Archive for December, 2009

What Are Ghosts Afraid Of?

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

BOOK DESCRIPTION

On Halloween night, it is easy to mistake forgotten curtains and sheets waving on the clothesline for ghosts. But what about real ghosts? Maybe they, too, are afraid of the children that might discover them!

Viví Escrivá’s delightful portrait of children and goblins adds to the charming of the book.

One of the beloved titles of the series Stories the Year ‘Round, or in Spanish, Cuentos para todo el año. The complete stories of the series are:

SPRING
A Rose with Wings
A Surprise for Mother Rabbit
The Empty Piñata

PRIMAVERA
Rosa alada
La sorpresa de Mamá Coneja
La piñata vacía

SUMMER
How the Rainbow Came to Be
After the Storm
In the Cow’s Backyard

VERANO
Cómo nació el arco iris
Después de la tormenta
La hamaca de la vaca

FALL
The Kite
What Are Ghosts Afraid Of?
“Turkey for Thanksgiving?” “No, Thanks!”

OTOÑO
El papalote
El susto de los fantasmas
–¿Pavo para la Cena de Gracias? –No, gracias.

WINTER
The Golden Cage
I Don’t Want to Melt
It Wasn’t Me

INVIERNO
La jaula dorada
¡No quiero derretirme!
No fui yo

CDS AND CASSETTES DESCRIPTION

Facilitating that children listen to the stories as recorded by the author has a special value. They can hear in the author’s voice just exactly how exactly the author wished to convey the stories feelings and emotions, emphasis and suspense. I particularly like to read aloud and to record my readings so, for me, it was particularly joyful to record these twelve stories in English and Spanish.

The stories can be found in individual cassettes in English and Spanish, one for each book of the series, or in CDs in English and Spanish versions. Each of the CDs contains the twelve stories of the series.

A Special Bonus

Because these stories have been so beloved by children, I conceived the idea of given them an extra dimension. I have rewritten the 12 stories in Spanish in verse format. And Suni Paz, with her incomparable creativity, has put them to music. So the Spanish cassettes and CD contain not only the story as published in the book told by me, but also the story retold in verse form and sang by Suni.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

The twelve books of this series are some of my best well known books among bilingual teachers and their students. They are also very dear to my heart since the inspiration for most of them comes from my own children’s childhood.

Looking at things from a different perspective, imagining what it is to be in the other’s shoes, has been a practice my children and I have tried to cultivate.

This is exactly what this book does, looks at Halloween fear from the perspective of the ghosts who fear being discovered.

READERS’ RESPONSES

If you have enjoyed reading or sharing this book, I would very much like to hear from you. Please click here to send your comments.

With Love, Little Red Hen

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Hidden Forest has a new resident. Little Red Hen and her seven little chicks have moved into a cottage and plan to grow a bountiful crop of corn in the nearby field. The problem is that none of the Red Hen’s neighbors are willing to help with the hard work. “Not I,” says the dog, the goose, and the lazy cat. So Goldilocks, who has heard about the new arrivals from her friend Little Red Riding Hood, comes up with a neighborly idea: Why don’t all the residents of Hidden Forest chip in and work on the garden? Better yet, why not make it a surprise? Of course there are a couple of residents who might not be so cooperative. Will Wolfy Lupus and his cousin Fer O’Cious hatch a new plot of their own?

Following the highly acclaimed Dear Peter Rabbit and Yours Truly, Goldilocks, Alma Flor Ada and Leslie Tryon offer young readers another peek into the world of their favorite storybook characters, revealed through the charming letters they write to one another.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

The Little Red Hen has always been one of my favorite fairy-tale characters. Both as the hardworking gal who does not hesitate to do all the work by herself or as the resourceful hen who loves to saw and finds in her scissors, thread and needle the means to escape her captor. In both episodes she shows the best traits of the female personality. For this third book in the Hidden Forest series, following Dear Peter Rabbit or Querido Pedrín, and Yours Truly, Goldilocks or Atentamente, Ricitos de Oro, I chose to have two different hens, Little Red Hen and her cousin, Hetty Hen, carry each of the stories. I made them cousins in honor of my own, who have always been very dear to me. I chose to make Hetty Hen single, in honor of the beautiful and strong single women in my family, among my aunts and nieces. On the other hand, I made Red Hen have seven chicks. The magic number were the number of grandchildren I had at the time, to whom I dedicated the book. But they were really inspired by my own four very helpful children.

The presence of the chicks and the solidarity expressed by Little Red Riding Hood give a new flavor to the story, which ceases to be totally individualistic although continues to stress fairness.

It was an added joy that the Hidden Forest series would not end here, but would be complimented by Extra! Extra! Fairy-Tale News from Hidden Forest or ¡Extra! ¡Extra! Nuevas del Bosque Escondido.

You can read Leslie Tryon’s reflections about the creation of the Hidden Forest series in the chapter she wrote for Alma Flor Ada and You, volume II published by Libraries Unlimited in the series The Author and You.

