Spanish italics

When I was reading through Becoming Naomi Leon and then some of the other books that we read in class I wondered why everytime a Spanish word was used it had to be in italics. This seems to go against the idea of using a Spanish word just because the author felt it was the only word that really fit there. Italics are generally designed to call attention to something. Why an author feels the need to draw attention to words that are not English made me think. Doesn't the attention create an environment of English and not English, of us and "the other". Perhaps I'm reading into it negatively. Instead of creating a dividing environment maybe the author just wanted the reader to celebrate the differences.

Maybe even more realistically, that's what the publisher asked for so they could market it as a more multicultural book. Parents might pick up a book with Spanish words in it thinking it will be great for their kids to learn a few new words. Like I talked about in class though, I am not sure if Spanish words can really be integrated into a book like the author wants and be a prominent vocabulary lesson at the same time. You will just end up with redundancy which might frustrate bilingual readers. I tried to look up this issue online but wasn't able to uncover anything specifically.

Overall, I just find it hard to believe that an author/publisher really wants to make a sentence flow smoothly with both English and Spanish words if every single Spanish word is differentiated by the use of italics to draw attention to its use. I will try to continue looking to see if I can find any information on this use.

Addition: I found this Q & A online talking about this issue

Dear Mexican: Why are words in Spanish in your column in italics? I feel that including Spanish and Spanglish slang in articles should be read in a natural, conversational way and not be treated specially. When I read these italicized words, I feel I should make quote signs with my fingers and read them in a more American accent. Maybe that's just the way I read them, but wouldn't it be more worthy to integrate those words into the American language? Either way, it's something that bugs me in general, not really aimed at your article.
Putting the "Fun" in "Fundamentalist Grammar"
Dear Wab: Although the Mexican treats American immigration law the same way his countrymen regard the U.S. soccer team, he must grovel to the caudillos that are his copy editors, all of whom would deport me if I didn't italicize Spanish words. It's an arcane rule devised long ago by gabachos who figured gabacho readers were too pendejos to know when a word was foreign. I agree that America should integrate more Spanish words than those found on menus and place names — that's why I use so many of them. Although some Chicano authors don't italicize Spanish or Spanglish words as a political statement against God-knows-what, I like slanting palabras — it's a constant reminder for gabachos to get with the programa.