Xochitl and her family came to America and moved to San Francisco. In El Salvador they were known as the flower family. At first when they move to America, they feel like they have to give up their culture. But, one day Xochitl's mom says they are going to begin selling flowers. Coming to America is not easy and many people feel like they must give up their culture in order to fit in. This book emphasizes the ability to be whoever you want to be in America and that expressing your culture is something to be praised and honored.

Growing up in San Francisco, I was constantly surrounded by the cultures, thoughts and ideas of so many different people. I loved learning from these different cultures and found them fascinating. This book shows that expressing your culture isn't always going to be easy or welcomed but that culture is an essential part of who we are. ( )

Xochitl's family is new to America, she thinks a lot about her homeland of El Salvador, where her family is known as "the Flower family." She now lives in San Fransico, but misses arranging and caring for flowers with her family. One day her mother comes home carrying flowers, she tells Xochitl that she is going to start selling flowers, and of course Xochitl wants to help. On a Saturday morning her father comes home with big news, about an apartment he found that has a yard, though filled with garbage, if they worked together they could grow a garden just like they had in El Salvador. They cleaned up the yard and soon began selling plants and flowers, they threw a grand opening until Don Roberto, the owner of the little lot, came telling the Flores family that they are not aloud to grow plants there. The whole neighborhood came together to see what they could do. This books i great to introduce the idea of community and working together for a greater goal. ( )