REVIEWS

Publishers Weekly

Alma Flor Ada returns to the Hidden Forest a third time for With Love, Little Red Hen, illus. by Leslie Tryon, once again relaying her tale through correspondence from storybook characters. Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks and others surprise the industrious but stressed-out Ms. Hen by secretly cultivating her corn, while two wolves plot to kidnap her for a chicken dinner.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 3- In this engaging sequel to Ada’s Dear Peter Rabbit (1994) and Yours Truly, Goldilocks (1998, both Atheneum), the Little Red Hen and her chicks move into the Happy Valley section of the Hidden Forest. The hen’s request for help from her lazy neighbors is met with the familiar chorus, “Not I.” She writes of her new surroundings and adventures in letters to her friend Hetty Henny. Little does she know that she is the topic of conversation in letters between Little Red Riding Hood and Goldilocks, who secretly decide to give her a hand. But not all is happy in Happy Valley with Wolfy Lupus and Fer O’Cious trying to make meals out of their neighbors. Hetty has a close call, but her scissors, needle, and thread provide her with a way out of trouble. Finally, when the Little Red Hen throws a party for her neighbors, the bad guys lose their opportunity to make a chicken dinner and slink off in shame and disappointment. Tryon’s charming pen-and-ink with watercolor illustrations depict a bucolic paradise with neighbors who look out for one another. Team the three Hidden Forest books with Janet and Allan Ahlberg’s The Jolly Postman (Little, Brown, 1986) and Each Peach Pear Plum (Viking, 1979) for a fun look at nursery rhymes and at letter writing. Bina Williams, Bridgeport Public Library, CT.

Booklist

Ages 5-8. Like Dear Peter Rabbit (1994) and Yours Truly, Goldilocks (1998), this addition to an imaginative series once again comprises letters between beloved storybook characters. Correspondence here describes the Little Red Hen’s arrival in the Hidden Forest, an enchanted place where a number of familiar storybook characters reside. Ada does a great job entwining the lives of previously unrelated characters into one intriguing story. Tryon’s realistic, highly detailed watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations are equally appealing, especially the splendid double-page spread depicting the celebratory party Little Red Hen throws for the friends who helped her plow and plant the field. It’s not essential for youngsters to be familiar with the previous books or with the stories on which the letters are based, but having background will certainly add to enjoyment. Lauren Peterson.

READERS’ RESPONSES

View the With Love, Little Red Hen PowerPoint Project by Megan Starzl

Letter Writing Book Bundle
From: http://laurabensonopenbook.blogspot.com

“First and foremost, engage children in reading their own writing/letters and the work of their peers. As well as providing students with a relevant genre in which to learn more about text structure, letter writing is very motivating for kids. Additionally, letters provide us with a relevant vehicle to teach students conventions and help them care about being mindful of conventions in their own writing.” Read more »

If you have enjoyed reading or sharing this book, I would very much like to hear from you. Please click here to send your comments.

Under the Royal Palms

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

RECOGNITIONS

Pura Belpré Medal
American Library Association, Best Books of the Year 2000
American Library Association, Pura Belpré Award
Center for Latin American Studies, America’s Commended List
National Council of Teachers of English, Notable Book in the Area of Language Arts

Video: Colorin Colorado Interview, Spanish
Video: Colorin Colorado Interview, English

See also: The Alma Project

BOOK DESCRIPTION

In this companion volume to Alma Flor Ada’s Where the Flame Trees Bloom, the author offers young readers another inspiring collection of stories and reminiscences drawn from her childhood on the island of Cuba. Through those stories we see how the many events and relationships she enjoyed helped shape who she is today.

We learn of a deep friendship with a beloved dance teacher that helped sustain young Alma Flor through a miserable year in school. We meet relatives, like her mysterious Uncle Manolo, whose secret, she later learns, is that he dedicated his life to healing lepers. We share the tragedy of another uncle whose spirited personality leads to his love of flying…and the crash that takes his life.

Heartwarming, poignant, and often humorous, this collection encourages children to discover the stories in their our own lives–stories that can help form their own values and celebrate the joys and struggles we all share no matter where or when we grew up.

purabelpreawardmedal1The Pura Belpré Award honors Latino writers and illustrators whose work best portrays, affirms and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in a children’s book. Alma Flor Ada was named the winner of the Belpré Author Award for Under the Royal Palms: A Childhood in Cuba, published by Atheneum Books.

In a heartwarming and loving portrayal of her childhood days in Cuba, Ada describes her deep friendship with a beloved dance teacher in Under the Royal Palms. Readers meet relatives and share the tragedy of the loss of Ada’s beloved uncle. Photographs enhance the diary-like portrayal of Ada’s early years.

Where the Flame Trees Bloom encourages children to discover the stories in their own lives and to celebrate the joys and struggles we all share no matter where or when we grew up,” said Yolanda Bonitch, chair of the Pura Belpré Award Selection Committee.

Born in Camagüey, Cuba, Ada is professor of multicultural education at the University of San Francisco. She is a renowned author, translator, scholar, educator, storyteller and advocate for bilingual and multicultural education. Ada received a bachelor’s degree from Universidad Central de Madrid in Spain and a master’s degree and doctorate from Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru.

The award was announced January 17, 2000 during the American Library Association (ALA) Midwinter Meeting in San Antonio. The award is administered by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of ALA, and REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library Services to the Spanish Speaking.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

I am frequently asked, by children and adults alike, which, among the many books I have written is my favorite. I try to explain that I cherish each of my books, because I have written each one with love and they all have taught me something about myself. But I must confess that my books of memoirs, Where the Flame Trees Bloom or Allá donde florecen los framboyanes and Under the Royal Palms, as well as those published only in Spanish, Barquitos de papel, Barriletes, Días de circo, Pin pin sarabín, and Pregones have a special significance because with them I have not only tried to capture the days of my childhood but I have honored the multiple people who made my childhood memorable. These books, like the memoirs I have written for adult readers, Vivir en dos idiomas. have been my way of thanking those who enriched my spirit and taught me so much about trying to honor each day the gift of life.

