A little girl’s grandmother teaches her to sew.
Americas
Materials from the Americas
La Procesón De Naty (Libros Juveniles) (Spanish Edition)
A colorful, surreal trip to a Mexican fiesta Naty is so excited – this is the first year she gets to be one of the puppet people in the parade celebrating Guelaguetza, a July festival of folk dances in southern Mexico. At first the sights are overwhelming – the feather dancers, the pi-a (pineapple) girls, the fish-men who perform El Pescado, the dance of the fish. Then her father helps her into her mouse costume and sees her off to a safe start in the parade, but in the excitement of the hustle-bustle, Naty drops her clay whistle and becomes lost. Mustering all her courage, she finds her way back to the parade just before nightfall and is soon reunited with her father. This simple story, told in a distinctly childlike voice, is brought to life in Freschet’s exuberantly colorful oil paintings, which feature sights strange and magical and which capture the essence of Mexico.
The Folk Keeper
Corinna Stonewall is 15 years old and an orphan. She is also Rhysbridge Foundling Home’s Folk Keeper – a difficult and dangerous job which consists of looking after and controlling ‘the Folk’ – spiteful, maverick, savage creatures who live in the cellar and will only be prevented from spoiling the milk, terrifying the livestock and other disruptions by gifts of cream, salt pork and other luxuries. But there are many questions about Corinna. Who are her parents? Why does her hair grow two inches a night? Why does she feel drawn to the sea and long for the sweet taste of fish?
Little Lost Bat
“Chronicles the early life of an orphaned Mexican free-tailed bat, from its birth to its adoption by a new mother. Includes back matter about bats”–Provided by publisher.
Old Letivia And The Mountain Of Sorrows
Shunned by superstitious townspeople who are suspicious of her healing gifts, Old Letivia, a wisewoman who lives on the rainforest island of Borinquen, journeys into the forest with her two friends and encounters dangerous tests of her courage.
El Mejor Es Mi Papa/ My Dad Is The Best (Gongoli) (Spanish Edition)
Puerto Rico’s best-selling author offers us this warm and loving tale about relationships between father and child. In a kingdom far, far away, a time and place has been set to choose the best father of all. In verses, each one of the animals, from a chick to a firefly, from a frog to a penguin, tells why their candidate is the best one. Find out the reasons why everyone’s father is the best in the world.
Three Kings Day: A Celebration At Christmastime
For many Latino Americans one of the best things about Christmas is that it lasts for twelve days. The final day, Three Kings Day, comes on January 6 and honours the arrival of the Magi in Bethlehem. It’s a favourite holiday for children, with presents from the kings as well as parades, performances, parties, lively music, and scrumptious food. While describing the customs and revelry ten-year-old Veronica shares with her family and New York City’s Puerto Rican community, this book portrays a celebration that is rich in tradition and artistry. A glossary and index are included.
The Meaning Of Consuelo: A Novel
La nina seria, the serious child. That’s how Consuelo’s mother has cast her pensive, book-loving daughter, while Consuelo’s younger sister Mili, is seen as vivacious–a ray of tropical sunshine. Two daughters: one dark, one light; one to offer comfort and consolation, the other to charm and delight. But something is not right in this Puerto Rican family. Set in the 1950s, a time when American influence is diluting Puerto Rico’s rich island culture, Consuelo watches her own family’s downward spiral. It is Consuelo who notices as her beautiful sister Mili’s vivaciousness turns into mysterious bouts of hysteria and her playful invented language shift into an incomprehensible and chilling “language of birds.” Ultimately Consuelo must choose: Will she fulfill the expectations of her family–offering consolation as their tragedy unfolds? Or will she risk becoming la fulana, the outsider, like the harlequin figure of her neighbor, Mario/Maria Sereno, who flaunts his tight red pedal pushers and empty brassiere as he refuses the traditional macho role of his culture. This affecting novel is a lively celebration of Puerto Rico as well as an archetypal story of loss, the loss each of us experiences on our journey from the island of childhood to the uncharted territory of adulthood.
Americas Award For Children’s And Young Adult Literature. Winner
Atariba and Niguayona: A Story from the Taino People of Puerto Rico
A Taino Indian legend about a young boy and his search for the healing caimoni tree.
An Island Like You: Stories of the Barrio
A collection of stories captures the lives of different teenagers growing up in the barrio, including Rita, who goes to live with her grandparents in Puerto Rico; Luis, who spends his days working at his father’s junkyard; and Sandra, who tries to rediscover her natural Latino beauty.