magnet Elementary School, Carman-Buckner Elementary School, Clearview Elementary School, Daniel Webster Middle School, Early Learning Center, Glen Flora Elementary School, Glenwood Elementary School, Greenwood Elementary School, H.R. McCall Elementary School, Hyde Park Elementary School, Jack Benny Middle School, John S. Clark Elementary School, Little Fort Elementary School, Lyon Magnet Elementary School, Miguel Juarez Middle School, North Elementary School, Oakdale Elementary School, Robert E. Abbott Middle School, Thomas Jefferson Middle School, Washington Elementary School, Waukegan High School,and Whittier Elementary school (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).

The district is composed of approximately 3.2 percent White students; 13.2 percent Black; 79.5 percent Hispanic; and 1.3 percent Asian (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). According to data from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), there are a total of 1,014 teachers in Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 earning an average salary of $63,524 before pension contributions; women make up about 71 percent of teaching staff while men account for nearly 29 percent (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). The district spent $23,429 per student in 2020 for a total expenditure of $359 million (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).

Community members can visit Bookmarks to contribute their own book recommendations for young readers.