REVIEWS

Publishers Weekly

In this handsomely designed companion volume to Where the Flame Trees Bloom, Ada once again draws upon her experiences growing up in post-war Cuba. In a short introduction, the author describes her hometown, Camagüey, as a “city of contrasts”? with diverse religions and education and economic levels (“some had so much and others had very little”). The 10 stories that follow do not focus on these oppositions so much as the unique experiences of young Alma and her extended family. Several memories poignantly expose the disparity between those who have and those who have not, such as “Explorers,” in which young Alma and her cousin get lost in a marabú field and are aided and fed by a poverty-stricken family. Others illustrate life lessons (for example, the impossible but gleeful task of counting bats in flight for their nightly feeding taught Alma to appreciate the process of an endeavor, rather than its completion). But the best of these stories simply recreate a poignant or humorous moment from the author’s girlhood: Alma sipping from a porrón (a small clay pot) at school, lovingly filled with water by her mother; Alma’s pride in her uncle’s daring turning to grief when he dies in an airplane crash. Many of the stories stand well alone, but some take a meandering expository path to recount a history or explain a term. These more formal (though often graceful) tangents distance readers from the slices of life. Still, at the core of the collection, there is a heartfelt portrayal of a quickly disappearing culture and a vastly beautiful land. Ages 8-12.

School Library Journal

Grade 4-7: This simple and graceful reminiscence of a childhood in Cuba in the 1940s is a companion to Where the Flame Trees Bloom (Atheneum, 1994). Although not wealthy, the author’s family lived comfortably with aunts, uncles, and cousins in a large, shared family home in the small town of Camagüey. Here any event beyond the ordinary became the focus of everyone’s attention and the fuel for many days of conversation. Each chapter includes an early memory or experience of Ada’s: nursing the baby bats that fell onto her porch, the production of simple and inexpensive plaster figures for nativity scenes, etc. The author writes about the contrast of wealth and poverty in her country at that time and of the people who made an impression on her, including a ballet teacher who befriended her during a lonely year in a new school, and an uncle and aunt who worked with lepers. Her observations of people lead to a series of revelations that shaped her life. Black-and-white photographs of the author and her family appear throughout. –Sylvia V. Meisner, Allen Middle School, Greensboro, NC.

The New York Times Book Review

The success of ”Under the Royal Palms: A Childhood in Cuba,” the companion volume to Alma Flor Ada’s ”Where the Flame Trees Bloom,” derives in no small part from its appeal to adults as well as children. The author, a professor of multicultural education at the University of San Francisco who has written a number of children’s books, understands that to get to a child’s bedroom shelves, often a book must first enchant choosy adults to buy it. And enchant this one does. The slim, handsome book is divided into 10 chapters, each a self-contained story about Ada’s childhood half a century ago in Camaguey, a city in the province of the same name in the center of Cuba, known as the cradle of great poets and courageous freedom fighters. The stories and the endearing black-and-white photographs of her family are woven into a greater theme: everything Ada learned about life, she explains, she learned in her small town, surrounded by family and nature. Although this feels preachy at times, most parents would surely not mind the lessons. For instance, after telling how she spent childhood evenings trying to count bats with her loving grandmother, she draws an eminently sensible conclusion that could easily be applied to many an apparently vain effort: ”On the many occasions when I have later felt that I am once more trying to count bats, engaged in an impossible task, I have allowed myself to laugh, happy to remember that some of the best things in life are like counting bats: it was never the final count that mattered, but rather the joy of seeing them fly.” –Mirta Ojito.

Kirkus Reviews

Of books comprising nuggets of memory there seems to be no end, and in a companion volume to her Where the Flame Trees Bloom (1994, not reviewed), Ada recounts small stories of growing up in the town of in Camagüey, Cuba. She captures with some feeling the powerful effect of scent on memory: night jasmine, coffee, ylang-ylang, and her grandmother’s perfume of lavender and sage. She immortalizes sibling hurts and uncles’ gifts, and writes of the childhood mystery of adult conversations partially overheard and partially understood. She is rich in family, attempting with her grandmother the impossible task of counting bats as they fly, and smashing her favorite doll when her dashing uncle dies in a plane crash. She is rich in memories of other adults, too: Madame Marie, a French-Jewish refugee; Gilda, a dance teacher, whose affection carried Ada through an impossible year at school. Some repetition does not detract, and children might be moved by Ada’s exhortation to consider their own family stories. (b&w photographs) (Memoir. 9-14).

CLASP

Alma Flor Ada offers stories about Cuba that would not otherwise be available to those of us living in the United States. This collection provides the reader with a close look at an active and loving extended family. It chronicles events that would probably stand out for lots of children growing up throughout history and across geographical boundaries: living in different houses, in the city and in the country… and the tragic death of a beloved young uncle. This volume provides information on a prolific author that is accessible and helpful to readers studying Latino writers.”

Booktalks

Who knows where Cuba is? Alma Flor Ada takes us to Cuba and describes her memories as a little girl there. You will feel like you are right there feeling everything she is. As you read you will be able to see the photos of her family and friends which make it come to life even more. We all have fun times in our lives and we also have tragedies happen. Alma Flor Ada describes her Uncle’s plane crash and I thought I was right there. To see what Cuba is like and Alma’s memories of her childhood you must read Under the Royal Palms by Alma Flor Ada. — Karen Womack, graduate student

READERS’ RESPONSES

If you have enjoyed reading or sharing this book, I would very much like to hear from you. Please click here to send your comments.

Turkey for Thanksgiving Dinner? No, Thanks!

