After their olive crop fails, Maria fears that her family will have to abandon their farm on the new island colony. Then, one night she dreams of a mysterious beautiful lady shrouded by trees with branches hung with hundreds of little suns. They are oranges like the ones Maria’s parents once ate in their homeland, Valencia, Spain. That very day Maria and her family plant the seeds that soon yield a magnificent orange grove and save the farm. But who was the mysterious lady who appeared in her dream and will Maria ever find her again?
Related: Caribbean, Dominican Republic, Fantasy, Primary (ages 6-9)
- ISBN: 9780375824258
- Authors: Alvarez, Julia; Vidal, Beatriz
- Illustrator: Vidal, Beatriz
- Published: 2005, Knopf Books for Young Readers
- Themes: Catholic, Culture, Dreams, Family, Fear, Gift, Journey, Night, Spain, Sun
- Descriptors: Caribbean, Dominican Republic, Fantasy, Primary (ages 6-9)
- No. of pages: 40
This book is a journey of hope and giving thanks. It tells the story of an immigrant family living in the Dominican Republic on a farm that is struggling to grow olive trees. Worried that her family might loose their farm, Maria dreams that she plants the seeds of an orange and thanks the earth for accepting them. In giving thanks, the orange trees sprout up and Nuestra Senora de la Altagracia appears amongst them. Inspired by Maria’s dream, her family plants orange seeds that grow to make the farm prosperous, and the family is forever grateful to Altagracia.
The power of hope and working towards one’s dreams are important lessons for students to learn, as well as the power of giving thanks and appreciating the support of others.
A Gift of Gracias is a spiritually based story about Our Lady of Altagracia and how she blessed one family living in South America.
The olive trees that Maria’s family had planted were not growing on the new land like they did in Spain. Maria’s father asked Maria if she would like to leave the farm and move to Spain. She did not want to leave and dreamed that night of Our Lady of Thanks and of planting orange seeds. The next day the family planted the orange seeds and said ‘gracias’. In a few short months trees were producing fruit and the family was able to keep the farm. The family attributes their success to Our Lady of Altagracia.