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

BOOK DESCRIPTION

When the turkey overhears a conversation about how fat and tasty he will be on Thanksgiving, he loses his own appetite. Fortunately, he meets a young spider who remembers that her grandmother’s great grandmother, whose name was Charlotte, once saved a young pig’s life. The spider, then, sets out to find a way to save the turkey.

Makes a great companion to Charlotte’s Web. It also invites conversations about nutrition and exercise as sources of health.

One of the beloved titles of the series Stories the Year’ Round, or in Spanish, Cuentos para todo el año. The complete stories of the series are:

SPRING
A Rose with Wings
A Surprise for Mother Rabbit
The Empty Piñata

PRIMAVERA
Rosa alada
La sorpresa de Mamá Coneja
La piñata vacía

SUMMER
How the Rainbow Came to Be
After the Storm
In the Cow’s Backyard

VERANO
Cómo nació el arco iris
Después de la tormenta
La hamaca de la vaca

FALL
The Kite
What Are Ghosts Afraid Of?
“Turkey for Thanksgiving?” “No, Thanks!”

OTOÑO
El papalote
El susto de los fantasmas
–¿Pavo para la Cena de Gracias? –No, gracias.

WINTER
The Golden Cage
I Don’t Want to Melt
It Wasn’t Me

INVIERNO
La jaula dorada
¡No quiero derretirme!
No fui yo

CDS AND CASSETTES DESCRIPTION

There is a special value to listening to a books read by the author. Such recordings show just where the author wishes to convey feelings and emotions, emphasis and suspense. When the text is put to music it acquires additional interest for children.

I particularly like to read aloud and to record my readings so, for me, it was particularly joyful to record these twelve stories in English and Spanish.

The stories can be found in individual cassettes in English and Spanish, one for each book of the series, or in CDs in English and Spanish versions. Each of the CDs contains the twelve stories of the series.

A Special Bonus

Because these stories have been so beloved by children, I conceived the idea of given them an extra dimension. I have rewritten the 12 stories in Spanish in verse format. And Suni Paz, with her incomparable creativity, has put them to music. So the Spanish cassettes and CD contain not only the story as published in the book told by me, but also the story retold in verse form and sang by Suni.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

The twelve books of this series are some of my best well known books among bilingual teachers and their students. They are also very dear to my heart since the inspiration for most of them comes from my own children’s childhood.

Sometimes I write the things I need to tell myself. Developing good eating habits and exercise practices have always been issues for me. So, perhaps, more than convince anyone else of their value I wrote this book to convince myself.

Besides, I have always been a great fan of Charlotte’s Web, and I was pleased to write this story to honor that extraordinary book.

“Turkey for Thanksgiving Dinner?” “No, Thanks!” and ¿Pavo para la Cena de Gracias? ¡No, gracias! have been some of my most favorite books to read aloud to children.

READERS’ RESPONSES

If you have enjoyed reading or sharing this book, I would very much like to hear from you. Please click here to send your comments.

Tres princesas: Blancanieves. Cenicienta. La bella durmiente.

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Three traditional fairy tales: Blancanieves [Snowwhite], Cenicienta [Cinderella] and La bella durmiente [Sleeping Beauty] have been retold in verse form by Alma Flor Ada.

These original verses provide a delightful retelling of the story.

CD DESCRIPTION

The three stories contained in the book have been told in a two part format which allows to make a pause in the listening of the story to elicit comments and predictions from the children.

Suni Paz has created outstanding dramatic music turning these retellings into real performances of the tales.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Traditional fairy tales were an important aspect of my childhood. Later I enjoyed sharing them with my four children. Retelling well-loved stories in verse was a meaningful challenge for me, since it meant uniting two of my passions, stories and poetry.

There is always a great risk that a narrative in verse will not be true poetry. And children are much too frequently fed verses that may rhyme but are not poetry. I have always felt that this pseudo-poetry can hinder the child’s understanding of what true poetry really is, with harmful consequences. This is why these renditions were created with great care. They have been blessed by having been put to music by Suni Paz.

BOOK REVIEWS

Críticas [American Library Association]

The Leo con Disney collection includes […] Tres princesas … Ada’s wonderful retelling of Cinderella, Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, each in a rhyming, poetic format. — Paul M. Kienlen, Northside ISD, Bilingual/ESL Dpt. San Antonio, TX [Críticas, July/August 2004, page 52]

READERS’ RESPONSES

If you have enjoyed reading or sharing this book, I would very much like to hear from you. Please click here to send your comments.

The Three Golden Oranges

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Far on the other side of the mountains, next to an enchanted castle, grows a tree with three golden oranges. It is there that the three brothers–Santiago, Tomás, and Matías–must journey if they wish to find a wife. Once they reach their destination, the brothers must carefully pick the oranges and bring them back to the old woman who lives in a cave on the cliffs overlooking the sea. But, “In order to find your wives, you will need to work together,” the old woman has said. “Woe to you if you do not follow my advice!”

Each of the brothers wants something different. Santiago wants a wife who is beautiful. Tomás wants one who is both rich and beautiful. But Matías, the youngest brother, longs for a woman who is kind, joyful, and loving…someone he could love very much in return. Will the brothers be able to avert misfortune by working together? Will they be strong enough to break the spell that a wicked sorcerer has placed on the castle?

Master storyteller Alma Flor Ada offers a poetic and magical retelling of a well-loved traditional story about Blancaflor, a mythical young woman who appears in various stories throughout the Hispanic world. This traditional Spanish folktale celebrates a spirit of cooperation and brotherly love. Reg Cartwright’s boldly colorful and exquisitely stylized art is a perfect accompaniment.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

The Spanish folklore is abundant in wonderful tales, as diverse as the country from which they originate. Many of them were brought to Spain by the Arabs, who inhabited large areas of the Iberian Peninsula from 711 to 1492. The magic characteristic of the stories of One and a Thousand Nights, is somewhat present in this tale of enchantment.

Retelling this story was an exciting experience which I was happy to replicate in the retelling of the tales included in Tales Our Abuelitas Told, compiled in collaboration with Isabel Campoy who has retold many of the traditional folktales of Spanish-speaking countries contained in that book, also published by Atheneum.

BOOK REVIEWS

Publishers Weekly

Ada adds feminist panache to her retelling of the classic Spanish folktale. Matías and his two older brothers wish to wed, but there is not a single unmarried girl in all their lush valley. The old woman who lives on the cliff by the sea has the answer: if they travel to a distant castle, pick three golden oranges and bring them to her, each brother will have the wife he desires. But they must work together or, she cautions, “Woe to you if you do not follow my advice.” Matías, the only one to comply, wins his destined bride, the kind Blancaflor, and she helps him to save both his brothers and her bewitched sisters. Ada’s author’s note cites no specific source for her retelling, but does contrast her Blancaflor tale with some of the more popular versions. As in her original fairy tale, The Malachite Palace, she adopts a straightforward, sometimes bland narrative voice (“When Matías… saw that there was only one orange left, he felt very sad for his brothers”). But the artwork will sustain readers’ interest. Cartwright’s (The Band Over the Hill) vivid and varied vignettes and spot illustrations rendered in flat, round shapes and bold colors evoke folk art while displaying a sense of life and movement. The pictures here are as succulent as the oranges themselves. Ages 5-8. (May) © 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

School Library Journal

Grade 1-5: In this well-known Spanish folktale, three brothers are instructed by their mother to find wives. An old woman advises them that they must work together and tells them to travel to a castle grove, pick three golden oranges, and together bring them back to her. The two older brothers, who are vain and shallow, disregard her advice and are put into the castle’s prison, where they are rescued by Matías, the compassionate youngest son who follows the woman’s directions and gets the fruit. On the way home, the older brothers open their oranges and once again find themselves in the dungeon. When Matías brings his fruit back to the old woman, she cuts it open and a dove flies out. Later, he removes a thorn from the bird’s neck and it turns into a young woman named Blancaflor. They return to the castle and free her family from a spell. Matías marries Blancaflor, but her sisters refuse to marry his brothers. Cartwright’s flat, folk-art style characters wear traditional Spanish costumes. The yellows, greens, and oranges in the rounded patchwork countryside contrast with the black of the brothers’ clothing and bright blue skies. Full-page illustrations alternate with smaller pictures to move the eye and relieve the long text. Ada keeps the story as simple as its many twists and turns allow, but this is still a complicated tale. An author’s note discusses variations of the folktale and how oranges fit into Spain’s history. –Sally Bates Goodroe, Harris County Public Library, Houston, TX © 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Booklist

In this version of a popular Hispanic folktale, three brothers in search of brides are told by an old woman that they will each find the wives they want–if they work together. She sends them on a quest to bring her three golden oranges. Of course, the two oldest try on their own and fail, and the youngest pulls them together. In a nice twist, he is finally rewarded by a strong bride who chooses him. The text is long, sometimes too long, especially with the repetition of the pattern of three; but the telling is lively, the message is light, and the stylized oil paintings in bright colors combine magic and personality, rhythm and character, with a strong sense of drama. –Hazel Rochman

Latin Baby

LBBC’s recommendation for the August Libro del Mes, is Alma Flor Ada’s The Three Golden Oranges. Ada’s adaptation of the classic Spanish fairytale is spectacular with changes to the original story line that create a tale that flows simply and beautifully… Unlike most fairytale endings in which the handsome prince is rescuing the princess with his extraordinary strength, agility and dashing good looks, Three Golden Oranges emphasizes the value of honesty, selflessness, honor, and dedication. When asked what type of wife he wants, Matías asks for one who is “kind, joyful and someone I could love very much” as opposed to his brothers who desire wealth and beauty. And in a novel turn of events, it is the sweet Blancaflor who chooses Matías to be her husband, rather than the other way around! Yay! Altogether what a great message…and one that I hope to impart to my own son and daughter… More »

Kirkus Reviews

Ada (Under the Royal Palms, 1998, etc.) reworks the traditional story of Blancaflor, taking swipes at greed, vanity, and the practice of arranged marriages in the process. Some well-traveled types help make the points: older brothers full of themselves and not above treachery; the innocent, well-intentioned youngest brother; a wise older woman; and a young woman in dire circumstances, with the moral fiber to endure. Here the story revolves around three brothers wishing to wed, and how they seek the advice of an elderly woman and then ignore all her warnings. The two bad-of-heart brothers wind up in a castle jail, and then marriageless; Matías, the pure one, liberates a family under a sorcerer’s spell, gains love and marriage, and fulfills his mother’s wishes. Ada invests her lengthy retelling with a quiet musicality that softens the predictability of the narrative. Meanwhile, the Spanish countryside comes blazingly alive under the bold illustrations of Cartwright’s stylized, utterly transporting artwork. (Picture book/folklore. 5-8) — © 1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Activities

Print The Three Golden Oranges Coloring Page

READERS’ RESPONSES

If you have enjoyed reading or sharing this book, I would very much like to hear from you. Please click here to send your comments.

The Unicorn of the West

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

BOOK DESCRIPTION

In this evocative tale of friendship and self-discovery, a young unicorn undertakes a magical journey in order to find his purpose. Excellent for discussing themes of identity and solidarity.

The delicate illustrations by Abigail Pizer complement the story.

CD DESCRIPTION

This CD contains the reading of three of my favorite stories: Jordi’s Star, The Malachite Palace, and The Unicorn of the West. It was a very meaningful experience for me to record these books, to choose the music to accompany the reading, and to share after each recording the story of the creation of each book.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

This story was born out of the request of my great-nieces Virginia Marie, Lauren and Allison Roure DeMiranda for a bedtime story. When I asked them what they wanted the story to be about they requested “unicorns”. So, inspired by their beauty and their trust in my storytelling abilities I began: “Each evening, as the sun set…” and the story was born. It has always been one my favorites, perhaps because of my love for the girls who inspired it, and their mother, my niece Virgilú.

REVIEWS

School Library Journal

Grade 1-3: A gentle story that can be effectively shared on many levels. A young unicorn who has never before met any other creatures of the forest tries to discover who he is. With each season, he meets a different animal: a spring robin, a summer butterfly, an autumn squirrel. But it’s not until winter approaches that he hears a “melody” that seems to beckon him to a place where he meets the Unicorns of the East, South, and North. They tell him that he is the Unicorn of the West and that every seven years on the solstice, the four meet to insure that each corner of the world will always know love and beautiful dreams. The unicorn returns home, content to know his identity and with the knowledge that he has true friends. In The Gold Coin (1991) and My Name Is Maria Isabel, (1993, both Atheneum), Ada employed similar themes of self-discovery. Here, it is interwoven with the idea that both friendship on an individual level and peace on a universal level are important. The story is well told and folkloric in its approach as a pattern is developed and repeated with each encounter with a different animal. The watercolor illustrations are soft without being pale and portray an apt world for this original fable.

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The Song of the Teeny-Tiny Mosquito

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Early one morning a mosquito is swallowed by a frog, who in turn is eaten by a fish, who in turn… This original cumulative tale has a surprise ending that delights all readers. An excellent way to introduce the concept of the food chain, it is a joy to read, to tell, to chant, or to turn into a play.

CD AND CASSETTE DESCRIPTION

There is a special value to listening to a books read by the author. Such recordings show just where the author wishes to convey feelings and emotions, emphasis and suspense. When the text is put to music it acquires additional interest for children.

The original music created by Suni Paz for El canto del mosquito compliments this whimsical cumulative tale. Her vivid performance captures the listener’s imagination until it seems that the mosquito is buzzing right in our ears. professional recording of the English version of the story conveys the magic of the cumulative tale.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

On the back cover of the Big Book which accompanies this book, as well as in the cassette, I tell the story of having once involuntarily swallowed a mosquito which flew into my mouth as I spoke. Now, I am concerned about the wisdom of such candid statement, since on a school visit a child told me he had enjoyed hearing that I eat bugs!

My objective on sharing the genesis of this story was to point out that ideas are all around us, and the smallest event can be the origin of a story. I also like to point out how writing allows us to improve reality. My story let me rescue that poor mosquito of long ago.

REVIEWS

School Library Journal

About Stories for the Telling: A charming series, illustrated with watercolor and pen-and-ink drawings. The stories are told in a humorous style and are enhanced throughout by Ada’s gift for language and poetry. El Canto del mosquito / The Song of the Teeny Tiny Mosquito is the droll story of a frog who eats a mosquito and whose song then sounds like that of a mosquito. The frog is eaten by a fish, who then sings like a mosquito, etc. Una extraña vista / Strange Visitors is a humorous counting story of the days of the week in rhyme. Me gustaría tener… / How Happy I Would Be… lists the various things “I would like to have…” Again in a counting-book format, the desired items all turn out to be animals involved in unusual activities (e.g. two giraffes reading with glasses). ¿Quién nacerá aquí? / Who’s hatching Here?, in contrast to the others, is a science book. Rhyming riddles ask which animal will hatch from different eggs. The eggs are presented in their natural habitats; both illustrations and text hint at the answers.

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The Rooster Who Went to His Uncle’s Wedding

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

A Latin American Folktale

RECOGNITIONS

One of the Best Books of the Year – Bank Street College

BOOK DESCRIPTION

What can you do if your beak is covered with mud, and the grass refuses to help you… the sheep won’t eat the grass… the dog won’t bite the sheep…? Well if you are a rooster on your way to your uncle’s wedding, you’ll ask your friend the sun, and he’ll surely turn things around! Outstanding illustrations by Kathleen Kuchera add brilliant tropical colors to this sunny story.

“Like the talented storyteller who shares her version with us now, this enchanting cummulative tale has roots in many Spanish-speaking countries around the world, where it has found a delighted audience of children.” (–Tomie de Paola)

AUTHOR’S NOTE

This is one of the many tales which I received from my Grandmother, my mother’s mother, who was a fabulous storyteller. She would tell it to me outdoors, usually on the porch, and would weave into the story any of the animals we could see –a goat, a cow—and the story would change from day to day, becoming as alive as our own surroundings. In turn, I have enjoyed telling this story to children and seeing them delight as I tell it faster and faster, as the list of characters grow. It has also been fun to see children perform this story as a play.

REVIEWS

Booklist

“This delightful cumulative tale introduces a perfectly groomed rooster with a gleaming beak, who’s on his way to his uncle’s wedding. As hunger overcomes him, he ponders, “Peck or not peck?” while looking at “a single golden kernel of corn” lying in a puddle of mud. Peck he does, and he muddies his beak as he gobbles the kernel down. Now, how to get his beak clean? The velvety grass won’t do it, but the rooster thinks perhaps he can scare the grass into helping, if he asks the lamb to eat the grass. The list of characters who refuse to help is long. Finally, the rooster’s good friend, the Sun, comes to his rescue. Each character, when threatened by a natural adversary, does what it is supposed to do, which in the end, helps the rooster. The rooster, a universal folk character humanized in many cultures, is appealing here. The story which was told to Ada by her grandmother in Cuba will delight young children with the sheer joy of its repetitive rhythms, and it is particularly appropriate to be told aloud. The illustrations, bright with tropical colors, depict a Latin American setting. The strongest element of this Latin American folktales is the universality of its theme, which makes it an interesting addition to the folktale collection for preschoolers.”

Publisher’s Weekly

The author of The Gold Coin retells a Latin American version of a familiar cumulative folk story illustrated in the vibrant colors of the tropics. In a narrative line reminiscent of Rosanne Littzinger’s The Old Woman and Her Pig, Ada tells of a rooster who muddles his beak en route to his uncle’s wedding feast; […] Through harmonious repetition and singsong rhythms, Ada’s leisurely, conversational tale neatly mimics the cadences of a Traditional storyteller. Kuchera’s (Your Skin and Mine) geometric illustrations in intense hues of orange and chartreuse evoke the designs of Latin American folk art with their flat edges, sharp lines, zigzags and whorls. […] The artist deserves kudos for her animated rendering of such normally static objects as a stick and a blade of grass.”

School Library Journal

Rooster, en route to his uncle’s wedding, struggles with the dilemma of whether he should risk of getting dirty in order to obtain a kernel of corn. His hunger overcomes his better judgment and, of course, he winds up “…with a beak full of mud.” This leads into a cumulative tale that will be familiar to anyone who knows “The Old Woman and Her Pig” or any number of its variants. In this case, his quest to get clean is nicely circular: the sun, just coming up as the book begins, is the one who agrees to break the chain of refusal, to repay the rooster for greeting him each morning. Ada’s lively adaptation uses economical language with just enough detail to move things along. Vivid hand-colored prints illustrate the story well. All of the characters are festively arrayed: the blades of grass, for example, play musical instruments, and one is wearing a gaucho hat and a cape. The sheep wears a ruffled dress and has a bowl of fruit on her head, a la Carmen Miranda. The plain white borders contribute to the clean pleasing design. The stylized patterns, with lots of diamonds and zigzags, have the look of Central and South American folk art. A solid addition to folklore collections and a story hour hit as well.

Kirkus Reviews

A cumulative tale that echoes “The Old Woman and Her Pig.” Since the debonair rooster is so busy preening his feathers and polishing his beak that he skips breakfast, the kernel of corn he finds on his way to the wedding is tempting, though it’s in a puddle. Seizing it, he muddies his shiny beak, and the trouble begins. The grass refuses to clean the beak; the dog won’t bite the lamb that won’t eat the grass–and so on, until the sun, grateful for the rooster’s daily song, starts to dry out the water, which starts to put out the fire…. This Latin American variant is gentler than the familiar tale, but just as lively. Kuchera’s decorative illustrations, with whimsical personifications (especially of the grass, fire, and water) and the elegantly stylized rooster in lemon, emerald, and flame against a brilliant blue sky, are splendid. An unusually appealing readaloud. (Folklore/Picture book. 3-8)

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The Malachite Palace

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

BOOK DESCRIPTION

This original fairy tale celebrates the importance of freedom and the need to take responsibility for one’s own freedom. Although the queen, the governess, and the lady-in-waiting all believe that the young princess is too delicate and refined to play with the neighborhood children, the princess herself decides otherwise…

CD DESCRIPTION

This CD contains the reading of three of my favorite stories: Jordi’s Star, The Malachite Palace, and The Unicorn of the West. It was a very meaningful experience for me to record these books, to choose the music to accompany the reading, and to share after each recording the story of the creation of each book. The CD became even more meaningful as it was played during the performance of The Malachite Palace as a ballet.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

The word “malachite” fascinated me since childhood. In the beautiful poem “A Margarita” the great Nicaraguan poet Rubén Darío describes a king who had “un palacio de diamantes, un kiosco de malaquita y un rebaño de elefantes” [a palace made of diamonds, a malaquite kiosk and an elephant herd]. The whole world he painted delighted me, but it was the “malachite kiosk” that intrigued me. Not knowing what malachite was, the sound of the word was in itself fascinating. Many years later I had the opportunity to visit the extraordinary museum of The Hermitage in St. Petersburg, and there, to my surprise, was a magnificent malachite kiosk. Did Darío heard about this outrageous gift to a tzar? Or was the imagination of the poet the inspiration for the kiosk? I probably will never know, but haunted by the beauty of word and stone, one day I simply began writing: “There once was a princess who lived in a malachite palace…” As the story evolved, the values I hold true: the value of freedom and the responsibilities it demands, the richness of diversity, enriched the story. And what a pleasure to have an extraordinary artist as Leonid Gore create such delicate and inspiring illustrations that make the book itself a gem!

An additional source of joy has been to see The Malachite Palace turned in 2008 into a magnificent ballet by the Ballet Bras d’Or in Cape Breton, NS, Canada.

REVIEWS

Publishers Weekly

Gore’s (The Pomegranate Seeds) acrylic and ink illustrations, spun like gossamer and lit with an inner radiance, lend their magic to a tale about a lonely princess. Confined to the castle and forbidden to play with the children outside the gates (whom the queen, the governess and the lady-in-waiting deem common), the princess is delighted when a little yellow bird flies in through the window, filling the palace with “a light and joyful music.” After it is captured and placed in a cage, however, the little bird ceases to sing. Only when she sets it free, turning its cage into a bird feeder so that it and its friends may come and go at will, does it sing joyfully again. Seeing the bird’s happiness inspires the princess to seek her own, and she ventures for the first time beyond the palace gates to play with the other children. Ada (Mediopollito) puts a bit of a fresh spin on the tired metaphor of the bird in the gilded cage by having the girl take responsibility for her own freedom. But it is Gore’s airy, diaphanous illustrations that lift the tale above the sum of its parts. Studies in the refinements of light and texture, they appear overlaid with a delicate, filmy gauze, and their weightless elegance imbues the translucent green walls of the malachite palace and the sun-dappled interiors with a mysterious, ethereal beauty. Ages 4-8.

School Library Journal

Pre-School–Grade 3: A lovely picture book in the grand tradition of European fairy tales. Locked away in her malachite castle, a lonely little princess yearns for the one thing she does not have a friend. Then one day, a tiny yellow bird with a beautiful song visits the palace, and the princess’s lady-in-waiting and governess lock it in a silver cage. Trapped, the bird stops singing, until the princess removes the cage door. The bird flies away singing a joyful song and soon returns, accompanied by many friends, to the open cage the child has filled with food and placed on the balcony. Following the bird’s example, the princess ventures outside the palace doors, where she joins the children laughing and playing. Although the story is not highly original, youngsters will enjoy its gently familiarity. The artwork, lovingly crafted by a leading Russian children’s book illustrator, is striking. Softly muted acrylic and ink drawings depict a dreamlike land while expressing the princess’s isolation. A predictable, yet comforting, read. –Denise E. Agosto, formerly at Midland County Public Library, TX.

Booklist

Ages 4-8: An original fairy tale/fable, translated from Spanish, tells a touching story of a privileged child in a gilded cage, who sets herself free. The princess lives in splendor in the malachite palace, but she is shut in there. She hears the laughter of children playing in the fields outside the gates, but she is forbidden to join the “common, ignorant” crowd. Gore’s full-page, acrylic-and-ink pictures, in rich, shimmering shades of green and red, show the angelic child nearly overwhelmed by her flamboyant care-givers: the arrogant queen, the repressive governess, the protective lady-in-waiting. Then a singing bird flies into the child’s room; the ladies lock him into a silver cage, and he stops singing–until the princess opens the cage and lets him fly away. She transforms the empty cage into an open archway, and finally she opens the ornate palace gates for herself and runs outside to play with the children. The theatrical illustrations provide a lavish setting for the sturdy child’s struggle to leave home. –Hazel Rochman.

Kirkus Reviews

From Ada (The Lizard and the Sun, 1997, etc.), an original fairy tale that is predictable, elevated to beauty by Gore’s paintings. A princess child is isolated in a palace, away from the “rude,” “ignorant,” and “common” children who play outside her gates. One day an exquisite yellow bird visits her, singing a joyful tune; the princess cages it and its joy fades. She frees the bird, and eventually frees herself, joining the children outside. The message is heavy-handed, the telling is without style, the setting is nondescript. The illustrations, however, are ephemeral: The princess and her surroundings are depicted in Gore’s paintings as if they are seen through gauze. The angles of the characters’ faces, the sharp definition of the cage, the detailed scrollwork of the windows and gates are all in perfect contrast to the hazy existence of a friendless princess an isolation based on prejudice and hearsay, and one to be willingly shattered. (Picture book. 4-8) — Copyright ©1998, Kirkus Associates, LP.

This is a wonderful picture book, both the writing and the illustrations. It’s about the cruelty and foolishness of snobbery. A very sweet little princess is kept inside the palace gates because the queen, the governess and the lady-in-waiting think she is too good to be mixing in with the riff-raff rabble kids outside the gates. She’s not happy. One day the queen and her cronies trap a bird that has flown in to the palace but it isn’t happy and starts to deteriorate, so the little princess helps it escape. In the process the princess makes a very important change in the way she is treated. The illustrations of this little princess are just perfect and they capture her emotions in such detail. The illustrations glow with a soft light and the deep green walls of the malachite palace add magic to the pictures and also a sort of innocence. This is a book that shows the strength that a child can have when they decide to live up to their true nature and think for themselves. It should help kids see that they can come up with ideas on their own for doing the right thing and that sometimes grown-ups can make mistakes. I love this book. (–Terrie Reese, Little Chute, WI, US, Amazon Top 500 Reviewer).

“The Malachite Palace” is a beautiful book about friendship and respect. The little princess is not allowed to play with the common children outside because they are “rude” and “ignorant”, according to her lady-in-waiting, governess, and the queen. One day she finds a little yellow bird, and decides to keep it for a friend. But being in the cage makes the little bird weak and sad, and the princess must find a way to set the bird free, and in doing so, show the women that watch over her that she cannot grow or be happy unless she is allowed to have friends. The illustrations in this book are exquisite, almost ethereal. It is a treasure for any children’s library, and sure to be a favorite. (–N. Bernadsky, Conway, AR, US, Amazon).

“A caged bird will not sing, and a child locked away in a protective castle will not flourish. Ada’s fairytale speaks to the heart and soul of childhood, to the power of truth and freedom. Set off by Gore’s magnificent paintings, this is a near-perfect melding of classic story and artwork.” (Family Life, June/July, 1998)

“[…] This is a fairy tale with a strong young girl who need no magic to make her world better.” (–Natalie Soto.On the Shelf – Rocky Mountain News. August, 1998)

Activities

Print The Malachite Palace Coloring Page

READERS’ RESPONSES

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